First off, if you want great views, this is it no matter what. The trail is very short in distance. It has a very steep section that can be pretty tough to go up, and down. Gotta be super careful. When you get to the top of that, you continue to the left up to the summit for the insane 360 view of Laguna. If you turn around their is another trail across the way (turn right instead of left) and it is another pretty steep incline that leads up behind some insane houses. If you in it for the workout, I'd say do both. Then be careful on the steep walk down. Awesome hike. read more

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Enjoyed this trail for a short but heart pounding hike. We went to the left as we got up and enjoyed the scenic city and beach view. Definitely was hot and you need to have the right shoes. This is a great, "I want to hike, but don't have 5 hours" hike. We'll be back! read more

My favorite hike! I go as much as i can this hike is a great moderate hike. Steep uphill but not too long. Amazing view

// the scenery once you reach the top is amazing -- a beautiful view of aliso beach and laguna beach. there's a decent amount of hikers on trail so always remember to stay near your side of the road. i usually keep to the right. TIPS // to find the trail: as you turn right onto Paseo Del Sur, you'll see the entrance to the trail on your left! it might seemed "chained-off". just walk around it lol. most people park along the street. **you'll be parking on an incline so be careful, use that parking brake, and remember to turn your wheel towards the sidewalk // on the trail: 1 mile there and back. it's a straight path that leads to a bit of a hefty incline! at a little over 1/4 mile in, you'll reach a fork. there's a map that'll show different routes you could take. to continue on Valido, turn left at the fork. you'll see another fork: the path to the left is marked, and leads you to Toovet. the other unmarked path on the right continues on to Valido. // remember to help sustain and maintain these trails by picking up trash (yours and others you might come across), scooping the doogie if you brought your dog, and respecting the vegetation (try not to stray off the trail) read more

I loved this hike! Found parking on the street and the trail entrance just fine thanks to other yelper's pics. It's a pretty good incline for about the first 20 minutes, traveling at a good pace, we were trying to power through the incline to get it over faster, but it just kept going up! Once you're to the top, you have a couple of options and they all have spectacular views. After, We headed over to The Cliff for more amazing views and a nice lunch. read more

Favorite trail in Laguna! Always plenty of parking in the neighborhood and it is a moderate trail that has a lot of options! The beginning of the trail is a little hard, but after you reach the top there are a lot of different options that you can take. The view from up there is beautiful especially on a clear day you can see a large amount of coast line as well as mountains on the other side. A perfect option for a short hike or even a long hike as you can continue onto different trails. read more

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Definitely one of my favourite hike. Super short but you get all the work out! The view is just amazing. read more

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Ummm reviews are saying this is a good trail for beginners? What are you talking about. This trail is marked difficult on the map. It is short, but steep. There are some wooden framed stairs...for someone who is fit and active (me), it was a great work out for your quads and glute muscles. I do not recommend to anyone who isn't already moderately active. Unfortunately I did not go to the top as I was with two true beginners. read more

