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    Turtle Rock Viewpoint Trail

    4.2 (144 reviews)

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    Leeza D.

    Great trail to do a sunset hike. We did a leisurely 6-mile Loop. Great views out to the ocean. Please come and create your own adventure

    Happy pup
    Dr. Amelia H.

    This was a nice paved walk. to me, this was not a hike? I just felt we were in housing tracks so much it didn't feel like we got away or found that peace you do on a true hike. But it got the job done and we all have burnt some calories. I found other dog owners so respectful even if they had larger ones being cautious with there's around my little ones, very nice etiquette of fellow dog parents. Would come back though as a walk. Unless it brought us to the wrong location? If we ever find a different location I will update this.

    Sandy B.

    It was a challenging trail that starts with a straight incline up a brushy hill then goes through an area behind houses, down to a steep decline to a street. Wear shoes with good traction and bring a lot of water and electrolytes. The trail takes about 2 hours or a little less depending on your pace. I'm not sure the viewpoint was worth it to be honest. Pretty.

    Christopher C.

    Soooo I had to do some driving around to find the bottom trail head's. Most of them are in residential areas but I was not sure if it was a permit parking thing so until I have a better idea of where to park it will be 4 stars. I ended up parking at Chaparrel park. That entrance take you up a good set of cement stairs the. Gets you into the steepest point of the hike and to the highest vista point. It really is nice up there I can see this being amazing for sunset. I then did some scouting and took the trails down to find all the trail head entrances. 1- hike- the hike at the base going up is easy-moderate, if you enter from Chaparrel park.. you have a pretty good difficult steep hike then it kicks back in to moderate than easy.. in all honesty.. this is perfect for trail running with the pup.. 2- people - people for the most part were keeping their distance and wearing masks. It was not to heavy of traffic for a Sunday morning sooo I was pretty happy with it. 3- dog friendly-.. yes..... My dog does great off leash but I did keep him on leash on this run. He loved the hike and I'll definitely be doing it with him again. There are two places at the two points of the Vista that have trash cans.. PICK UP YOUR DOGS POOP... Be a responsible dog parent and pick up the poop... People run this trail and I dont want to step in it.. there are places to throw it away...put your big person pants on BAG IT , CARRY IT THEN TOSS IT IN THE BINS. Overall a good hike if I find a better place to park I'll post it.. be courteous to the neighborhood and to nature !! Cheers C-JAC

    Sharon K.

    Great hiking spot especially during the pandemic. There is a lot of room for social distancing. The time I was there, there were both people who were masked and unmasked. Pros: - i used the AllTrails app for the route to follow. - There is plenty of parking in the residential area across from Turtle Rock Preschool. - Some uphills, but pleasant area Cons: - some people walk their dogs and refused to collect their dog poop. So there are a lot throughout the trail!

    Channel E.

    Easy loop. Used AllTrails app for directions. Started from Chapparal Park and parked in the residential area. Went up the stairs to the viewpoint. Such a pretty view of Irvine. I can see this trail being a hot spot for sunrises and sunsets. Looped around through the neighborhood.

    Julie V.

    "Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory." Ed Viesturs I enjoy that this hike is in Irvine and relatively local. There are tons of homes, so it's a big awkward to try to find the trail. It requires driving past people's neighborhoods in search for this local trail. When you get to the top it's beautiful. The hike itself is relatively paved. It's a pretty easy hike but parking can be a pain. Besides the homes/lights when you get up top, there isn't that much to see...I've been spoiled having hiked in various parts of true wilderness in Kansas, Utah, Korea, and Japan...so when I come here, I'm scaling/inflating it at 4/5 relative to southern California. My fellow comrads who are used to more strenuous and scenic routes in less city areas, please take that into account when considering this trail.

    Trail to peak turtle rock, it gets steep here but nothing too crazy!
    Justin D.

    Used the trail from the All Trail App. It was a decent hike about 5 Miles. See my pictures for what the trail looks like, lots of good scenery and vegetation on the hike. But towards the end you end up walking through normal neighborhoods to get back to the cars. I'd recommend starting at the park at the bottom instead of parking on the random street it starts you at. There are multiple intersecting trails as well so you can explore and mix it up! Dog friendly trail, but please pick up your poop!

    Keep your eye on the road if you hike after it rains.
    Channary V.

    Beautiful view from top of the hill. The hike was short but steep, but that's just how I like. Such a nice hike/walk if you have little time after work, the View is nice and peaceful up there either for sunrise or sunrise or at night. But he cautious for little insects, especially after the rain. The flowers are blossoming, just keep your eyes on the road.

    cactus hehe
    Ann T.

    This is a fantastic hike. The views are super pretty especially during sunset. The incline is a little challenging for beginning hikers like me, but it is a lovely trail. Super beautiful nature in the middle of Irvine City

    cloudy day view toward Newport
    Timmy S.

