Hikes in Orange County

Flanked by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Santa Ana Mountains to the east, hiking in Orange County can be a varied experience. The heavily populated county is home to several satisfying parks that break up the city sprawl of over three million residents. If you want to get outdoors in Orange County, Disneyland is not your only option!

Hiking Orange County

Orange County’s most rugged trails can be found in the Santa Ana Mountains, which run along the border between Orange County and Riverside County. Santiago Peak is the highest point in the Santa Ana Mountains and in Orange County at 5,687 feet. A National Forest Adventure Pass may be required to visit some areas of the Santa Ana Mountains that are protected by Cleveland National Forest. While not technically in Orange County, Ortega Falls and El Cariso Nature Trail are located in the Santa Ana Mountains just across the county border in Riverside County, so you may want to check them out too.

Orange County Hiking

This collection of trails in Orange County, California lists hikes roughly from north to south and west to east. The table may also be sorted alphabetically or by distance to help you pick your next hike. Each trail links to its own report complete with photos, GPS maps, elevation profiles, directions, and all other information needed to locate and enjoy these hikes in Orange County. Below the table is an interactive map showing the location of each hike.

Trail	Description	Distance	Location
300	Carbon Canyon Regional Park Redwood Grove This level hike visits a small grove of small coastal redwoods that is the largest grove of these large trees in Southern California.	2.5 miles 75 feet	33.920923, -117.82935
306	Weir Canyon Trail This loop explores the side of a canyon in a wilderness connected to Santiago Oaks Regional Park near Anaheim.	3.8 miles 350 feet	33.830446, -117.744129
310	Lake View Loop & East Ridge Overlook This figure eight loop adds a short extension to Lake View Loop to reach the high point of Peters Canyon Regional Park.	3.65 miles 200 feet	33.784024, -117.762424
320	Lake Huntington This level and easy loop circles a small lake in Huntington Beach Central Park.	0.75 miles 25 feet	33.69929, -118.010354
330	West Bluff Trail Loop This loop combines trails above and below the West Bluff in Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve to provide a variety of views across Upper Newport Bay.	2.5 miles 75 feet	33.654468, -117.886134
340	Little Sycamore Canyon - Serrano Ridge - Camarillo Canyon - Stagecoach South Trails Loop in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park This loop uses four trails to explore two canyons and a ridge in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park.	5 miles 500 feet	33.607746, -117.763248
360	Geology Discovery Trail This loop in Crystal Cove State Park follows guide markers exploring geology in the beautiful backcountry of this Orange County wilderness.	9 miles 900 feet	33.56638, -117.821616
363	Moro Beach This out and back hike ventures down Moro Canyon to a picturesque beach in Crystal Cove State Park.	2 miles 150 feet	33.56638, -117.821616