1. Colinas Bluff Trail

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Laguna Niguel, CA

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Colinas Bluff Trail

3.9 (17 reviews)

Colinas Bluff Trail Photos

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Sofie W.

At the intersection of Golden Lantern and Marina Hills in Laguna Niguel is the trailhead; directly across the street from Starbucks. The trail starts off fairly easy. Slight inclines. Once you are on the backside of the houses the view opens up. Beautiful view of Saddleback Valley. After a couple more miles and a very steep hill you are rewarded with an amazing 360 degree view. We were lucky enough to have gone in a very clear day. This hike can be intense. Bring lots of water and sunscreen.

Hannah M.

Took this "hike" yesterday. I say hike in quotes because quite a lot of this trail is behind residential areas which makes me feel less like an authentic hike. I would consider this to be more of a trail where you can get a great cardio workout. I took my pup and we ended up going 5 miles. I burned over 900 calories. I'd recommend this trail if you want a local hike with good hills and a pretty cool view of the surrounding area!

Colinas Bluffs looking northwest
Christine N.

Such a beautiful trail especially during the winter and spring. In the summer the views are nice but it's very hot if you go after 8am and more rattlesnakes during the summer. Runs parallel to the 5freeway. Just a great trail. Pretty hilly but good for beginners!

Danielle S.

Great neighborhood trail. Clean trails, nice up and down hills that evens out your hike. For residents only :)

start of trail...

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8 years ago

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5 years ago

Only if you're in the area, a good view of the hills but not much shade but a workout if you move at a good pace

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11 years ago

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11 years ago

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8 years ago

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16 years ago

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9 years ago

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11 years ago

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10 years ago

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12 years ago

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10 years ago

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8 years ago

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10 years ago

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12 years ago

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14 years ago

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11 years ago

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11 years ago

Love running here! Early morning runs to the beach and back. Epic way to start the day

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Review Highlights - Colinas Bluff Trail

“At the intersection of Golden Lantern and Marina Hills in Laguna Niguel is the trailhead; directly across the street from Starbucks.”

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Dripping Cave - Boardwalk

Dripping Cave

4.3(21 reviews)
3.7 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

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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(96 reviews)
1.5 mi

What amazing park! We only walked through a fraction of it! There's a lot of stairways which are…read moregreat but also pathways for those who have mobility issues. There are a variety of plants and the flowers attract butterflies and bees. We met these two young women who were doing a bumble bee study at UC Irvine. It was an interesting conversation about their work. A number of people we encountered were very friendly. I mean, how could you not be in nature? Definitely worth checking out. I am looking forward to seeing more on the next trip. It is dog friendly too! Cako Approves!

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.

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

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

Niguel Botanical Preserve - Photography at this beautiful garden

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Photography at this beautiful garden

Aliso Peak Trail - Midnight from Aliso Peak

Aliso Peak Trail

4.5(12 reviews)
2.8 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 - Tidepool

Thousand Steps Beach

4.5(813 reviews)
3.7 mi

Pretty far walk from the parking lot to the beach but once there the steps going down is not too…read morebad. Because of the distance the bathrooms and showers are awkwardly placed closer to the parking lot and you might be dry already by the time you make it back. On the right side is a shallow sea cave, the cave itself isn't so deep but the rock formations around it are super unique and interesting. There is a viewpoint on top we saw people at so you can park a lot closer than we did. On the left you can go all the way down to another beach. There is an interesting rock shelf along the way. Some of the waves were quite high so I recommend coming with swim shorts if you are coming all the way to this area. The rock shelf area has mini tidepools to check out, depending on the weather you might also see a mini waterfall.

If you're looking for a great outdoor workout with an amazing reward at the end, Thousand Steps…read moreBeach is one of my favorite spots in Laguna Beach! Despite the name, there definitely aren't 1,000 steps it's closer to about 250 but don't let that fool you. You'll still feel the burn on the way back up! I love bringing my kids here because they're soccer players, and running up and down the stairs is an excellent workout for building endurance and strength. I usually only make it up once because it's no joke! If you're looking for a free cardio workout with a beautiful ocean view, this is the place. The beach itself is gorgeous, with clear water, soft sand, and stunning cliffs surrounding it. It feels a little more secluded than some of the other Laguna beaches because you have to make the trek down the stairs. That's part of what makes it so special. I've visited several times around 6:00 AM, and it's always been peaceful. It's never felt crowded, although you'll definitely see other people getting their morning exercise on the stairs. I've also gone during summer evenings around 7:00 PM, and it's still a beautiful time to visit with cooler temperatures and incredible views. I still need to check it out around midday to see how busy it gets. A couple of things to keep in mind: there are no lifeguards on duty at all times, so be cautious if you're swimming, and the climb back up can be challenging, especially if you're carrying coolers or beach gear. Wear comfortable shoes for the stairs and bring plenty of water. Overall, this is one of my favorite beaches in Laguna Beach. Whether you're going for a workout, relaxing by the ocean, or enjoying the incredible scenery, Thousand Steps Beach is absolutely worth the climb.

Photos
Thousand Steps Beach - You can get to the top somehow but we parked and walked over to the beach

You can get to the top somehow but we parked and walked over to the beach

Thousand Steps Beach - Steps Down

Steps Down

Thousand Steps Beach - Sea cave is shallow and not much inside

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Sea cave is shallow and not much inside

Colinas Bluff Trail - hiking - Updated October 2026

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