A Short Guide of Hiking Trails Near UC Irvine
There is nothing that I enjoy more than soaking up the sun while surrounded by nature on a nice clear day. One of my all time favorite hobbies and forms of exercise is hiking. As a double major involved in several different organizations on campus, my schedule varies on a day to day basis. On days with a heavy workload, I try my best to go on a short 30 minute to one hour hike near campus to get some form of exercise for the day. On days with a light workload, I enjoy going on longer hikes nearby in Orange County or Los Angeles. I have compiled a guide to some of my favorite hiking places both near and far from campus.
French Hill Trail in Irvine (photo above)
Miles from campus: ~1 mi
Intensity: Moderate
Length: 4.1 miles* (French Hill Trail is loop trail combined with Chaparral Park but I will only be talking about the French Hill Trail alone)
French Hill Trail is one of my favorite hikes to do when I need a quick way to get some blood flowing through my body on a busy day. Right next to Concordia University (about a 3 minute drive from campus), French Hill Trail offers a beautiful view of Irvine. Although the trail is actually a conjoined loop trail with Chaparral Park, I usually cut through Turtle Rock Drive to make it a short ~2.5 mile hike. I usually hike this trail before or right after class to start my morning. The wonderful thing about this trail is that it can double as a sunset look out spot! Be sure to bring sunscreen as there is little to no shade!
Pacific Ridge Trail in Newport Beach
Miles from campus: ~3 mi
Intensity: Difficult
Length: 10.2* (Pacific Ridge Trail is a loop trail combined with Moro Canyon and Bommer Ridge trail but I will only be talking about the Pacific Ridge Trail alone)
Pacific Ridge Trail is a lot longer than the French Hill Trail, and I usually hike on this trail on a weekend or a day that I have a light workload. About a 15 minute drive from campus, Pacific Ridge Trail starts in Newport Beach and ends in Laguna Beach. Pacific Ridge Trail offers a beautiful view of the coast and the ocean. Although the trail is a conjoined loop trail with Moro Canyon and Bommer Ridge trail, I usually just hike all the way down and back Pacific Ridge Trail alone for a total of 7.5 miles. Bring lots of water and wear sunscreen, as there is essentially no shade on this hike! My favorite post-hike snack is a pitaya acai bowl from Blue Bowl and I would highly recommend checking it out after a long hike like this one.
Los Liones Trail in Los Angeles
Miles from campus: ~50 mi
Intensity: Moderate
Duration: ~4.4 miles
To those seeking to explore nearby cities, I highly recommend the Los Liones Trailhead. Located in Pacific Palisades, Los Liones Trailhead offers a beautiful view of the ocean and nearby cities such as Malibu and Santa Monica. It is fairly a flat, uphill trail with the occasional shade throughout the hike. It is approximately one hour away from campus so hop in a car with your friends, bring some water and sunscreen, and be sure to explore the surrounding area in LA!