Being in Southern California for my wife's business trip, I thought I'd find a little bit of a hike to kill some time, in honor of my climby/hikey Los Angelino yelp friend Stephanie P. Near where my wife and I were staying were staying, I found the Valido trail: a nice climb with a quick payoff. Starting from right above the PCH, on the south side of Laguna Beach, it is accessed by turning inland into the neighborhood onto West Street, then going a couple blocks until you hit a left at Valido Road. It connects with a couple other trails in the area to make even longer hikes, though I just stayed to the Valido Trail up to the Aliso Peak. THE SETUP Some are put off by the neighborhood street parking. I didn't bother. Since we were staying at the lowly Travelodge, across from the Montage Resort, I just took advantage of the 1.25 miles along the PCH as a warmup/cooldown. Most of that stretch is not sidewalked, though you always see joggers on the hard shoulder. Honestly, crossing at the pedestrian crosswalk at West Street was more frightening than jogging along the road. It's one of those where you push the button, and the lights flash across the road, and you just pray that the cars yield to you. And unlike closer to "downtown" Laguna, they are going 60mph. One time I went the two additional blocks further south to Eagle Rock Way, where there is a real traffic light to stop traffic. THE HIKE At the start, there are the usual warnings about poison ivy, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, or packs of wild boars or whatever, but I never encountered any drama. The hike was technically challenging for me in my regular sneakers, (and a bit physically challenging due to my fitness level), as it is fairly narrow and steep (and a little slippery) in parts. I could have used handrails... or an escalator. Pretty much everyone I encountered after the first quarter mile had hiking shoes and sticks to help them. After about a half mile up, you'll hit a level spot with a couple signs. The path to the right takes you up an obvious (and steep) path to some impressively expensive looking housing at the top of that mountain, which I believe is the "Toovet Trail". The most left path stays relatively level, and takes you directly to the ocean side of the hill. But it is really boring, compared to the other (middle) path that takes you further up to the peak (look for the Orange County Surveyors metal marker near the top). THE PAYOFF The obvious astounding views of the Laguna area are one thing. Depending on how clear it is, you can easily see Catalina Island. When I was there, a couple had binoculars and could see the dome next to the Queen Mary all the way up in Long Beach where Howard Hughes kept his Spruce Goose. But the most amazing thing was that, from several hundred feet above sea level, we went whale watching. Yes... WHALE WATCHING! From our elevated vantage point, about 2 miles away, we saw the occasional spout from a pair of whales having fun in the Pacific. That was surprising, and also pretty darned incredible. SUMMARY If you want to take a short time clearing your head, or just work up a bit of a sweat, I strongly recommend the hike up the Valido Trail to the Aliso Peak. The second time I did it, I encountered no other people until I got back to the bottom, and saw a man walking his dog. So, you'll either love the isolation or be frightened by it. It's definitely BYOW (bring your own water), and there are no "facilities" besides supplied dog poo-bags. And, to keep my sanity, I'll pretend I didn't read the review where the dad says his 3-year-old did it, and just wipe the sweat off my brow and be proud of my achievement. 4.75 stars read more

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I went to visit my friend in Irvine and I wanted to do a short easy hike, so my friend suggested this one. Parking is free since you park in the surrounding residential area. The trailhead is easy to find, go behind the roped chain. It's dog friendly, there are doggy poop bags at the start and at the top. This trail is about a half mile each way. There's no shade so it can get pretty hot. It's pretty flat in the beginning, but builds to a steady incline so you can raise your heart rate and get a work out. It's a fairly easy hike but the sand/dirt can get slippery in some places. When you get to the top, there is a bench to rest and a nice 360 degree view of Laguna Beach. The trail does also branch into other trails. Definitely pack a snack so you can take a break and enjoy the view. No trash cans on the trail. Keep the great outdoors great! ******** Hike up the mountain Make sure you bring your doggy Laguna Beach views read more

Short trail but will take your breath away going up and the view of canyons and Pacific Ocean. Only .5mile to go up another half to the other side, go to the left trail for the view then go down and straight up, look for the white stick/pole along the beautiful homes, here you find the top view and the picnic table. Best for sunrise and sunset, there is no shade, bring water and wide rim hat/sunscreen too. Park along Monterey st/Catalina free parking. The trail is not marked, once parked, go up and look for valido st(for gps 51500 valido st) the trail is to the left with old chain. read more

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I've been hiking this trail for over two years, each time bringing a new companion (family, friends, even my dog!) to sit with at the top. This is definitely a beginner's hike (approx. 1 mile) but certain parts can be pretty steep, so walk carefully (especially during the rainy seasons) and bring good shoes. To get there, I recommend taking the 405-South to the 10 and then exiting on Crown Valley Pkwy. Take a right towards PCH, turn right on PCH, turn right on West St., and left on Valido. Parking's basically free, and if you do have time after your hike, I HIGHLY recommend taking a walk down to PCH, crossing the street, and enjoying the Table Rock Beach at the bottom. It makes the hike so worth it! Pros: Pet-friendly, not too busy, free parking, gorgeous view of Laguna Beach at the top Cons: occasional bees, mud near the creek especially after a rain, some steep areas read more

We hiked here yesterday with our dog and loved it! It's perfect for an afternnon hike. Short, but steep, so definitely be prepared for that. Like others mentioned, there's a large bees nest near the top. We just walked quickly by it to not pose as a threat. When you get to the fork on the trail, head left toward the ocean. You'll then have another fork, and pick the right trail this time. This will take you to an incredible look-out spot with beautiful views. read more

