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    Badlands Park

    4.7 (46 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

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    Ed T.

    Stunning views of the coast and cities! Free street parking! Once you head into the park, turn left and follow that trail to the end. I also walked the trail to the right but didn't think it was worth hiking that side. The trail is basically a dirt / sand road adjacent to a rich neighborhood. If you plan to walk both sides.. it should take about 1 hour. Round trip was about ~2 miles total.

    Badland Park Sign
    Valerie A.

    I love this trail!! Hidden in a Laguna Niguel neighborhood, it does not get really crowded. It is a trail behind the beautiful luxurious homes in Laguna Niguel. I love that it has history and who does not love a great view? Great to visit any time of the day. It has a sand/dirt narrow trail so be careful when you bring your kids. Short, easy walk but it is not flat so needs a little bit of effort on our part to walk the trail. Best part is the great view overlooking Laguna Beach!

    Vince P.

    This is a super chill and gorgeous hiking spot. The entire loop is about 2.3 miles. This park is located in a neighborhood so street parking is required. There's tons of biodiversity and lush greenery. You get a great view of the city and the ocean! Overall, this is a great hike for hikers of all levels!

    Beautiful views of Laguna Beach and Dana Point
    Leanne D.

    Came here for the first time and we just loved it! The views are beautiful. We walked from one end to the right and then to the other end to the left of the trail head until we could not go any further and back to the car and it was about a 2 mile hike. A very enjoyable walk on a beautiful day. It was such a clear day today we could see Catalina Island ! Note: If your afraid of heights, which surprisingly, I discovered I am, there are parts of the trail with what I feel are steep drops and somewhat narrowed trails with no guard rails when you walk to left from the trail head. I know most people would disagree with me but some people may be scared of the heights. Definitely a great and easy hike to take when you just want to enjoy the California weather.

    Grand ocean views
    Yonnie C.

    This is a hidden gem. I didn't know about this place until my husband took me here today on Father's Day! Our kid and dog came along too for a nice hike through the trails and saw all the different rock formations and grand ocean views. We spent a good 1 hour or so here, and didn't even finish the entire trail. This means we should come back again for another visit in the future! So cool, free parking along the street.

    Koda enjoyed the hike.
    Justin D.

    Great view and easy hike. Plus it's dog friendly. In addition it's pretty clean compared to other hikes. Free neighborhood parking after 7 am. In order to get to the hike, go up the stairs which are located on the right side after parking.

    Kelley M.

    I would call this more of a nice nature walk rather than a hike. But it's beautiful and if you take the paths down the stairs you can hear the ocean my dogs enjoyed the hike, and there are public drinking fountains with bowls for the pups also. I would do it again, but if you're looking for a more strenuous work out, this wouldn't be it.

    Badlands Park 31671 Isla Vista, Laguna Niguel, CA.

    The Badlands Park is a wonderful, easy trail. It is wide and has gravel on the path. You can go right or left upon arrival. Going right gives you a gorgeous panoramic view of the ocean. Great for sending photos back home and breathtaking to see. Going left takes you to a mini "badlands" looking area that is fun to walk through. This is mostly residential so no public restrooms. Trail is less than a mile.

    Badlands park

    Absolutely stunning and spectacular view This is a gem hiking place I absolutely love it I feel alive when I do the walking It's on my top 5 hiking trails I m going there tmw n can't wait to see the view Stunning view fir walking

    Path overlooking the coast
    Becca E.

    Giving this trail 3 stars. Easy paths (maybe too easy, there were strollers & kids running around) There were some nice views

    Jasmine L.

    Dog friendly! Parking is free on the street, before a gated complex cul-de-sac. I went on Memorial Day morning and there was plenty of space. As far as working out, it's relatively flat, but if you go to one end of the trail (ends at residential, dirt path turns to concrete) there's a section at the end with a killer hill. I like the fact that most of this trail is dirt, and if you go down the stairs, even some sand. Walking around the whole area is about a mile, at least where the interesting parts are anyway, but you can keep walking around the residential areas if you so choose. The trail is between hills/ocean scenery and expensive housing, so the views aren't bad at all, but you definitely won't get that "walking in wilderness" feeling. My only complaint is while they had a lot of poop bag dispensers, the only trash cans on the whole trail were by the entrance to the park. Would have been nice if more were spaced throughout.

