Map of bike paths / walking paths in the Mission Viejo area

Recreational trails for walking, running and cycling in Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Rancho Santa Margarita, California

Mission Viejo is located in Southwest Orange County, southwest of Los Angeles, in Southern California. This is a beautiful but rugged area tucked into the foothills of the coastal range and set back from the ocean front.This area is just east of Irvine and north of San Juan Capistrano.

There are several major recreational trail systems for cycling, walking and running that travel through this area as well as many local neighborhood paths for enjoying the outdoors and the sunny weather. In addition to the paved and unpaved trails in the developed areas, there are many hiking and biking trails in the nearby Whiting Ranch Wilderness Area and O'Neill Regional Park.

Serrano Creek Trail

Serrano Creek Trail is a 5-mile long mostly natural surfaced trail that extends from Bake Parkway in the City of Lake Forest to the trails in the Whiting Ranch Wilderness Area. This is a pretty trail that follows the greenbelt alongside Serrano Creek. This trail is open for equestrian use.

The west end of the trail is located near the intersection of Bake Parkway and Toledo Way. In this area, you can also use the paved trails in Serrano Creek Park off of Serrano Road. The two trails do not connect and you will need to use surface streets to get from one to the other. From Bake Parkway, the trail heads to the east and follows alongside the residential neighborhood. The trail crosses Trabuco Road and continues to the northeast.

The Serrano Creek Trail goes through the industrial areas of North Lake Forest, not far from the Lake Forest Sports Park and Recreation Center on Rancho Parkway. There is an underpass for Portola Parkway and then the trail goes past Foothill Ranch Community Park. The trail continues north and meets up with trails in the Whiting Ranch Wilderness area. Please note that dogs are not allowed in the wilderness area.

In the area around Glen Ranch Road, you can also connect to other recreational trails in the area, such as the Aliso-Serrano Riding & Hiking Trail, the Eidson Riding & Hiking Trail and the Aliso Creek Trail.

Aliso Creek Trail

Aliso Creek Trail is a system of paved and unpaved trails that extend for over 12 miles through the communities of Aliso Viejo, Laguna Woods, Mission Viejo and Lake Forest. The south end of the trail is located near Laguna Niquel Regional Park and Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park. The north end of the trail system is located at the intersection of El Toro Road and Ridgeline Road. The trail goes through the greenbelt alongside Aliso Creek, goes by several parks and schools and has few street crossings.

Read more about the Aliso Creek Trail

Borrego Trail

The Borrego Trail is located at the northwest end of Lake Forest. It travels through a branch of the Whiting Ranch Wilderness Area. The trailhead is located at Portola Parkway just south of Alton Parkway and close to Borrego Park. The trail wanders through a greenbelt between residential areas and goes right past Foothill Ranch Elementary School. The trail then wanders up the canyon and meets up with other trails in the park. this is a nice location to see local wildlife and the other natural flora and fauna of the area. Please note that dogs are not allowed in the wilderness area.

Oso Creek Trail

The Oso Creek Trail is a 2.7 mile long paved and uppaved pathway on the east side of the City of Mission Viejo. The trail extends from Marguerite Parkway and Oso Creek Road to the intersection of Jeronimo Road and Olympiad Road. On its route the trail passes Fred Newhart Middle School, Oso Viejo Community Park, Jeronimo Open Space Park and Phillip J. Reilly Elementary School.

O'Neill Regional Park Trails

There are several levels of hiking trails at O'Neill Regional Park in the Trabuco Canyon area on the northeast side of Ranch Santa Margarita. The Arroyo Trabuco Trail is a natural surfaced trail that runs through the canyon near Santa Margarita Parkway and Foothill Transportation Corridor. There is also the 2.4-mile long paved Live Oak Canyon Trail that runs along El Camino Montana through the residential and business areas south of the park.

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Resources

Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about recreational trails for bike riding, walking and running in Mission Viejo, California.