This trail is awesome! So scenic. If it's your 1st time hiking, I'd say it's highly moderate border line tuff. The hike up was a nice little challenge (Well for chunky asses like myself) read more

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GREAT TRAIL! Absolutely loved it came with a couple of friends to enjoy the beautiful day in SoCal. Recommend to all you guys will enjoy it! read more

Valido Trail - Hiking Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Beautiful views! Perfect quick hike to get your heart rate pumping but not an all-day affair. It's pretty steep at parts but it's definitely fine for your nikes to handle, no need for full-on hiking gear. We went pretty leisurely and felt like an hour was more than enough time. read more

Difficult to find if you've never been here before.. Short trail but still had its difficulties. There are some beautiful beach scenic routes which makes it worth while. We did notice a very steep trail that we will come back for one day soon. This trail is hidden in a neighborhood so free parking :) read more

This hike is easy/moderate there are hills to go up, but when you reach the top there is a gorgeous view of the coast. read more

Valido Trail - Hiking Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

This hike was absolutely amazing! I guess I would consider myself a beginner but it did have some pretty steep inclines that will get anyone's heart rate going. The views are unbelievable and there are a few trails that you can take that lead you to more panoramic views. You can see the ocean from pretty much any point on this hike. If you are looking for a good workout, relaxing place to reflect or meditate. This spot is great! There are benches and look out points in various places that make this a great place to bring a date. There were all sorts of dog walkers so feel free to bring your dog along. read more

All I could say is absolutely gorgeous!! The view is breath taking. I can't remember the the little road we took up but if you map it out on here you would see it ends at a dead end and you will see the little entrance to enter . Seen a few rattle snakes on this one and a lot of poison ivy warnings so I kept my arms rather tight but it's ahhmazing I did this trail 3xs already . read more

Valido Trail - Hiking Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Pretty short basic hike. It's nice that parking is easy, and the views are gorgeous! read more

Valido Trail - View from the top - Hiking Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Short steep hike with a great view. Parking is never an issue.

It was indeed a trail less travelled. We had a perfect day to hike this occasionally challenging slope- cool breezes from the ocean kept the sweat at bay. The top rewards you with beautiful views of the ocean and the South Laguna homes. A few segments were a bit challenging on the way down, so good shoes and careful lines are called for. Overall a great short hike with some great vistas as the payoff at the top. read more

Highly trafficked area, but beautiful views. I would recommend going during random hours as weekends are hectic here.

Beautiful trail! This starts in Laguna Niguel by the Laguna sur neighborhood and takes you all the way down to the beach in Laguna. If you hike all the way to the top there is a nice bench and absolutely amazing view! Trail is moderate but gets very steep when trying to get back up. read more

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Would you like a strenuous and short day hike with spectacular ocean views and easy parking? This is a great spot. Tips: wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring your phone for pics of ocean. Know that it is lots of steps!!!says difficult hike but I did it. Worth the heavy breathing though! read more

Valido Trail - Some hike pics - Hiking Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

this trail is pretty short but it is entirely uphill so it makes for a decent 10 minute workout. It connects to various other trails as well. The Yelp address is accurate, the trail might seem hidden but it's just behind the chain closing off the dirt trail. There always seems to be parking when I go as well so that's not that much of an issue. The view is awesome as well. It's nice to take this trail and maybe another then drive down the hill to table rock and chill out. read more

Valido Trail - Hiking Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

This is a gorgeous, tough, but short trail with sweeping views from Dana Point all the way up to Long Beach on a clear day. The trailhead is hidden in the back of a neighborhood off Valido St in south Laguna. It's 0.5 mile pretty much straight up with some stairs along the way. Beautiful canyon views and pretty much 360 degrees at the top. Well worth it for a gorgeous view and quick workout. Though I've seen some people hiking this in flip flops, I would NOT recommend that. Extremely steep and rocky in parts, especially on the way down. Wear hiking shoes or boots, not sneakers or flops. read more

