I wanted to find a new bike trail where I can take my kids biking and be safe at the same time.We usually bike either on Belmont Shore bike trail, Bolsa Chica bike trail or El Dorado park. After looking at the pictures and reviews this seemed like a perfect new place to visit and experience so we decided to give it a go. The bike trail "loop" isn't really a complete designated bike loop. 75% of the bike loop is indeed a designated path for biking, jogging, walking, etc. the other 25% of the loop is down right extremely dangerous to bike as it is on major streets with lots of traffic and maniacs speeding by. The 75% of the true bike trail is indeed amazing as it provides gorgeous views of the bay. However, there are four major streets that you have to travel on if you want to complete the so called "loop". Jamboree, Irvine, Dover, and PCH. None of which have a designated bike trail besides your normal bike lanes which no driver respects anyway. This made it a very stressful bike ride for my wife and I trying to keep our kids safe and protected, mind you they're not that little anymore... 8 year old and 12 year old. Also, the trail is very poorly marked with signage and you can easily make a wrong turn, which we did a couple times. We didn't realize this until we had to stop and look at our map. Lastly, in hindsight if I was going to do this again with my family and the thing I would suggest to anyone that wants to do this with their kiddos is to start at the trailhead in the Science Center and make your way backwards counterclockwise. Once reaching the end of the trail at Irvine Blvd. turn around and come back the same way. This way you stay stay safe, on the trail and you get 12 miles of biking rather than 10.5 miles. I hope this review helps someone that is planning to go for the first time and most importantly go with their kids. Cheers read more

I had a nice walk with a friend and sat in a café. Had a snack and drink. Very nice outing.

Taking a brisk jog, casual stroll, or adventurous bike ride through the Back Bay Loop Trail are some of the best memories I had when attending UCI. Only a few blocks from campus, access to the trail is so easy. This trail is so full of life, fun people, and spectacular views. I haven't been back in awhile, but I can remember the sunsets, glistening waters, rolling green hills, birds, nice residential areas, like it was yesterday. I'll have to go back one day with my aching old joints. read more

Did the entire 10+ miles on Friday. Very enjoyable run/hike/walk. I definitely under estimated the distance as my knees were feeling the last few miles. It took a little more than 2 hours to complete. The reason why I gave this a 4 and not a five is because there was an overcast that day so it was a bit gloomy. I also wished you didn't have to go through the residential are for such an extensive part of the loop. But then again, I don't think this was really meant to be a loop but people who like the challenge created a loop out of it. ;) One advice...once you're more than half way, your committed. Not like you can get to the other side by crossing the bay! haha I parked by Back Bay Dr and Shellmarker Rd. I'm not sure if it was because I went on a weekday or not but there were plenty of free parking on the street. But I came across a few different spots throughout the loop where one can park and enter the loop. read more

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I visited once, and hopefully I'll be coming back more in the future! Thanks to fellow yelpers, I found the parking lot off of University Dr and Irvine Ave. Parking was not hard to find at all. There are some mini trails by the parking lot, but the actual loop continues down the street toward the YMCA. I didn't have enough time to go through the entire 10 miles, but from what I've seen, it's nice and quiet. Mostly bikers come through in the morning, but there are some joggers too. As other reviewers caution, bring your own water and wait to use restroom after your exercise. There are no bathrooms here. read more

Back Bay Loop Trail - Watch the mirror for incoming traffic...mostly bikers - Parks Near Me - Newport Beach, California

The only thing that bugs me is how fast the cars drive through here. But other than that great place for walks, biking, or skating. Love coming here to get a little break from all the hustle and bustle. read more

