This is one fit of nostalgia that reminds me of my days as an anteater (zot! zot!) running with Olympians from Sweden while sweating through 6 minute miles (on a darn 12 mile run!) on the seemingly interminable back bay. These days the place is much more pleasant. For one, I can actually enjoy the scenery. Birds, birds, and more birds. Back in the day, I think I saw mostly sweat. Sweat ain't pretty. It stings. It's blurry. It tastes like chicken! Well, I may be off on that last one. This is a serene little 10 mile loop through Newport Beach. On a weekday around 3pm, there isn't too much traffic. This is one good place to get away from the hustle and bustle and just enjoy some tranquility. As I've watched a lot of Criminal Minds lately, I recommend that nobody do this run alone. Much like kindergarten, exercise in secluded areas should be done with a pardner. Howdy! read more

Nice area that is beautiful during the day and even more at sunset. If you like the nature preserve area then you have to get here to see this view as well. Made for biking than walking, unless you like to go long distances walking, then this is definitely for you. You will feel safe being here, since a lot of people frequent it with running, biking, walking everyday and all times of day. There's an area in here that dogs can take a quick dip, just keep them on the leash to stay within the rules :). read more

This is an awesome bike path and it must be a godsend for the UCI crowd. My history with this path goes back 17 years. If you want to take in miles of scenic beauty free from crazy motorists, this loop is for you. The ride isn't too challenging but you'll want to make sure that you have water and maybe a padded saddle for comfort. Do watch out for occasional walkers who are oblivious to cyclists. I haven't encountered that many people behaving badly, but then again every time I ride the Back Bay it is never crowded. Oh yeah, use the bathroom before riding out. Heaven help you if nature calls. Coming from Irvine, you can join the path by following the Mountains to Sea trail. It is very well-signed. PS. Don't mind the "speed limit." I don't think that NB is very fond of cyclists. ;) (Not advocating breaking the law...just sayin.) PPS. Don't forget to do an ABC check before riding out. I once broke down on the way back and had to walk the entire trail in humid heat. Not fun. read more

Our video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqjjrF-G0i4 A lovely loop used for hiking, cycling and even horse-riding, very mellow. Most of the trail is on concrete and moments walking next to the streets. There are lots of enjoyable views and nature spots. *Free to park. Notes: We noticed lots of dog and horse poo on the dirt paths, so watch where you step. read more

This is one of the best running paths in the U.S. It's accessible, quiet and very safe. The city had just replaced the macadam surface and repaired some drains. The bike and running paths are clearly marked so any conflict between athletes is avoided. The views are Aaamazing. read more

Back Bay Loop Trail - Parks Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Great bike path. Enjoy riding it on weekdays, however on nice weekends it can get busy and even crowded. read more

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A great place to ride a bike in winter when traffic is low but yet another example of an OC "shared bike path" where the city takes credit for this as a bike path, but there's no way to really ride it without competing with skateboards, clueless walkers blocking the road by lining up all the way across, photographers, and drivers ignoring both speed limits and rules. Poorly marked and relatively unsafe for cyclists. City places unreasonable speed limits and tickets bikers but not pedestrians, but still takes credit for it as a bike path. Construction is frequent with clueless crews and usually unmarked so be careful. This is really a sidewalk that the city calls a bike path. Politics! You can ride a bike here but it's a long way from a true bike path. read more

Great place to ride bike , walk, run are first time here and we love it we will be back soon read more

Back Bay Loop Trail - My new friend - Parks Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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This is truly a beautiful spot in Orange County, for bikers, hikers and joggers etc... HOWEVER, people are ruining it with all the litter. I would've picked up the garbage IF I could find a garbage can. NONE! WTF!? I'm calling the city and finding out what is going on here! We need to respect our beautiful land, people. read more

Back Bay Loop Trail - Parks Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Was in Newport and had some time to kill, so I decided to walk the Back Bay Loop Trail. I started near the Back Bay Science Center. The trail has clearly marked lanes for pedestrians, cyclists and cars, which was really nice and for the most part everyone abides by this...just a few times in which cyclist pods stretched across most of the 3 lanes barely willing to share. Most runners and cyclists were friendly, nodding good mornings to me. Overall, I made it 7.5 miles of the 10.5 mile loop. It was fairly flat and very enjoyably. Some spots need a bit of trash clean-up to take place, but I would definitely return! read more

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*tip: Go here at night on a weekday and be quiet, you'll hear a multitude of frogs belching a symphony.

