Aliso Wood Canyon Park

Description:

• Half Court Basketball Court
• Tennis Courts (4?)
• Soccer Field
• Picnic Area
• Children's Playground
• Bathrooms (with sensored hot air dryers for the hands!)
• Water Fountains
• LOTS OF TRAILS!
• Some Rattlesnakes

Directions: Via 405 South 405 South, exit 133 South (Laguna Beach) 133 turns into Laguna Canyon Road Left on Third Ave / Forest Left on Park Left on Alta Laguna WATCH THE SPEED BUMPS! Park Entrance at the end Via 405 North You can use 133 South or El Toro El Toro merges merges with Laguna Canyon Rd Rest is same as above Via PCH PCH (North/South), Go inland on Laguna Canyon Rd. Right on Third St/ Forest Same as above

Where To Run ??

Imagine a ladder... you got two long sides and then a bunch of connecting beams..this is more or less how the trails are....two long ones on each side and a bunch of connecting ones in between.. Both the long ones are very wide.. The connecting ones are mostly singletracks. I've included three which are runnable West Ridge Trail: Left Side of Ladder Aliso Wood Trail: Right Side of Ladder Mathis Trail: Bottom Rung of Ladder Rock-It Trail: Middle Rung of Ladder Cholla Trail: Top Rung of Ladder Coyote Run Trail: Parallels the bottom half of Aliso Wood Canyon Trail The West Ridge trail begins basically to the left of the kids playground. It is the high point of the park (and remember, WHAT GOES DOWN, MUST COME UP!!

West Ridge Trail

Very wide trail..short rolling hills, basically goes along the top ridge of the canyon giving you a glorious view of Orange County!! This trail is pretty much the high point of the canyon (literally/figuratively)

Mathis Trail

After walking .5 miles on WestRidge Trail (after the first dip), West Ridge breaks off to the right. If you continue straight, you will be on the Mathis Trail (watch for the sign)

This is a very steep but wide trail. No brush interference problems. It's also quite straight and long. Once it reaches the bottom of the canyon it curves a bit around the side of a mountain until it reaches a stream crossing. In front of the stream crossing is Coyote Run Trail. After the stream crossing it dead-ends into Aliso Wood Canyon. (Signs up for both trails)

Rock-It Trail

This is the middle rung of the ladder. It connects to the West Ridge trail near the Water Station. At the bottom of the canyon, it connects to Coyote Run Trail (which then connects to both Aliso Wood Canyon or Mathis depending on which way you go).

This is a very long trail with a variety of characteristics. Part of it is a hill of rock (fun to climb!), part of it is very curvy, part of it is VERY narrow with lots of tall brush (4 to 5 feet). If you don't have long pants you may not want to take this (same with long sleeve t-shirt). You can probably walk it okay but you definitely will have brush interference running

Keep in mind that this is a favorite of lots of mountain bikers..and keep in mind this trail is narrow with lots of blind spots

Cholla Trail

This is the top rung of our ladder. It meets West Ridge Trail right at the end of West Ridge. There are only a few spots where there may be some brush interference, and those spots contain only very short brush. Shouldn't be a problem.

Lots and Lots of curves. Also very short. This is supposedly the easiest way to go up to West Ridge from Aliso Wood Canyon (keep that in mind for your runs!)

Though you probably won't have brush problems, you'll want to watch your step!

Aliso Wood Canyon Trail

This is the right side of the ladder. It pretty much goes through the crevice of the canyon. From the bottom rung (Mathis) to the middle rung (Coyote Run/Rock-It) it basically goes through a long flat meadow of tall grass surrounded on each side by a mountain

From the middle rung (Coyote Run/Rock-It) to the top rung (Cholla) it winds and rolls through lots of trees (THIS IS MY FAVORITE PART!)

The bottom part (between Mathis and Coyote Run) may be washed out after hard rains. If this is the case, there is a singletrack about 5 to 10 feet off the main Aliso Wood Canyon Trail which you can take to make your way through. Park rangers usually mark it with bright orange flags. If you need to take this singletrack, realize that it's quite narrow with some high brush (3 feet) at times.

Coyote Run Trail

This trail basically parallels the bottom half of the Aliso Wood Canyon Trail (about 50 feet away and closer to the side of the mountain). It connects with three trails: Rock-It, Mathis, and Aliso Wood Canyon.

• Mathis TrailShortly before the creek crossing you will reach the Coyote Run entrance. (After the creek crossing Mathis ends in Aliso-Wood Canyon Trail)
• Aliso Wood Canyon TrailIf you are coming down from the top of the ladder (through the forest), just as the forest ends and the open field/meadow start, the Coyote Run entrance will be on your right. There will be a very very small stream to cross (about 3 feet) that you will have to jump (or use the 3-inch piece of branch as a bridge).. not to worry, I think it is only 3 to 5 inches deep.
• Rock-It TrailIf you are coming down the Rock-It trail, it will end at the Coyote Run trail. Go left to Aliso-Wood Canyon, go right to Mathis

The Coyote Run Trail has some spots of brush interference. The brush is short and the spots are not many.

Being on the side of the mountain, it curves and winds through some trees.

Reasons why I like using this trail:

• If Aliso Wood Canyon trail is washed out, then you may have less brush interference taking Coyote Run

• If you want to use the Rock-It trail, you will need to use the Coyote Run Trail as that is where it bottoms out
• I find the Coyote Run Trail MUCH MORE FUN! Where Aliso Wood Canyon parallels Coyote Run, Aliso Wood Canyon runs through a large wide open meadow whereas COyote Run curves and winds around the mountain through trees

You will have some interfering brush here and there..not very tall, just at the legs if anything. It's a fun trail to go on though!

A 6 to 7 mile course

Start on the WestRidge Trail (where else?)...

after the first dip, you'll come to a large fork. The WEstRidge Trail heads left, the Mathis Trail goes straight. Take the Mathis Trail

STEEP STEEP STEEP! watch your step. I choose this direction because it would be a killer to go back up...

Right before the stream crossing, head left on the Coyote Run Trail

You will eventually come to a large clearing.. to the left is the Rock-It Trail.. straight(sort of right) the Coyote Run trail continues... keep continuing on Coyote Run

Another 200 feet and you will meet the Aliso Wood Canyon trail..go left

Go through lots of curves, turns, and forest until you come to a large clearing and a sign. To the left is Cholla Trail.. take it

Cholla has lots of crazy turns ..it's very fun to go up! And because of the crazy turns you probably won't realize you are going uphill.. Much easier to go up this hill than Mathis..thus the direction we are going

At the top, you will reach WestRidge. Go left (can't go anywhere else)...

It's a long tough up and downhill battle but you have maybe 2 miles left..the last uphill is a killer! but realize your car and the water fountain is waiting..

Hope you brought some goodies to eat!! Enjoy the view!

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last updated April 15, 1998
All pages and images Copyright@1998 Ben Yau

These freaky Geocities people are giving out Free Home Pages...what's the world coming to?

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