Bommer - Fence Line - Willow - Laurel & Lizard Trails - Level 2+
Details
This is a moderate-pace hike on the back country trails of Laguna Coast Wilderness Park and Crystal Cove State Park. This hike is not for beginners. There will be a shorter/easier option to turn back early, if desired.
Sorry, Dogs are NOT permitted on any of the hiking trails in the park.
## Key Info:
## Meet and Greet at the rest room area at 8:50 AM.
## Hike Briefing at 8:55 AM.
## The hike departs promptly at 9:00 AM.
## If you arrive late or otherwise choose to do this walk on your own, just follow the directions detailed below. And bring a friend.
Distance: This hike is about 8 miles and a moderate workout hike on varied terrain. The Short Option is only about 4 to 5 miles, out and back.
Elevation: ~1,000+ feet gain/loss
Pace: Moderate (~25 minutes/mile)
Difficulty: This is a longer hike with some moderate climbs on a variety of unpaved surfaces.
Description: We will head up (left on) Pacific Ridge, directly across the street from the rest room meeting spot, and turn right on Bommer Ridge. These are nice big, wide, well-groomed dirt maintenance roads. After about 1 mile, we will turn right on Red Tail Ridge, and immediately left on Fence Line, which is a narrow single-track trail. At the end of Fence Line and Missing Link, we will turn left on Moro Ridge then turn right on Bommer.
We will take Bommer Spur to its end at Willow trail and turn left and walk all the way down to the Willow Staging Area by Laguna Canyon Road. After a brief tour of the Port-A-Potties, we will start our return trip on the Laurel Canyon trail. When we get to the junction with Laurel Spur trail, we will turn left, go about 100 yards and then turn right on Lizard Trail. There is one spot on Lizard Trail where we may have to scramble over and down some large rocks, about six feet. Continue climbing to the end of Lizard Trail and turn right on Bommer trail and return to our starting point.
Sometimes we may see some wildlife: quail, hawks, roadrunners, bunny wabbits, and if we are very lucky, maybe a snake or a tarantula.
Rating: Level 2+ - Click here for hike RATING TABLE https://tinyurl.com/HikeRating
Parking: There is plenty of free on-street parking all along Ridge Park Road and East Coastal Peak Road. GPS Address: 20403 E Coastal Peak, Newport Coast, CA 92657. I usually park on the street right in front of the restrooms.
Facilities: There are nice rest rooms at the Coastal Peak Park meeting spot, and there are some porta-potties at the Willow Staging Area turnaround spot. All other rest rooms are disguised as big bushes. Be prepared.
What to bring: Water, maybe a snack or lunch, sunglasses, sturdy hiking shoes, maybe hiking poles if you have them, a hat or umbrella, a happy attitude and a big smile!
Laguna Coast Wilderness Park Trail Map: CLICK HERE
Crystal Cove SP Trail Map: CLICK HERE and HERE
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, mountain lions, coyotes, snake bites or wildlife. 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.