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Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Trail:
California
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Description:
This great trail shares a wide corridor with an active railroad line, a Burlington Northern Santa Fe route, through a section of Orange County known for producing oranges and strawberries. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad line originally provided a vital link for transporting iron from the Midwest into the Los Angeles Area. In 1971, Amtrak assumed operation of the line, using it to transport passengers between Chicago and Los Angeles. Burlington Northern officially maintains the track and uses it for freight rail, in conjunction with the Amtrak and Metrolink passenger service. The trail itself begins off Sand Canyon Avenue just south of the railroad tracks. This well-maintained, smooth-paved trail follows the tracks heading northwest. You will cut through a section of the lush Oak Creek Golf Club before reaching the intersection of Jeffery Road. An underpass here provides safe, uninterrupted trail travel. Beyond Jeffery Road, the trail passes comes to grassy Hoeptner Park, which is a nice spot to rest or have a picnic. From here the trail crosses some pleasant neighborhoods. There are access points all along the trail, making it a popular commuting route. From here, the trail passes underneath Yale Avenue and continues to busy Culver Drive where a trail overpass carries you across the road. In addition, there are access points to the street and sidewalks if you need to connect to sections of town. The trail continues through Flagstone Park toward the end of the trail and provides a nice rest spot before making the final push. At Harvard Avenue, the trail ends, but there are multiple connections here to bike lanes and other small trails to other parts of the city and region.
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Parking & Trail Access:
To reach the Sand Canyon Avenue trailhead, take the Sand Canyon Avenue exit from Interstate 5. Go west on Sand Canyon Avenue for 0.5 mile, across the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Metrolink Railroad tracks. The trail is on the right (west) and is marked by a sign that reads WALNUT TRAIL. There is no parking at this endpoint, but you might find on-street parking along Oak Canyon Road, which is about 100 yards west of the trail. To reach the Harvard Avenue endpoint, take the Culver Drive exit from Interstate 5. Take Culver Drive west for 0.5 mile to Walnut Ave. Turn right (north) on Walnut and go 0.5 mile to Harvard Avenue. Go left (west) on Harvard for 0.5 mile, crossing the OCTA Metrolink tracks, to the trail, which is marked here also with a WALNUT TRAIL sign. There is limited on-street parking here and on nearby neighborhood streets.
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Seasonal Restrictions:
None.
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Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Trail is Signed as WALNUT BIKE TRAIL
By fgarabia on November 15, 2009
I have ridden this trail for nearly twenty years coming to it from the San Diego Creek Trail, by North Lake and north on the Yale Loop. All the descriptions and photos of this trail are great.

However, no where is the trail identified by Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe. Rather, signs posted by the city states the trail is called "WALNUT BIKE TRAIL". I photographed one of the signs and post it here.
ROAD BLOCK ON THE AT&SF ROAD – STILL THERE, BUT…
By toolbear on November 01, 2009

ROAD BLOCK ON THE AT&SF ROAD – STILL THERE, BUT…

10.31.09

I was out exploring the loop options off the San Diego Creek Bikeway, which took me to the AT&SF. San Diego Creek is the backbone of Irvine’s 42 miles of Class I bikeways. A good number of Class I trails and Class II bike lanes intersect it. Even better, SDCB is almost seamless. There are two on-street crossings. Can’t say that for a lot of the other bikeways.

Take a look…


One loop option was SDCB to Bill Barber Park, pick up the Peters Canyon Bikeway across the street from Bill Barber, take it NE to the AT&SF, then ride the AT&SF SE to Sand Canyon Bikeway, and ride that SW to hit the San Diego Creek Bikeway. From there you can either backtrack down the creek to Jeffrey Rd for a loop down along University Drive and the William Mason Regional Park to rejoin the SDCB at University, and then home.

It was a cunning plan, but I should have read the TailLink page on the AT&SF - first. Twirlymaker warned us in 2008 that there was a block at Jeffrey. Still there and from the looks of things, I doubt that there will be an early 2010 opening. They still have to drive the underpass under the active RR tracks. What do those trails weigh? I know locomotive weight upwards of 100 tons. Better shore it good.

I came up the SDCB, hopped across the intersection at Bill Barber Park to catch the Peters Canyon Bikeway and took that NE to meet the western end of the AT&SF. This trail does not follow a rail line as much as it does a power line right of way. There is enough room that they let it curve back and forth, as you can see in Google Earth: 33.699979° -117.795284°

The AT&SF is not a destination trail (unless you live there). Too short - but a useful connection between Peters Canyon and Sand Canyon. However, it is a pleasant ride on good blacktop with over and under passes and a number of trailside water points. Sure could use those on some of the big rail trails where water points are many miles apart. Nary a restroom to be seen in the two pocket parks along the trail – Flagstone and Hoepfner. Then you hit Jeffrey Rd. where the trail is both blocked and dug up. Check the pix. Big hole there.

The Work Around was to resort to the Class II bike lanes on Jeffrey and Irvine Center Drive. I went over to Sand Canyon Ave. and back up to see the other end of the trail. It’s blocked at Sand Canyon and on both sides of Jeffrey Rd. Guess that means NO!

The rest of the loop went well. There is a nice overpass high above the San Diego Freeway on Jeffrey Rd. Someday Sand Canyon Bikeway will run over to this crossing, but not now. The regional park offered both a wild creek bottom with mountain lions and rattle snakes (none seen today) and the mowed grass picnic-in-the-park-for-a-fee type of park. Cross University Drive and a short leg puts you back on SDCB down in the tidal marsh section. From there, a few miles back to Newport Beach.

You can spend a very nice Saturday morning out exploring the miles of bikeways in Irvine. Good riding. Herds of bikies out playing in the bike lanes. One pulled up to me at a light and said he had passed me twice . Must have a loop of his own going.

Next ride – SDCB to Peters Canyon to Portola, then along Portola for a loop back. There are all sorts of bike paths up there. Do a Google Earth flyover then get your bike out and ride.

Ride on,

ToolBear


Trail closure at Jeffery Road to Sand Canyon Ave
By twirlymaker on February 25, 2008
The 0.75 mile section of the Walnut Trail / Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe trail between Jeffery Road and Sand Canyon Ave., is closed till early 2010. Jeffery Road is being converted to a RR underpass. Noel keller