Afoot and Afield: Orange County. Jerry Schad
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Beach. This point is 5 miles south of the 405 Freeway, 0.7 mile south of the 73 Toll Road, and 0.2 mile south of the intersection of El Toro and Laguna Canyon Roads.
Equally as beautiful as El Moro Canyon in neighboring Crystal Cove State Park, Emerald Canyon receives much less visitation. Entry to the lower end of the canyon by way of Laguna Beach’s city streets is blocked by a formidable fence, so it’s only accessible from above.
Both hikers and mountain bikers can follow the route as described here. Hikers and gonzo mountain bikers, either on the way out or the way back if they choose, can also follow a somewhat longer variant of the route by utilizing the singletrack Old Emerald Trail.
Sandstone caves, Emerald Canyon
Follow Willow Canyon Road 1.5 miles to the Laurel Canyon turnoff, but stay straight (south) and climb 0.1 mile to an intersection with Bommer Ridge Road. Turn right, proceed 0.1 mile to a dip in the road, and turn left onto Emerald Canyon Road. That “road”—essentially a wide trail—descends along the top of the ridge for a mile, through growths of sage, encelia, and monkeyflower blooming in shades from orange to yellow.
After a mile on the descending ridge, you arrive on the canyon bottom, at a signed junction where the narrow Old Emerald Trail branches left. The next 1.5 miles of travel down-canyon is along a more moderate grade, and the scenery is simply gorgeous. Gnarled oaks and sycamores (survivors of repeated firestorms) line the trail, and dense willows flank the canyon’s seasonal stream. Take care not to brush against the luxuriant poison oak lining the trail. About halfway down this easy stretch, note the spacious cave pocking a large sandstone outcrop on the left, across the canyon bottom.
At 4.2 miles from the start, you arrive at a place where the trail curls sharply downward and a 20-foot-tall waterfall lies to the right. More like a “dry” fall in most years, it comes alive only with sustained heavy rains. This is a good spot to take a break, and afterward return the way you came. The remaining half-mile down to and back from the secure fence at the edge of Laguna Beach is worth exploring only if you have energy to spare.
trip 4.4 Big Bend Loop
Distance 3.9 miles (loop)
Hiking Time 2½ hours
Elevation Gain 1,100’
Difficulty Moderate
Trail Use Hiking only
Best Times November–May
Agency OC Parks: LCWP
Permit OC Parks parking fee required
DIRECTIONS Park at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park’s Big Bend parking lot on the west side of Laguna Canyon Road, 2 miles north of Laguna Beach and 2 miles south of the 73 Toll Road.
Both the beginning section on Big Bend Trail and the ending section on Laguna Ridge Trail will test the mettle of any hiker due to their combination of steepness and roughness. Although mountain bikes are technically allowed on the route, much of your effort would go into slinging your bike over your shoulder and slip-sliding down the steepest grades. You might as well walk!
The low-growing coastal sage scrub and grassland vegetation on the slopes and ridges hereabouts does little to block views of the ocean, hills, and distant mountains. This is a hike best taken, then, whenever the air is beautifully transparent.
From the Big Bend staging area, head south and start climbing immediately on the Big Bend Trail, a wide fire road. At 0.2 mile, just as you cross under some power lines, note the obscure path to the left. You will arrive at this spot again near the end of the hike. Turn right and head straight up the hill. Stay right at an immediate fork where a powerline road veers left.
Laguna Ridge Trail
The Big Bend Trail takes you ever upward along a ridgeline on a course absolutely committed to gaining elevation as quickly as possible. A couple of flat stretches along the way allow you to catch your breath and look around. Before long, cars and buildings in Laguna Canyon below begin to look toylike. You may spot scallop fossils near your feet if your eyes are glued to the ground.
At 1.6 miles, you come to an intersection with the wide Bommer Ridge Road. Turn left and proceed south on a gently falling, then gently rising course to the intersection of Boat Canyon Road on the right (2.5 miles from the start). On the left, just past Boat Canyon Road but before the next intersecting road on the right, take the narrow Laguna Ridge Trail, which goes briefly up a 912-foot knoll, then suddenly and precipitously plunges down to Laguna Canyon.
Rough and worn deeply into the sandstone bedrock, it approaches a 40% grade in a couple of spots. It, too, sticks to a plunging ridgeline. Near the bottom of that plunge, the trail veers left (east), almost reaching the pavement of Laguna Canyon Road (3.3 miles). The final leg goes up and down a couple of times, staying parallel to but decently clear of the busy roadway. At 3.7 miles, you meet Big Bend Trail, which leads 0.2 mile down to the starting point.
trip 4.5 Laguna Bowl Loop
Distance 4.1 miles (loop)
Hiking Time 2 hours
Elevation Gain 950’
Difficulty Moderate
Trail Use Cyclists, equestrians
Best Times All year
Agency OC Parks: LCWP
DIRECTIONS Follow Aster Street north from the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) in Laguna Beach. Continue 0.3 mile to High Drive; go right one block, and turn left on Poplar Street. Follow Poplar to its end, and park on the street.