    This is NOT a hike. More like a short walk up a hill in a suburban neighborhood. The "trail" starts at the rear of Chaparral Park (next to Bonita Elementary). The first part is all paved and mostly stairs. This provides some good cardio but about the time your heart really starts pumping you are done with the stairs. The second part is a loose dirt and rock trail to the top of the hill. From the start of the trail to the top of the hill only took me about 10-15 minutes and I'm not all that nimble. There is a great view of Irvine, Costa Mesa and Newport from the top. I continued to walk a trail along the ridge line of the hills but within a quarter mile it was heading back down into the neighborhood so I just turned around and went back. I did get a glimpse of a fairly substantial snake crossing the trail on top of the hill, probably 3 feet long. Not sure what type of snake it was but definitely not a rattlesnake. If you want a short walk and get a bit of cardio along with a great view, this is your baby but only worthwhile if you live in the area.

    our beginning
    Pheary P.

    Fri late morning 4/2/21. Parking on the street was easy. We passed only a handful of people on the trail, including two dogs whose owners were considerate. This was an easy hike for Mason but there really wasn't any shade. I think we must not have followed the trail right because we found ourselves in the housing community. Or is this hike similar to Signal Hill and more of a steep walk through the neighborhood? We thoroughly enjoyed the tall grass and wildflowers with our wild and free GSD. It was a good workout with some steep pathways. I imagine this would be a great spot to see a sunset and city lights at night. But there was lots of broken glass at the top and an odd heap of stones. Doesn't look like it would be family friendly after dark. Maybe we will try this hike at another time and follow someone else's map.

    1st hill sunset

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    Photo of Rico M.
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    17 years ago

    The view isn't as scenic as Signal Hill, but what can I say? I will always remember this place. =)

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    15 years ago

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    13 years ago

    otherwise known as Suicide Hill. This is the dope spot! I don't want to give to much away because i like to keep this place special!

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    12 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Park at the community across the street! It was a nice short but sweet hike, and a great spot to check out the city lights at night.

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    10 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Don't go at night. Guards are there to ticket your cars. Not worth it.

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    12 years ago

    Like others have said, it's has a great view of Irvine. You can see the ocean! So that's working for it. The sunset of wonderful.

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    13 years ago

    Great place to see the sunset on a clear day. You can see Irvine and the nearby cities.

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    11 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Pretty cool hike and easy at the same time. My little one enjoyed it very much. You can see Irvine 360degree ;)

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    Page 4 of 4

    Ask the Community - Turtle Rock Viewpoint Trail

    Is there free parking?

    Yes, parking is free. It's in a residential area so plenty of parking on the streets.

    Is this trail still open during Covid 19?

    Yes

    Can you park your car and look at the view from the car?

    no you can't. need to hike up

    Hi, is this trail good for a 6 and an 8 year old kid? Is there a way to circle back to the starting place without doing a path twice? We are looking for maybe 1-2 hours of light walk... thanks!!

    Yes it's good for your kids if you only plan to stop at the stairs level, because there are some very steep and slippery rocks you need to climb if you want to get to the very top. The whole trail is very short; it takes about 1 hour at most, at… 

    Does anyone know the hours?

    beginning in september 2018, the upper dirt trail closes from dusk to sunrise and is patrolled by the irvine police who will write citations for trespassing. the lower park area closes at 10 p.m.

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    Review Highlights - Turtle Rock Viewpoint Trail

    While looking deeper into previous yelp reviews, we realized the entrance was at Chaparral park.

    Mentioned in 21 reviews

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    Inspiration Point - The bottom of the trail down to the beach. There is a railing along the steepest points.

    Inspiration Point

    4.8(190 reviews)
    8.8 km

    I've been coming to Inspiration Point for many years, and I still enjoy it every time I visit…read more I usually bring my dog here for a walk so She can enjoy the ocean breeze and watch the sunset with me. Sometimes I bring a blanket, sit on the grass, and bring some food to have a little picnic. It's a simple thing, but I always enjoy spending time here with the ocean view and the sound of the waves. I also like that they have bags available the area in case you need to clean up after your dog. I noticed there is a one of stations near the end of the street where you can grab them. From here, you can walk down toward little Corona del Mar and get closer to the beach. You can also walk on the sand, but personally I prefer staying up here because it feels cleaner and more convenient when I don't need to go down to the beach. Street parking is available nearby, but you may need to drive around a little to find a spot for parallel parking.