    Summer C.

    I love, love, love this park!! It is one of my favorite places to go hiking/walking. I found it by accident one day when I just went for a drive. I am so glad that I came upon this park. PARKING: You park along a street. It is in a residential area, but the street you park on does not have any houses. It is a street you take to go into a gated community. TRAILS: Once you park, you walk towards the gated community and you will come upon some stairs. Take those stairs and you will come to the trail. You can go left or right with the trail. Going right (or North) takes you pretty far, but not as far as the trail going left (south). I would say to check out both ways, but going to the left is my favorite. The trails take you along the backside of the houses - gorgeous houses may I add. If you go left, you will eventual come upon a deviation when you come to the drinking fountain (this fountain also has a doggy drinking fountain/bowl). You will go down some stairs to a sandy area. Then you will eventual go back to the standard trail along the houses. There is a point that you will come to where you can see south and north. On a really clear day I've been able to see as far south as La Jolla and as far north as Malibu. No joke, I really saw that far haha. Such a gorgeous place. Absolutely breathtaking view.

    View of Dana point!

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    2 years ago

    It has a nice trail and a beautiful scenic view. If you are ever in Laguna Nigel, this is a nice spot to visit.

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    Great walking area with great views!! I love coming here :) They are also dog friendly which is a bonus!

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    Perfect place to hike with ocean views, sunsets and dog trails. It is a local hidden treasure.

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    I love this place. A beautiful quiet area with a fantastic view of the ocean. Great to watch a sunset from.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Badlands Park

    Would my mom friend be able to bring a stroller?

    Unfortunately, most of this trail doesn't work for a stroller. Lots of ups and downs, with erosion control materials that would require lifting the stroller over them throughout the walk. There is also a fairly large set of stairs near the… Read more

    Are dogs allowed in June/July?

    I do not know. We have been there but do not have pets.

    Where do you park the car?

    Within 50 yards of the trailhead, there is abundant street parking (depending on time of day)

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    Review Highlights - Badlands Park

    It's on top of the mountain with Panoramic views of laguna beach and the beautiful Pacific Ocean!

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    Dripping Cave - Boardwalk

    Dripping Cave

    4.3(21 reviews)
    3.3 mi

    Pretty easy hike. 4.8 mile loop. The cave itself was a bit underwhelming but worth checking out. Be…read moresure to start early because there is barely any shade. Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park opens at 7am. It does get busy and there's a lot of bikers.

    I had read some reviews - some said is moderate and some said is easy. What I found out is…read moredepending on which trails you take I went with family w/ 5 yrs old & one with having issue walking, I need to find the easy trail and start at Aliso and Wood Canyons Parking to Cave Rock to Dipping Cave. Cave Rock is small cave, is good stop and let little one rest. We turn to left at 2nd sign pole. 1st sign pole, we did not take since look like is go on top of the cave. Dripping cave have a small incline, that my 5 yrs old having fun sliding down. We saw fox on the way back to the car. Close to 5 mile RT - EASY - In and out Kid / stroller friendly Parking: Aliso Woods Parking Fee $3 parking station / Free street parking Bathrooms on side of Visitor center - clean and big Water bottle refill & water fountain is front of bathroom Trail is pavement / dirt - watch out the poop on dirt Parking to Cave Rock (2nd sign pole)- 1.85 mile (1.5 miles on pavement) 1 Portable bathroom / few picnic tables (1.5 mile from parking lot) Cave Rock to Dipping Cave back to parking lot (3.12 miles) Not much of shade - bring hat / sunblock

    Photos
    Dripping Cave - Ocean

    Ocean

    Dripping Cave - Saw a snake on the trail!

    Saw a snake on the trail!