I love running here! It's so nice to step out of the hustle and bustle of life and just burn a good ol run session in with the huskies! Beautiful views, clean pathways and best of all there are water stations with dog water too! read more

I love the loop and try to do it at least once a week, or more. It's time-consuming so plan accordingly and bring water. The earlier you go, the less crowded it will be especially on weekends. The views are beautiful. It's worth the trip. There's parking off Back Bay Road, off Irvine near the Upper Bay, and other adjoining roads. I WALK this loop starting on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) going toward Corona Del Mar and then I cut through Back Bay View Park (watch for cotton-tail rabbits and other critters here) down to Back Bay Road. Take a left on Back Bay Road and you'll come to a one-way road. Continue on that for a couple miles until you hit a steep hill that intersects with East Bluff. Turn left on East Bluff to Jamboree. Take a left on Jamboree (just follow the people/bikes) there's a bike trail (you can go under the bridge toward Irvine and the Univ of CA). Or, continue straight until you hit Bayview Trail (just follow all the people and bikes, it's directly across the street from the Fletcher Jones Mercedes Benz dealership). I follow that path all the way until it ends where Irvine intersects with Santiago. I turn left onto Santiago (a residential neighborhood) to Castaways Park then take that trail to Dover and back to the PCH to home. Takes me about 2.5 hours walking. But that's taking a short cut onto Santiago Rd instead of going up Irvine Rd to Dover. BATHROOM Tips: Sometimes I stop at the Muth Interpretative Center off the Bayview Trail-- they have clean bathrooms. Then you can cut through the Upper Bay Park and get back on the bike trail. Note: It's not open all day -- 10 to 4 pm. And it's at the far end of the upper bay. There's also bathrooms at Mariner's Park (Off Irvine Rd, near the intersection of Dover) but that's not super close to the upper bay if you're running or walking. I think there's also bathrooms at the Science Center on ShellMaker Rd, just off Back Bay Rd towards the Hyatt. I live within walking distance of the trail, so it's easily accessible. Back Bay Rd is a one-way road with car traffic. Most drive slowly, but you have to be heads up if you're running or walking with the traffic. There's a lot of bicycle traffic! Most of the SoCal bikers don't yell out "on your left" like in NorthernCal, so it helps to stay right. The first time I took this trail I was confused because the trail markers are better for bicycles than for runners, walkers, etc. The Back Bay Loop signs are posted up on the right-hand side of the road for bikes on Dover, and there's signs off of Irvine, and spray-painted markers on the PCH. If you're coming in the opposite direction: PCH to Dover to Irvine Rd. to the Upper Bay, you might cut through Castaways Park and then go down hill to Santiago to Irvine to Back Bay...or, cut through Castaways Park to Dover and then to Irvine Rd. People are really friendly, so flag someone down for directions if you get lost. read more

Love it here went on an early Sat morning with my 2 girls! They had a blast! For sure we will be back!

Pros- large portion no care, beautiful scenery, animals Cons- to do a full loop will need to be on the road and it becomes slightly hard to follow read more

Beautiful place to ride a bike. Very peaceful. We like to rent e-Bikes at Pedego in Irvine (by the lake) and take the San Diego Creek trail down past UCI to the Back Bay. It's an off-road trail the entire way. Great scenery. Note: If you follow my advice and do the same thing (because... why wouldn't you), make sure you take the University Trail on the way back (San Diego Creek to University; near the Korean church; you just have to cross Harvard). It takes you through some parks where you don't even know you're in Irvine anymore. Plan for about 2 hours. read more

I love coming here, it's so gorgeous and there is so much space for cyclists, people walking dogs and runners. I love this place

I love to ride bikes and I hate cars. So everyday I ride 20 miles on the Back Bay trails and it is great. Doing a cardio workout like cycling on this trail is amazing breathing in the sea air beats gym funk any day. The views are great and there are lots of other trails and sight seeing spots that branch off from the main trail. The trail gets a bit crowded on weekends with some people who are oblivious so as a cyclist I really need to keep my eyes out for kids people walking dogs on ridiculously long leashes or taking up the whole trail on beach cruisers and not paying attention. but normally on a week day there is no place that I would rather work out. read more

My favorite running spot in Orange County!!!! Such a great place to run with all of the beautiful scenery, and great running trail. Plus you get encouraged to run more because there are so many great runners around you. Brining plenty of suncream (trust me) and a water bottle. The only down side is that it is PACKED on weekends!!!! So try to avoid weekends. Also you can get lost in Back Bay pretty easily, so my advice stay on the bike path but watch out for bikers! Enjoy!!!! read more

Really relaxing and tranquil spot to meander. It almost feels as if you're out of state or in a foreign country. In the evening, it is very peaceful with very few people around. They have a couple of cafes stationed in the area, as well as random beach chairs on the sand. There are also a few swingsets; I would say it is a pleasant area to bring your children. read more

Nothing but RUDE RUDE RUDE bicyclists at this Newport Back Bay loop... What is up with bicyclists being so self absorbed and just plain dangerous on the paths ( THAT are supposed to be shared with pedestrians!!!!) .. Went there today with my 14 year old daughter to walk part of the loop and enjoy the views and was almost hit 3-4 times by careless , speeding bikers who just yell out " on your left" or " on your right" as they zoom by... So nerve racking... I will NOT go back! One bicyclist yelled at me as I stood on the edge of the bridge looking at the beautiful view of the bay... " Wake up!" Really? Why do you think it necessary to say that as I'm standing there and enjoying the view... I HATE the rudeness of most bicyclists! Most of you are *holes!! read more