    What a gorgeous spot I stumbled upon! I had no idea how gorgeous this would be! I'll definitely be…read moreback to visit again. I entered the park from above and walked down the steep paved trail to the landing about halfway down. The path is too steep for wheelchairs but does offer a railing for stability and some places to sit at the landing. The view at sunset is breathtaking! There are public bathrooms and a parking lot down at the beach, as well as some volleyball nets, etc. The beach looked clean, welcoming to families, and was a good size where people could spread out. I'll definitely be back

    Photos
    Inspiration Point - Photo from the soft sandy beach

    Photo from the soft sandy beach

    Inspiration Point - Inspiration Point from the halfway down landing area

    Inspiration Point from the halfway down landing area

    Inspiration Point - View at the point.

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    View at the point.

    Peters Canyon Hike - 1st timer here w Powee Dowee. Started @ 11:15 finished at 12:37 p.m. 9,031 steps 2.04.26

    Peters Canyon Hike

    4.4(386 reviews)
    14.6 km

    Review 30/365 day challenge 2.04.26…read more Finally made it here to PC for a late morning hike w my hiking Gfren Pow. She's a regular here and been coming. Have told mee several times she loves this hike and it's a good hike where it's a bit more busier than other hiking trails that you feel safe to go to. Started the hike a little late morning around 11:15 a.m. and finished right before 12:40 p.m. A little over 4 miles. We went to a much easier hike trail. Where it was much shading area until you enter the hiking trail and then it was full of sun. Luckily it was a bit breezy so wasn't too fully hot. There's different areas to park, some where it's free of charge and they have the main parking where supposedly have av actual public restroom for $ 3. We parked near some residential area. Right before entering the entrance where the trail started, there was about 5 porter potties available. As all hikes there are warning signs of Rattlesnakes, poison ivy, mountain lions etc. Located in Tustin borderline of Orange. Not too far from Irvine Regional park off Jamboree. Will definitely return to hike here and check out the different trails.

    One of my favorite hikes that I've been doing since I was in high school! This past weekend, I…read morewent on a hike at Peters Canyon, and specific did the Peter Canyon Trail to East Ridge View Trail to Eucalyptus Spur Trail, totally about 4ish miles. This trail had a few hills that weren't too steep. It's a busier hike, so even though we arrived at 8am, there were tons of people already and it's dog-friendly, so you'll see plenty of furry friends along the way! One of my favorite things about this hike is how well-marked everything is. Our hike started by the South entrance, which really only offers limited street parking, and looped towards the lake and back before hitting the lake. It was fairly shaded, and gets really sunny when you begin climbing the hills. It took us about 2ish hours to complete the whole hike, and overall it was enjoyable! There are bathrooms at the south entrance, so definitely use it before hiking because there won't be any other for a while.

    Photos
    Peters Canyon Hike - Beautiful Wednesday afternoon w Powee Dowee 2.04.26

    Beautiful Wednesday afternoon w Powee Dowee 2.04.26

    Peters Canyon Hike - Beautiful Wednesday afternoon w Powee Dowee 2.04.26

    Beautiful Wednesday afternoon w Powee Dowee 2.04.26

    Peters Canyon Hike - Family memories

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    Family memories

    Red Rock Canyon

    Red Rock Canyon

    4.7(135 reviews)
    15.5 km

    Red Rock Canyon is located in the City of Lake Forest. Who knew one could view glimpses of red rock…read moreformations and plateaus in Orange County? When we arrived around 8:30 on a Saturday morning, the paid parking lot was already full. There are very few parking spaces overall in the paid $3 lot. We ended up as Ralph's customers that morning and found a couple of last-minute items that we needed before starting our hike. It was a nice and cool morning with a slight breeze, which was perfect to kick off our hike. We opted to take the easy trail, Borrego Canyon Trail. There is a lot of soft sand through out parts of the trail, similar to a beach like sensation for your walking pleasure. It also felt like a magical forest during some areas with trickling streams. We also experienced some parts full of various sized rocks. This is NOT a child- friendly trail for little ones. As we approached parts that were more desert like, we got closer to the red rocks. There was much anticipation to the end and the trail concludes with what feels like a small dead end as you gaze into the view of the towering red rocks. Going downhill was much quicker and fun. It was an easy trail with some sections that forced me to go slower as I didn't want to slip on some small rocks. There was so much positivity coming from other hikers and bicyclists. So many good mornings shared, it was contagious. Bicyclists are one-way so they are only coming from behind you and so many were thankful for us moving out of their way. I've never experienced such polite and friendly trail enthusiasts. I'd love to return to experience this beautiful trail again.

    What a great hike! The shade was wonderful, and everyone on the trail was so respectful of space…read more(thank you, bikers). It gets a little narrow as you get closer to the rock formations, but still highly recommend either way.

    Photos
    Red Rock Canyon - I'm definitely on Mars!

    I'm definitely on Mars!

    Red Rock Canyon
    Red Rock Canyon

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    Turtle Rock Viewpoint Trail - hiking - Updated September 2026

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