Valido Trail - Hiking Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Fairly easy hike. Not too long but when you get started it goes up and doesn't stop until the top. Great views at the top and the trail also leads into other trails to give you options for where you would like to go. Might be a good hike to run so I'll probably try that in the future. read more

I really enjoy this hike. It's about 2.5km but steep. You start off on level ground but after you cross the creek it's nonstop up up up. I love how there's hardly anyone on this trail so I get to bring my brat dog with me. They even provide poop bags! The trail is easy to follow and the foliage is lush. When the wild flowers are in bloom it ads that extra something, it just smells nice. Once you're almost to the top you'll hit a fork where you have three choices. Go to your right you'll end up on Aliso Creek Trail which is way steep. A hawk was eying me waiting to pick apart my carcass but I prevailed. If you go to the left your two final options; wrap around the hill or just go straight up to the summit. Absolutely stunning. Laguna is just so pretty and the view from up here i just amazing. On a good day you can see Catalina Island and even all the way up the coast to Long Beach. Be prepared though, I saw a rattlesnake and I almost ate dirt running from it. Edit: I'm a dumbass. I just learned you should not run like I did from rattlesnakes. Slowly back away. read more

Valido Trail - at the summit - Hiking Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Views do not get any better than the Valido Trail! If you're in the area looking for hike, DO IT! Take advantage of living in Orange County. People come from around the world to visit, and we have it all in our backyard. The trail can get extremely steep at points, but if you take your time and watch your step you have nothing to worry about. Pros: - Views are top notch amazing. - The hike itself it about an hour, so it's not extremely long. - They provide dog poop bags, so that's nice if you forget one day. Cons: I truly can't think of any! It's an awesome trail and enjoy it every time. read more

Great hike with great views. It's a little steep at the beginning, but it's a nice hike. We took our three big dogs and they loved it. Once you get to the top(ish) there are three ways you can go. To the right takes you to an extended longer trail, the two to the left are short and end with a fantastic view of the coast. Of the two trails that are on the left, the one on the right has a bench at the top for sitting and viewing. read more

I have never written a review for a place in the wilderness... this is basically the back-trail/backyard to my house---it's beautiful ... it's natural beauty at its best, especially during this time of year(spring) where every flower is in bloom ...u can get swarmed with butterflies which I personally think is one of the coolest things ever!!!... the trail is marked "easy" geeez that made me feel out of shape lol... it's steep... lots of twists and turns, tons to look at with unbelievable ocean views most of the time. I go with my kids and husband as often as we can for it in. I carry my 10month old up the mountain... which is an awesome 19lb weight, my 7yr old is a pro- hiker and I've finally dragged the hubby along to enjoy the views.... I feel as though ur on top of the world up there. It's a great place to get back to nature and spend some quality time while getting in your daily exercise... I recommend! read more

Valido Trail - Enjoy all that nature has to offer - Hiking Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

This hike was very fun! But it was a little odd that the hike starts in a neighborhood. if u follow the directions on the map it will lead u to the right spot! So don't worry about trying to find the hike. And I loved that dogs are allowed so I definitely took my little pup. Just remember to bring a leash and water:) and your all good! Laguna has breathtaking views of the beach and Pacific Ocean! I bet it's great to be there for the sunset, if you are planning to see the sunset then great! There is a peak where there is this nice clear view of the blue ocean and sun so you'll be right there when the sunset is in action! read more

Great trail with multiple options to accommodate your pucker tolerance. Trail head, as noted, is hidden, so have a look about at the other reviewers' photos for reference. read more

Great views all around. It is steep but we were able to navigate it with a 3 year old. At the top there are multiple other trails from beginner to more difficult. We took the one to the left towards the ocean and it was beautiful. read more

It got a little tough with two dogs and a baby but it was do-able, even for me. The view of the ocean was absolutely breath taking and calming. read more

Clear, 360 view of the laguna coast and Catalina island! Short but intense inclined hike but worth the view!

Looooooove this hike! The view is incredible! Can be a little steep for beginners but it's worth it!! Sooooo beautiful!

Great hike lots of amazing vistas. Make it as long or as short as you like. Trails have maps posted all over to direct you. Lots of people on a Sunday afternoon so I felt safe going alone. read more