I road all the way around the loop. I would probably have given it a 5 if the path went all the way around. Path covers about 2/3 of the loop. The 1/3 with no path you have to walk sidewalks in neighborhoods or ride your bike in the street in the bike lane. Plus No bathrooms. New Port Beach probably doesn't want bathrooms on the loop because it attracts transients. No bathrooms keeps the riff-raff out is probably their thinking because there certainly are adequate parks on the loop, and land to build at least one on the loop if they wanted to. Well, consider this not only a good athletic workout, but also a Bladder workout. TONS of signs on the loop. I posted some here. I have never seen so many signs in a recreational area. They must put up a new sign every month. All in all, it is fun to ride here occasionally--mainly flat, some rolly hills--nothing too severe. And just a few blocks off the loop is Fashion Island Shopping or Balboa Island is not too far away either. read more

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Birds! Golden orange sunsets! Cyclists riding with a bit of whimsy -- bubble blowing fun. Joggers with their furry pets all leashed. No headphones needed due to wildlife provides the sounds of their music to our ears. For cars, it's a one way street beginning from Jamboree & back bay road. For cyclists, It's OK to ride both ways. Lots of regular faces here so it's a local favorite. Mine now too. read more

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Remember how Gilligan, the Skipper, Ginger, and all the others set out for a 3-hour tour? Well, that was me, too, only the weather didn't start getting rough nor was the tiny ship tossed. I never quite recall from one visit to the next just how long it takes to circumnavigate the Back Bay on foot. * News Flash: 3 hours, 10 minutes *. If you run it or bike it your time will decrease drastically; I apparently have a long, slow gait and the full loop runs 10 miles. Doing the full loop will take you on a mostly lovely, very easy paved trail with a nearby view of wetlands, marine birds, and at some points, distant views of the parts you still need to get to if you ever want to get back home. It will also take you on a somewhat ugly little stretch behind the Newport Dunes where you will see camper vans and RVs, then out to the PCH and along Dover Drive and Irvine Avenue where cars will be your accompaniment. At all points there are sidewalks, bike lanes, or walking/biking paths to keep you apart from any traffic. There's no need to do the whole loop and, if you're less rigid than I, you could easily just travel the more serene parts then turn back and retrace your footsteps. If you have children along, they'll appreciate this tactic. All the info you need to get out there and walk this trail yourself is right here: http://www.irvinecompany.com/Our-Legacy/forever-wild/back-bay-loop.aspx I can certainly think of worse ways to spend 3 + hours. read more

a beautiful paved trail with good lighting and amazing views! the sound of the jets does break that tranquil every once in a while, but the fresh air and the sunsets more than make up for it! read more

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

I went Kayaking with my dog this past Sunday morning and there was plenty of parking up near the water. One of the best places to stand up paddle board or kayak. The homes and yachts along the shore are incredible. I'd highly recommend this spot for anyone who wants to get out on the water. read more

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

This is a great place to get a nice workout while being able to enjoy nature's simple pleasures. As a UCI student this place is easily accessible and take you as far as Bill Barber Park to even the Newport/Balboa Island area. It's great for all ages and great for all tools of transportation. I've usually saved about 2 hours for a safe round trip reaching one end to the other biking. The path may not be intense but it's quite a lengthy trail. Tips: Bring water just in case Money if end up in Newport or take the back end to Ralph's Be sure to share the road! read more

Back Bay Loop Trail - Biking the Back Bay Loop Trail! #Gmorning #SimplePleasures - Parks Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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One of my favorite trails!!! Not a hard walk AT ALL but after the rain it has some beautiful bay views! It's pup friendly so I always take my pup and he tends to play with a few other pups we see on the trail! The only downside to their trail is unfortunately you have to share the trail with bikers so always been on the look out. Some stay in the wider lane but there's been times where I've seen them coming straight at us in the walkers lane. There's different birds that hangout in the bay so it's nice to look at the play and bathe in the water. Would recommend this trail for beginners or anyone looking for a nice place to walk/run or bike! read more

Back Bay Loop Trail - Along the back bay - Parks Near Me - Newport Beach, California

