Signal Hill to Temple Hill 13.4

Location: Crystal Cove State Park, Laguna Wilderness, and Aliso Woods

Trail Head: Ridge Park, Newport Beach

Mileage: 13.38 Elevation: 2,460

Highlights: This route offers two tough climbs, a sweet view, two sources of water and bathrooms.

Description: Take Bommer (SE) to Willow and head down to Laguna Canyon Road. To your right, just across the road is a small hidden road called Phillip's Road. Go up this steep paved street and ignore the no trespassing sign. The paved path will lead you to a marked singletrack called Stair Steps. Have fun. It will hurt. This leads you to the top of the ridge and to a trail called West Ridge. Go right. This ridge will take you to Temple Hill (aka Top of the World). From here it is a bit tricky. You will head right (north west) down a trail called Canyon Acres. The trail splinters out to a few unofficial trails and could lead you off course so check the provided map at Temple Hill to oreint your way down into Canyon Acres. Confused? Canyon Acres trail will turn into a road through a housing community. It will throw you back out to Laguna Canyon Road. Cross it and head left. Less than a 1/2 mile down Laguna Canyon, you will see an access gate(#10) and a trail called Laguna Bowl heading up to your right. Go up this steep hell (hill) and it will put you back on Bommer. Take back to the trail head.

Cougar Ambush

Location: Crystal Cove / Laguna Wilderness

Trail Head: Ridge Park Road, Newport Hills

Mileage: 7.5 Elevation Gain: +1115

Description: Super fun adventurous course, just bring a friend or two. It starts as a windy technical trail with blind turns. I have ran into plenty of snakes on this trail. Basically you start on Bommer parallel to the 73 Toll Road. The trail drops instantly down and a 1/4 miles further it heads steeply up. Right there at the top of the climb there is a rarely seen trail to the left. Take that. That's where the adventure begins. You'll see caves, run across exposed rock, and scramble down some hell sections. It will pop you out onto a fire road 1.75 miles later. My friend and I ran into a non threatening Cougar at dusk in September of 2010. Follow the fire road until you see a single track heading left. This is where the second part of the journey begins. It drops steep and technical into a valley. Rock cliffs to the right makes you feel that you're being watched. At the Laguna Canyon trail head you head back up Willow to Bommer and back. Good fun.