    Dripping Cave - Head east

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    Head east

    Niguel Botanical Preserve

    Niguel Botanical Preserve

    4.6(94 reviews)
    2.3 mi

    Sitting on the edge of Crown Valley Park, this 18-acre botanical garden is nestled into the…read morehillside and serves as a good place for a walk and to explore nature. The garden displays plants from the Mediterranean climate regions of the world. Some of the ones included are an Australian garden, California, Chilean, Formal, Rose, and South African garden. I liked how many of the bushes or plants had plaques with the plant names, so you knew what you were looking at. The preserve was a maze of little paths with a fair amount of stair climbing and some steep parts. This might not be the best for high heels if on a date or for bringing an elderly parent who can't walk too far. I loved all the wildflowers abound. Some highlights were the rose garden, (more rustic than manicured) the lily pond, and bridge.

    Niguel Botanical Preserve located in Laguna Niguel, off of Crown Valley Parkway, was such a good…read morefind on a sunny, beautiful Saturday afternoon. My mom, sis & I wanted to spend some family time outdoors and Yelp didn't disappoint! This preserve was a breath of fresh air (literally) and the vitamin D we needed. It's an 18-acre public garden, featuring themed gardens, winding trails (cemented & rocky), and even a labyrinth. It's uber peaceful, with its well-curated botanical, natural landscapes ~ totally ideal for walking and exploring. We just wished we were dressed more appropriately for hiking lol (we were dressed more casual, from having brunch together in Newport). Lol Oh wells..next time for sure! The variety of different colored plants originating from all around the world ~ California, Chile, Australia, South Africa, and the Mediterranean were sooo pretty. The winding paths offered scenic walks with varying difficulty, including some uphill climbs and stairs. We saw wildlife of all sorts ~ birds, butterflies, squirrels, rabbits, cute lil lizards and bees. Beware of rattlesnakes in certain marked areas..which we stayed away from. Overall, a cool place to relax, get some exercise & fresh air. There are MANY cute photo op sceneries. We will definitely be back again to explore more of the trails. RxFoodie recommend and YAY, for an added trail for my weekend hikes!!!

    Photos
    Niguel Botanical Preserve - My little Grace wouldn't turn around because she saw a squirrel. :)

    My little Grace wouldn't turn around because she saw a squirrel. :)

    Niguel Botanical Preserve - Photography at this beautiful garden

    Photography at this beautiful garden

    Niguel Botanical Preserve - "Money can buy you a fine dog, but only love can make him wag his tail." - Kinky Friedman

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    "Money can buy you a fine dog, but only love can make him wag his tail." - Kinky Friedman

    Aliso Peak Trail - Midnight from Aliso Peak

    Aliso Peak Trail

    4.5(12 reviews)
    0.7 mi

    This is a really cool trail that starts out from Pacific Island Street goes past some residential…read moreneighborhoods and ends up with a beautiful view of Pacific Ocean it can continue down to PCH as well

    Aliso Peak Trail is a little gem with various combo of extension trails. The trail starts out flat…read morewith a few picnic tables on the side of the trail. Then you proceed down on a steep, narrow dirt/rocky path. There are just a few rolling hills before you reach the peak. Before the final peak, there are wooden planks to step on/assist in hiking up. On a clear day you can see the canyon with a clear coastal view of Laguna Beach; on a foggy day, you'd still enjoy the ethereal view where mountain meets water/coast. Distance: ~ 2 miles roundtrip Trailhead: Seaview Park at Talavera and Casalero Parking: free along residential street Condition: dirt path, steep climb with little rocks Level: Advanced beginner NOTE: there are no restroom nearby or on the trail. If you're on time constraint and want a short cardio workout (~ 2miles roundtrip), start from Seaview park and descend down for a view of the ocean coast, coastal fog, and breezy wind. For more mileage, start from Aliso Summit Trail (Ridgeview and Highland, add about 6 miles roundtrip) then connect to Aliso Peak (total ~8 miles roundtrip); for additional adventure, descend via Valido trail to the beach.

    Photos
    Aliso Peak Trail - Overlooking the Aliso Peak from above the trail

    Overlooking the Aliso Peak from above the trail

    Aliso Peak Trail - Aliso Peak 4th of July 2017

    Aliso Peak 4th of July 2017

    Aliso Peak Trail - Marker at the top of Aliso Peak

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    Marker at the top of Aliso Peak

    Thousand Steps Beach - 8/13/22 - Can you spot baby fishies? There were some in here.