We like to ride our bikes here or go for a stroll here on the scenic path. We like to stop and feed the ducks. There is body of water that loops around the whole thing. I think it's 10 miles all the way around the loop, but there are also other trails if you do not want to take the loop. The sunsets are beautiful here and you can see the dunes clear across the way - you can go there for your paddleboarding or watersports needs, I believe you can even camp there read more

Back Bay Loop Trail - Chasing Sunsets at the back bay loop after our 10 mile ride around - Parks Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Good trail as far as the beautiful view, people, wildlife and location. Would be nice it the pavement were a bit smoother. No problem for walkers and bikes, but a good part of it is un-skateable. Rough pavement, irregular joints, patches and a few bumpy bridges make up the majority of this trail. Take my advice, fellow skaters. Go home and get your bike. read more

I spent a week at Newport Dunes Resort, which is located next to Back Bay trail. I was able to use the trail for both running and cycling. I love that the lanes on the trail are clearly marked and designated for pedestrians, cyclists and cars, though I was a little dismayed to see quite a few pedestrians in the lane marked for bikes and cars (safety issue, come on guys). The trail is very pleasant, except for one small section that smelled like sewerage. Other than that, I found it very enjoyable both for running and cycling. We did not do the "Loop", because we did not feel like competing with cars on the road portion of the loop, but our out and back was just perfect. read more

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This is a lovely trail! Great place to come for a walk, jog, run, or ride your bicycle ! The majority of it is on asphalt or side walk which makes it great if you prefer not to walk on dirt trails. Most of the trail I was directly in the sun but there's a nice ocean breeze you can feel. I've come here all hours of the day and it was quite empty around noon on a hot summer day! Usually after work it gets crowded with people getting in their exercise for the day. The lane is separated for bikers (both directions) and walkers. The reason why I knocked a star off is because cars are able to drive through only one way - but it can be inconvenient during the busier times of the day. read more

Beautiful place for a walk. We have two children ages 4 & 8 who I figured would enjoy a nature walk. We live in Los Angeles and decided to make the drive out here. We walked about 2.5 miles one way before we turned back. My four year old was tired but was able to finish the walk back. Both of my children enjoyed watching the birds and the crabs by the water. We saw a few lizards and some poor animals who did not make the walk across the road r.i.p. we saw a lot of people jogging and riding their bikes. Very friendly people who greeted us as we walked by. I would definitely make the drive out here again. read more

I've been training for marathon running for months, but primarily using the treadmill. I researched some places to run in the area and stumbled upon Back Bay Loop on yelp. I like Back Bay Loop. I immediately fell in love with its tranquility and solace. This is a perfect place to go for a run if you want peace and quiet. I went running in the middle of the week with a few buddies an hour before sunset. Hardly anyone was there except the neighboring camper folk at the rv resort in the area. One of the things that impressed me most was that the restrooms were super clean and well-kept. It made the germaphobe within rejoice. Watching the sunset here was beautiful. Tips: There is a parking fee, although the first 30 min are free. Also a good place to walk dogs, ride bikes, and take the kids. There was a newish playground; technicolor and in the shape of pirate ships. So cute. Back Bay Loop- great park for a little peace and and ocean breeze in the neighborhood. read more

Back Bay Loop Trail - Running at dusk. The view from where I parked. - Parks Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Epic outdoor experience! The Back Bay is a beautiful nature preserve and estuary in the heart of Orange County, CA. It's hard to imagine a nature preserve located in such close proximity to Irvine's central business development and John Wayne Airport. However, the Back Bay flourishes with activity and is a frequent destination for bikers, runners, stand-up paddle boarders, and HIKERS! There are several trail options and routes to consider when visiting the Back Bay. If you prefer dirt trails, it's recommended to stay on the Upper Back Bay Trail that overlooks the east section of the bay. If you want the opportunity to come close to various bird species, it's recommended to try the Lower back Bay Trail. Dog friendly (on leashes) read more

