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    Rancho San Clemente Ridgeline Trail

    4.3 (7 reviews)

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    Rancho San Clemente Ridgeline Trail Map from City of San Clemente
    Amanda T.

    The official trailhead begins at Avenue San Pablo near Calle Ameno in the Rancho San Clemente neighborhood. I've taken 11 or more great hikes here without ever completing the entire trail system, so there are a lot of good options depending on where you start your hike. I've always brought my dogs along this hike too so I'm always considering what it's like to have dogs along. The pro's are that there are a number of open spaces and vacant lots that are VERY remote where you can let your dogs run free, I have done this often and they totally enjoyed it! Ok it's now time for a quick disclaimer: Of course in any rural area you want to be careful wildlife such as coyotes (especially, early morning and nighttime) and rattlesnakes (worst in summer). Also, ticks are very prevalent at all times of year, so BE CERTAIN you've given your pets Advantix or a similar tick preventative. That said, I've NEVER had an encounter with wild animals (besides my dogs ;) and a few squirrels and lizards here and there when I go hiking in the mid-morning to late afternoon. I wouldn't hike there outside of those hours, that would just be stupid really. There is plenty of time during the day for great hikes and you WILL have a great hike if you link up with any of the RSC Ridgeline trails.

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    Beach Trail

    Beach Trail

    4.6
    (119 reviews)
    5.0 mi

    I like walks on the beach. Or more like, by the beach. A favorite of beach trails that I've enjoyed…read morecoming to - lots to see and explore with vibrant flowers, the horizon of the ocean, the sounds of the Amtrak and Metrolink trains passing by. All of it is just amazing. And the best part is, there's so many ways to just have a good time and a good workout on this trail. The Beach Trail is about 2.3 miles long in total, but it can feel like a pretty long walk. AND that's only one-way. Coming back, you have to do another 2.3 miles, if you're returning to the beginning of your route. But you'll really see everything. Love the Beach Trail!

    We love weekend trips to San Clemente and loved the idea of this walking/bike trail that parallels…read morethe beach along with the metrolink rails. We parked at the Metrolink Avenida Estacion (North Beach). This is a paid parking lot which we initially missed seeing. Our destination from here was the San Clemente Pier which is about 2 miles. To find the Beach Trail, walk east, all the way to the end of the parking lot. Our walk started out great until we were about 1/2 mile in. Unfortunately, the trail was closed due to construction for the erosion happening in the area. A construction worker told us it would be a long walk through the neighborhood and he was right. We headed up the stairs into the neighborhood, hoping it would be a doable walk. With no sidewalks and no straight road towards the pier, we decided to turn around and head back to the car. It would have been helpful from the start if there was a sign indicating that a portion of the Beach Trail was closed. Make sure to check for closures before heading to this trail.

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    Sweet H.
    Sweet H.
    Love the trains!
    Love the trains!
    San Clemente pier

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    San Clemente pier
    Roller Coaster Trail

    Roller Coaster Trail

    4.5
    (4 reviews)
    4.0 mi

    If biking this is an excellent trail, but if walking it is a bit of an effort to get up the hill,…read morewhich can be muddy, and 20 minutes to get into the back canyons with the scenery. I would try to get to those canyons via another route. Parking is easy and plentiful.

    It's all in the name! This trail mimics a roller coaster. We came here yesterday for a morning hike…read morewith the doggos and it got pretty hot by the end. It's a hiking and mountain biking trail so be aware of your surroundings if you're hiking, especially with a big group. I don't know how many groups I saw walking 4-5 people across, but I guess that's just hiking etiquette in general. With steep ups and downs, this trail is lined with beautiful flowers and plants. It has several offshoot trails, making the trail itself open to multiple routes. At the top it gives a nice view of the surrounding San Clemente area and the Harbor. We've been before on a spring afternoon, and I have to say that's the best time of year to come. It's after the morning fog burns off and you get clear views of the ocean with lush tall green grass and gorgeous wildflowers everywhere. As with all trails in this area, be careful to look out for snakes. Other than that, it's a semi-challenging 4.5 mile loop with great views while getting a nice little workout in. This would be a great training loop for backpacking-steep steep grades for uphill and downhill training. Bring water, wear appropriate shoes with treads and wear sunscreen-totally exposed trail.

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    Roller Coaster Trail
    Roller Coaster Trail
    Roller Coaster Trail

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    Thousand Steps Beach

    Thousand Steps Beach

    4.5
    (812 reviews)
    9.7 mi

    This is an amazing place to go and have fun! Parking is on…read morethe street so u gotta wait if it's to busy, Please make sure to pick it up your trash lets keep clean this amazing place I would come back again for sure !

    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.

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    Steps Down
    Steps Down
    Thousand Steps Beach
    Sunset

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    Sunset
    204's

    204's

    4.7
    (3 reviews)
    2.2 mi

    I go to this place a lot. Not always to lay out at the beach, but to run the stairs. The beach…read moreaccess or beach trail access is by stairs from the above residential street up on the top of the cliff. Running or walking the stairs is an excellent workout. I stop halfway sometimes (there are benches on both sides, so you can get out of the way of the stairs) and do some extra exercises by the benches. Beautiful view! A lot of people also go surfing here and usually go halfway done the stairs to check the surf out. It has direct access to the beach trail that goes along the San Clemente coast line. The shore is not very long, so at high tide sometimes it may be hard to lay out or you might get swept out to sea - you can't say I didn't wan you! haha.

    This is one of the best and most hidden beaches in San Clemente! For many reasons one of them being…read moretheres FREE parking on the street above! The surf is generally pretty good here I mostly believe that it's due to the fact that there is a small reef not to far from the beach. Keep in mind that the tide here is usually pretty high this is not the type of beach to bust out the lawn chairs at unless you wanna go swimming for them! The name 204's some will say it comes from how many steps there are but I believe it's deprived from the sign on the train tracks that says 204 not sure what its meaning is to the trains but the name has definitely stuck over the years. I've spent countless days on this beach over my years of growing up in San Clemente and every time it's been fun I will keep coming back to this beach because of the location it's beautiful and a great place to just chill and ease your thoughts or to catch some waves! Ride On!

    Photos
    New Stairs!
    New Stairs!
    The trail from the street to the beach starts here!
    The trail from the street to the beach starts here!
    Hike it!

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    Hike it!

    Rancho San Clemente Ridgeline Trail - hiking - Updated August 2026

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