    Thousand Steps Beach

    4.5(807 reviews)
    0.6 mi

    Thousand Steps Beach is gorgeous and the cave makes it totally worth all of the steps down to it…read more There are only about 219 steps (not a thousand). The steps are no joke though. They are pretty steep and concrete. I wouldn't recommend them for little kids. Make sure you go at low tide. They close the cave area when the tide comes in. The cave is on the far left side of the beach. You have to go over rocks to get there. It can be slippery. There were lifeguards on duty. It's so fun to explore inside the cave. We parked on PCH. There is no parking lot. I definitely recommend going in the morning. It's hard to find parking if you try to go in the afternoon/evening on a weekend/holiday. There is a crosswalk and stoplight at 9th Ave. to cross PCH and then the entrance is right there. There is a bathroom, but it is the typical beach bathroom--not very clean. There's a volleyball net on the left side of the beach. There are no restaurants/cafes. Bring whatever you want with you.

    1000 Steps Beach in Laguna Beach (off PCH and 9th) is absolutely worth the visit! First off, don't…read morelet the name intimidate you, the stairs are not literally 1000 steps one way or even round trip... unless you decide to go up and down a few times, then yeah, you'll definitely hit that number!! We went on a Monday and it was pretty busy lots of college-aged people, maybe even some high schoolers, but the beach itself still felt pretty secluded, and there were hardly any kids around maybe like a handful of them. It was overcast when we went, which actually made it perfect, not too hot and super comfortable. Parking is street parking only, just make sure to read the signs carefully. Once you head down, you'll find restrooms and showers right at the bottom of the stairs, which is super convenient. The restroom is clean earlier in the day (before noon), but like most beach spots, it gets a bit wet as the day goes on. There's plenty of space to set up and relax. One thing to watch out for--seagulls! They will go after your food, so definitely cover it with towels if you're hopping in the water. The stairs themselves are pretty narrow, and people usually stick to one side going down and the other going up, so just be mindful and take your time, they tend to also get wet as the day goes on so it's a little slippery.

    Photos
    Thousand Steps Beach - Steps Down

    Steps Down

    Thousand Steps Beach
    Thousand Steps Beach - 1000 steps lifeguard at top of the steps on PCH

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    1000 steps lifeguard at top of the steps on PCH

    Laguna Niguel Regional Park - LAGUNA NIGUEL Regional Park, Laguna Niguel, California! #UnBEElievable #PickleballShenanigansInThePark

    Laguna Niguel Regional Park

    4.2(115 reviews)
    3.7 mi

    IYKYK~ PICKLEBALL IS LIFE…read more.. LAGUNA NIGUEL REGIONAL PARK, California! IYKYK, then you know about the LNRP, because you can find Pickleball Courts Here! There are 8 courts currently and 4 more coming! And who knew, that the LNRP would someday be a Destination Hot Spot for Pickleball! Lol, I knew, from day one, from the moment my Husband and I started playing here. The first 4 original pickleball courts were opened back on January 10, 2018! And we've been playing here, ever since! And if you don't know what Pickleball is, you soon will, because Pickleball is So Much Freaking Fun, and I promise you, 100%, it will Change your life because... #PickleballisLife #PickleballFriendsROCK #FindUsAtThePickleballCourts

    This is a nice local park to visit and walk around in if you don't go with dogs. I say this because…read moreof the copious amounts of goose poops everywhere and the amount of shrieking children it contains. Parking is plentiful but you will be paying $3-5 per vehicle. It's best to use the OC Park pass if you have one or just park at the nearby shopping center. Another gripe I have is the foul stench of the lake / reservoir. Not long ago, hundreds of dead fishes floated about and it was left like that for days. It's near the water reclamation facilities and even on sunnier clearer days, it just seems not worth walking nearby with dogs. So as much as I like the convenient location and the recreational facilities perfect for those with kids, it's just not for dog owners like me.

    Photos
    Laguna Niguel Regional Park
    Laguna Niguel Regional Park
    Laguna Niguel Regional Park

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    Badlands Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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