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Great trail for runners and cyclist. The roads are very well maintained and delegated so you are able to make the most of your workout. The trail is flat for the most part and shaded enough so that you aren't completely exposed to full sun. Highly recommend for your workouts. read more

Back Bay Loop Trail - Route for the 10 mile loop; must run on the streets to connect the loop - Parks Near Me - Newport Beach, California

One of the most beautiful and scenic views in Newport! My friends and I do a mini triatholon here every couple months and it's a great spot to host it. There's a lake you can swim in, nice biking trails, and gorgeous backyards of houses you wish you owned :p I love that the location isn't too far from the beach. It's a good biking trail and definitely works your legs out. For some reason I love running miles here instead of biking. Very nice smooth roads and surprisingly all the mile markers are still there. Lots of nice people here on the weekend that randomly say good morning to you if they happen to be going the opposite direction. They also have paddle boarding and kayaking here, but I haven't tried it. Parking is free for the most part which is a bonus! read more

Not a strenuous or hilly hike, but a relaxing walk. The entire loop is 10 miles. It's paved and there are lines separating bicyclists and walkers/runners. We started at Back Bay Science Center and headed north for about 2.25 miles. On Sundays they have "open house" from 10AM - 2PM, which means they have small touch pools with sea anemone, uni, lobster, starfish, sharks, and rays. There's also a variety of birds around (we saw hummingbird, ducks, cranes, and other birds). There's mini-dirt trails you can take off the paved road which was fun to find! Would definitely come back to bike the loop. read more

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Zulu (my dog) and I finally completed the whole loop on foot today! To some pros it may seem like nothing, but it was quite a feat for us. We printed out Stacey Z's map (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/back-bay-loop-trail-newport-beach?select=NT8y3JlHrO_y5pmvuaDC9w) and used that to help us navigate the boring street parts. We started at Castaways Park and went north from there. Luckily there are signs either on the sidewalk or on light posts pointing you in the correct direction to go for the Back Bay Loop Trail - VERY helpful! Most of the trail is very nice and close to the bay, like others have mentioned some parts (Parts of Dover St and Irvine Ave) are just neighborhoods and kinda boring, but we got that out of the way in the beginning so it was not so bad. We will definitely do this trail again sometime...but for now, plenty of rest. read more

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

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Fun trail, and nice & cool in the summer compared to further inland. Just finished the full loop on I enjoyed it. Will do it again. Too bad there are two sections where the trail disappears, but just keep going in the most appropriate direction and it'll reappear. read more

This trail is awesome. It's 10 miles of flat running goodness with a hill here & there. PARKING: I normally park along Back Bay Drive coming from Jamboree near the Back Bay Science Center. There's plenty of free street parking here. I've only gone on the weekends and I haven't had trouble finding parking. This is the perfect place to get your long runs in on the weekend if you're training for a race. Once you start the trail you'll start noticing mile markers every .25 miles - super helpful! Also a great place to bike. I've seen several bikers here. And if running & biking is not your thing, I've brought the pups here for longer walks & I've also seen families take walks. Something for everyone :) TIP: Make sure you bring water and use the restroom before your run/bike/walk etc. There were no water fountains that I've noticed and the only bathroom I saw was a porta potty at mile 1. Good news - seems like they clean the porta potty often! I wish I knew about this place last summer when I was training for my Disneyland Half Marathon. It would have definitely made my Sunday run day long runs a lot more bearable. Good news is that I can add this into my running rotation while I train for this year's race - YAY! read more

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

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My husband and I hiked at the Upper Newport Bay before, but realized that this entire bay is so huge, that we probably missed the 'Back Bay Loop'. Soo...we decided to hit up the Back Bay Loop for some hiking with our pup a couple weekends ago. We found parking right outside of a 'science center' and started our walk along the loop. We probably walked / strolled about 30 minutes in and then 30 minutes out. It was scorching hot that day, and our pup was starting to show signs of fatigue and dehydration, haha. We saw lots of bay birds and people kayaking in the water too. Such a fun way to spend a Saturday morning/afternoon. Lots of people were walking their dogs and riding their bikes - the road is shared amongst cars, pedestrians, cyclists and pets! If we ventured in further along the loop, I'm sure we would have seen more vantage points of the bay and likely more animals as well. It was a good time. read more

