2025-Dec: Crystal Cove-Annual Holidays Lunch Party w/HikingOC Organizers Team

HikingOC Annual Holidays Lunch Picnic Party for the Organizers Team to end year 2025 and welcome new year 2026. All are welcome to join us!
Crystal Cove is one of HikingOC favorite trails. At this trailhead, there will be picnic tables, restrooms and a nice 360 degrees view of the ocean and mountains

>>>Meeting time: 12:30 PM at the picnic tables.

>>>Duration : about 1-2 hours for picnic eating time and optional short hike 2-3 miles after. You can come earlier or stay later for a longer hike. However, we will be gathering here for a picnic with a dish to share and mingle with other organizers as an annual meeting. PLEASE INDICATE WHEN SIGN UP for Picnic of WHAT YOU WILL PLAN TO SHARE "1": APPETIZERS "2": MAIN DISH (MEAT OR VEGAN OR???); "3" SALADS; "4" DESSERTS; "5" DRINKS, etc...

Length: 2- 3 miles 2+ Hours - 300+ft gain/loss
Pace: Moderate pace hike
Rating: Levels 1 to 3+ Click here for hike RATING TABLE for more info about hiking levels https://tinyurl.com/HikeRating

>>>About this hike: You can choose to hike couple miles with us or up to 5-7 miles, about 1000+ ft gain/loss. We will start at the Ridge Park entrance in Newport Coast at the top of the hills street parking and go on unusual route (includes these trails: Red Tail Ridge, Fence Line, Slow and Easy, Elevator, Missing Link and may be Lizard Trail, etc.)
http://www.crystalcovestatepark.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/crystal-cove-map-handout-8-28-18-color.pdf

>>>Description: Crystal Cove State Park https://www.crystalcovestatepark.org/hiking-2/
The backcountry and wilderness areas of Crystal Cove State Park offer you 18 miles of hiking trails through 2,400 acres of native wilderness mostly the endangered coastal sage scrub plant community. For energetic backpackers, there are three environmental campgrounds, one in a canyon and two at the higher elevations. The higher trails offer beautiful vistas of the mountainous backcountry, geological formations, and the blue Pacific Ocean. Exploring the lower trails offers hiking through riparian woodlands with oak and sycamore trees along the seasonal Moro Creek. Whether you explore the high trails or the low trails or both, you will find ample evidence of native plants and animals, and a sense of escaping from civilization into the beautiful solitude of natural history

#### >>>Directions for free parking:

From Newport Coast Road take Ridge Park Road uphill until it ends at intersection with Coastal Peak Road. Trailhead is at the end of Ridge Park Road. Park along the road and meet at trailhead.

#### >>>Route: to be determined depends on the group

#### >>>Essentials: Bring water, sunglasses, hiking shoes and a hat

Check out photos from last times:
Dec 2021
Dec 2020
Dec 2019
Dec 2018
Dec 2017 https://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/photos/all_photos/?photoAlbumId=28423211
July 2017 (https://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/photos/all_photos/?photoAlbumId=28012672), Jan 2017 (https://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/photos/all_photos/?photoAlbumId=27517096), June 2016 (https://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/photos/27020402/), Aug 2015 (https://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/photos/26340500/) and Sept 2015 (https://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/photos/26403431/)
From Newport Coast Road take Ridge Park Road uphill until it ends at intersection with Coastal Peak Road. Trailhead is at the end of Ridge Park Road. Park along the road and meet at trailhead.

REMINDER:
By joining the meetup, you agree to Meetup Terms of Service releases the Organizer and Assistant Organizers from any liability related to incidents that occur at Meetup gatherings
>>>YOU acknowledge THAT WE ARE NOT PROFESSIONALS.
>>>YOU ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR SAFETY
***Hiking is a rewarding and pleasant activity in nature, but there are certain dangers you should be aware of. Those include, but are not limited to, trip and fall injuries, bee stings, poison oak exposure, ticks and snake bites. By signing up for this event, you agree to hold harmless the hike organizer, assistant organizers and other participants for any injuries sustained during this hike***