The Back Bay in Newport Beach has become my training grounds since moving out to Orange County. I've trained here for Tough Mudder, as well as the OC, Long Beach and upcoming Surf City Half Marathons. There are a few hills, but nothing too crazy. Although this is a top spot for walkers, runners and bikers, it's never too crowded and most people are polite. It's a great 10 mile or so loop! read more

This really is about as good as it gets for a beautiful run/bike/horse trail in the middle of Newport Beach. One suggestion, if you are going to bike the entire loop, start on the north side and head inland first. That way you only have one big hill to deal with instead of the long gradual slog uphill going the other way. The big hill is going up Dover from PCH and then it is mostly downhill from there with a few small rises. Going the other way you will feel like you are constantly going uphill with no relief. read more

Nice walk. Flat. The Back Bay is not really that much to look at, so don't expect some beautiful landscape. Just a smallish bay with reeds. My wife calls it a marsh. No shade, bird sanctuary (although they must have been on break-didn't see any), kinda smelly. Used to waterski in the back bay when I was a kid. Those days are over. Nice 2-star walk. read more

Good place to go for walking, running, biking dog-walking and family walks.

It's nice to have a nature hiking trail so close to the endless suburbia that is OC, but it's certainly nothing special. Pretty plain, an easy workout, but at least it's long enough that you're not lapping yourself every ten minutes, or starring at empty dirt like you will on what Irvine thinks is a nature trail. Plenty of easy parking at various entry points. If you're tired of jogging around your neighborhood, this is a good change of pace. read more

I love running around this loop. Nothing beats the sound of birds and ducks as the sun quietly sets and it's only just me and the sound of my breath. read more

This is a great place for a walk or run. It can get pretty dang hot back there though so go early or late. I find it odd that cars are allowed to drive along the road (in one direction) that is filled with cyclist and foot traffic. Luckily most of the car traffic seems to be aware and drives slowly. read more

I'm not sure if the basin is in Costa Mesa (maybe part of it is...). I was under the impression it was in Newport. Anyways, I've only been on this twice and both times I had a great time (cycling). I have yet to do the whole loop, but look forward to it. It can be a little crowded at times.. with people walking themselves, their dogs or walking with their little kids riding their little bikes into the middle of the road, necessitating you to stay alert. It's really picturesque and peaceful.. all in all. read more

This is a beautiful area for a bike ride. It is about 10 miles if you do the whole loop and don't get lost. There are markings on the sidewalks and signs to try and keep you on track, but with all of the scenery to take in, it is easy to miss one. There are a couple of hills, but for the most part this is an easy ride. Great family ride. read more

My husband and I love this trail for our long weekend runs. Very scenic and safe. Only issue is that there are no bathrooms along the way so be sure to pace your water intake. From our old campus apartment to the end of the back bay and back is roughly 13.1 miles so it was an excellent training ground for our half marathons. read more

Good place to come for a stroll at sunset or for an awesome run. Sky always looks amazing here. Great weather everyone is friendly what more can you ask for. read more

Have enjoyed this for years for a small ride, love the connection to San Diego creek trail. I just wish for two things: 1) Bees would stop finding their way onto my face/leg/down my shirt/etc. Damn all those wildflowers right now! 2) People on any mode of transport (bike/run/whatever) would follow the basic rules. No headphones in both ears, cyclists calling out and slowing down when it is crowded, walkers not taking up the whole width, leash your dog, etc! read more

I love coming here to walk but especially to ride my bike on hot socal evenings. It's a quick ride but gets the heart pumping. Great views and it's not too far from the freeway. read more

I recently moved back to Irvine and have been loving all the bike trails, this is definitely one of my favorites. Awesome and easy connection from the San Diego River path to the Back Bay Loop. read more

Wonderful bike ride on a beautiful day! It's a great place to go for a nice enjoyable ride along the water with nice scenery!

I absolutely LOVE this trail. I go to school nearby and on my breaks I take a short walk down the loop. It is a LONG loop so keep in mind if you have goals of going all the way around. I believe it's about 10 miles or so but don't quote me on that. I usually walk down about 2 miles and back the same walk. There are little breaks in the trail that lead up into neighborhoods/other little trails that are great to explore if you have a little time. After the rains this season it is looking exceptionally beautiful! Definitely recommend checking it out! read more

Pretty good ride, if you do the whole thing its about 10 miles and a decent work out. Its just hard to find open areas like this in Southern California these days, let alone right in the middle of Newport. I took advantage of it all the time when I was there and now that I'm gone I see how neat it is (now that im in LA...). read more

Love coming here to run. In fact one of my favorite places. There are a lot of bicyclist which can be a pain some times. They like to ride on the side walk instead of the road. Love the outdoors. read more

A very popular trail. Amazing views, no traffic to deal with so what could be better? It can sometimes get busy especially on weekends but still a nice place for a walk. My kids love to ride their bikes down here and it's easier than lugging everything down to the beach. read more