I used to spice up my cardio with the route at Runyon Canyon in LA. Now that I'm in the OC, I like to spice up my workouts with a loop along the back bay. It's really very well maintained, pretty, and people are generally friendly (minus the occasional biker who nearly runs me over.) I never feel uneasy about venturing out this way alone, either, bc the route is dotted with cyclists, runners, walkers, moms pushing strollers, the grandma I saw on a razor scooter yesterday, etc... The breeze coming off of the back bay is so nice, even on hot days. It's just a great way to get outdoors and exercise. read more

I guess how you feel about this place depends on how you plan to use it. Could be fun on a bike (track bike) since it is all paved and don't have to worry about lots of traffic. Could be good for a family with young kids since and a stroller would be feasible. Could be good for joggers. I went with my dog to hike and there are no dirt trails, there is excessive debris in the water/plants and there is a funky sewage smell in places. read more

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Came here today for a run. I was in the area for the night and was looking for a place to do a little exercise. I had never been to Back Bay Loop before, but I'm sure glad I decided to go. There is plenty of areas to walk, run, or ride your bike. The views are great as are the flowers. I'd definitely come back to run here again. read more

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

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So much fun riding here with my fixie. The only thing that sucked is when all the girls were staring at my bulging quads and 8 pack abs. PS - stay in the bike lane or you'll get run over by the random school buses that take field trips here. lol read more

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

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Don't ride this trail on weekends. It's gotten crazy with too many bikes- especially the electric bikes & packs of guys all going much faster than the posted 15 mph. Mix in walking families & it's no fun. Much better on weekdays. read more

(I am re-posting my reviews... My account was hacked into and SOMEONE thought that it would be cute to delete some of my reviews.... Yelp HQ retrieved them) Jul 21, 2008 / 5 Stars I have ridden this path in the past with friends but never finished the entire Back Bay trail until yesterday afternoon. My friend and I decided to make a late breakfast and go for a ride. We rode our bikes down to Tustin Ave. where we rode to a path that runs along side a road. It is definitely a nice path... Tons of people were riding bikes, running or walking their dogs... The view of Back Bay is amazing and I have always wondered what that big boat in the middle of the water is doing there.. Anyhow we were told that the path is a 10 mile path. The nice thing about this path is the little rest stop that has those portable toilets however we didn't see a water fountain so bring some water with you. We ended up riding along side the Upper Newport Bay area where we ended up riding along side PCH... We completed our mission of riding the entire path. We rode further so we definitely did more than 10 miles. If you finish the path and need to get back into Costa Mesa you can take Dover street and ride into Costa Mesa.. There is an insane hill that killed me and today my legs are aching... In short this ride makes for a good ride..... read more

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

O back bay...how I love thee...how I love running here for leisure or just to train for my 1/2 marathon! This is a beautiful place to enjoy the scenery, fresh air, and spotting birds. You'll find a lot of walkers, bikers, and runners throughout the 10 mile stretch. I LOVE running here. It does get crowded on the weekends, but, if you come here early in the morning or early evening, it's not too crowded but with decent amount of people. It's safe. I never felt out of place whenever I do my run here. =) read more

Back Bay loop is a scenic and serene trail great for walking, running, and cycling. For bike ride, we start from Irvine Civic Center Plaza to Castaway Park for ~18 mile ride roundtrip: Start on San Diego Creek Trail head down Newport Beach direction Make a left towards Bayview Trail come out on Jamboree/Eastbluff Make a right at Eastbluff Make a right down to BackBay Drive Make a right into Newport Dune entrance to cross the Newport Dune Bridge Continue on Bayside Drive Make a right on PCH Make a right on Dover Within 200ft, take the entrance into Castaway Park on the right and climb up the hill to enjoy the viewpoint (~ 9miles halfway point) Continue on the bike trail, make a right and then slight right onto Santiago Make a right on Irvine to take Bayview Trail Make a right on Jamboree to merge onto San Diego Creek Trail to starting point Really enjoyed the scenery around the bay, very calming and relaxing. Most of the ride is fairly flat; the toughest part of the ride is the little hill entering Castaway Park. There are various types of cyclists on this trail, so just take it at your own pace. People are also very friendly if you need help with flats or roadside assistance. TIP: If you are riding at dusk/night, be sure to bring BRIGHT lights since it's really dark on the bike trail with no streetlights. read more

Not sure why all the good reviews.. the reservoir kinda smells like sulfur and ocean, so basically your whole trip, your nose is just assaulted with a faint rotten egg odor. The reservoir itself wasn't even that pretty (although maybe cause it's summer so the water is all dried up). And lastly, you're not even running by the reserve half the time. You're running through neighborhoods with no view of nature and it's actually quite easy to get lost, so you have to keep track of where you're going. I started at the science center and went counterclockwise. It's pretty easy to follow until you reach a fork in the trail on Jamboree, go right (closer to the road), apparently the other trail takes you into Irvine. And as you keep running, you'll want to make a turn before Bayview Way, you shouldn't have to run on the actual road. The trail will then take you to the end of Irvine Ave, where you're going to want to turn left onto Santiago, which is basically a neighborhood. After a short while on Santiago, you're gonna turn left again onto Galaxy where you run by some nice houses hurray... this street eventually joins back with Santiago and at the end of Santiago (right after Westcliff), there's a small ramp that'll take you back onto the trail. Do NOT turn left onto Polaris and downhill because that will take you backwards. The trail ends at Dover, where you'll run that and a bit of PCH before reaching this weird ghetto back alleyway that takes you by a bunch of trailer homes.. I'm sure everyone that lives there is nice, but I cannot say I would be comfortable doing this part of the trail if it was not broad daylight. I didn't see a lot of people running this part either. Great for long runs and biking or staying fit in general. Not a "hike" in the sense of nature, hiking shoes and trekking poles or anything like that. Also, sparse water fountains (some had cobwebs) and zero restrooms. read more

Great place for scenic bike ride. There is little to no cars near here, and there is plenty of parking to get in here. This is very unlike the hills of LA. Have you ever tried running up Runion Canyon? This is one of the beautiful treasures of Southern California. You don't have to be a triathlete to fit in. This is great for families. read more

10 miles of beauty and serenity. Long distance running seems forever, but when you have this loop as your backyard, 10 miles seem like a breeze! The Back Bay is a scenic and relaxing run that many bicyclists and runners gather. It is a rather flat trail and pretty easy to do long distance runs. It's also a great place to walk with a few girlfriends a chit chat. While on our run, we ran into a few people taking engagement photos, which were absolutely beautiful since the gold and reddish rays of the sunset reflect beautifully on the water. There are a few bugs, but that is expected since it is in a "swamp" like area and they don't really bother you. Just have bug spray, in case. This place is very safe and a great place for everyone to enjoy the outdoors! Leslie Knope would be proud of how clean everyone has kept this natural preserve park! read more

Nice and flat for the most part. Street parking around. It's great for biking or running/walking. I haven't made it all the way around but I've done parts of it on both sides. Quiet, serene. read more

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

BEAUTIFUL!!! I would be here all the time if I lived in the OC. The route is LONG! It's definitely meant for biking more than for walking. BEWARE, do NOT drive here! Pedestrians and bikers don't pay attention and I had a heart attack finally getting out of there. They should have designed this better like the PCH where drivers can pull over to take pictures and check out the scenery.... read more