Explore the best rated trails in Sun City, CA. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Santa Gertrudis Creek Trail and Coastal Rail Trail. With more than 45 trails covering 252 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The Shady Canyon Trail is an incredibly scenic route along Shady Canyon Drive in southern Irvine. Extending through the southern reaches of the historic Irvine Ranch and protected Irvine Ranch Natural...
The Santa Ana River Trail is a 12-foot wide path following the Santa Ana River, a waterway that is cement-lined through much of Orange County but free flowing in Riverside and San Bernardino counties....
The Oceanfront Boardwalk begins in West Newport Beach at the end of 36th Street and runs nearly 3 miles down the Balboa Peninsula. Along the way, trail-goers will find restaurants, dory fishermen,...
The San Juan Creek Trail starts where the creek meets the Pacific Ocean at Doheny State Beach in scenic Dana Point. From there, it runs on the levee along the western bank of San Juan Creek to its...
To the trail user, the West Irvine Trail and Peters Canyon Bikeway are one continuous trail with two names in three cities. The northern component of the Peters Canyon Regional Trail, both paths...
The Robert McCollum Memorial Bicycle Trail, also known as the Trabuco Creek Trail (East Bank), is a short paved path along Trabuco Creek in San Juan Capistrano. The trail begins at a junction with the...
The Inland Rail Trail runs alongside the Sprinter light rail service connecting Escondido to Oceanside. The 10-mile section in Escondido, San Marcos and parts of Vista is the first segment complete,...
This urban trail travels along the side of North Colton Avenue and South Inland Center Drive, connecting San Bernadino and Colton. The corridor is an abandoned Southern Pacific rail line and will...
The Santiago Creek Trail is a scenic urban ride up a portion of Santiago Creek northeast from the Westfield MainPlace Mall to Collins Avenue in Orange. From Collins Avenue, the trail heads south to...
The Santa Gertrudis Creek Trail is a 3-mile paved trail that serves as both a recreational amenity and an active transportation alternative for locals looking to get to nearby locations without...
To the trail user, the West Irvine Trail and Peters Canyon Bikeway are one continuous trail with two names in three cities. The northern component of the Peters Canyon Regional Trail, both paths...
The Peters Canyon Trail, currently open in two disconnected segments, runs northeast from Bill Barber Community Park to Portola Parkway, with a small gap from Warner Avenue to an active rail line that...
The scenic Huntington Beach Bicycle Trail runs along the Pacific Ocean waterfront of the most populous beach city in Orange County. Paved over its entire length and remarkably wide at some points, the...
The Venta Spur Trail travels along the narrow corridor of a former rail spur that began serving the Frances Packing House—a major citrus processing facility—in 1916. Today, the popular trail serves...
The Coastal Rail Trail will one day run 44 miles from Oceanside to San Diego along the Coaster commuter rail. Short sections of the developing trail are currently open in Oceanside, Carlsbad, Solana...
The short Upper Bay Trail arcs around the northern edge of the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve near the Newport Beach–Irvine city line. The protected estuary, home to six rare avian species, is...
The Harvard Trail is a short sidepath along Harvard Avenue in Irvine. Beautifully landscaped, lit and featuring smooth concrete, the trail is a much more pleasant experience than your average roadside...
Irvine's Jeffrey Open Space Trail, currently open in three disconnected segments, has won awards for its landscaping and innovative design incorporating a series of intaglio panels in the concrete bed...
The San Diego Creek Trail is the spine of the City of Irvine's extensive system of trails and bike lanes. It begins in Newport Beach, joining the Upper Bay Trail near where San Diego Creek empties...
The Pacific Electric Inland Empire Trail is a great commuter and recreation trail in western San Bernadino valley, with expansive views and connections to community centers and parks. The trail...
The Santiago Creek Trail is a scenic urban ride up a portion of Santiago Creek northeast from the Westfield MainPlace Mall to Collins Avenue in Orange. From Collins Avenue, the trail heads south to...
The Coastal Rail Trail will one day run 44 miles from Oceanside to San Diego along the Coaster commuter rail. Short sections of the developing trail are currently open in Oceanside, Carlsbad, Solana...
If you are looking for a quick escape from the smog and traffic of Southern California, take a trip along the Tustin Branch Trail. Currently open in two disconnected segments, the trail runs on the...
The Harvard Trail is a short sidepath along Harvard Avenue in Irvine. Beautifully landscaped, lit and featuring smooth concrete, the trail is a much more pleasant experience than your average roadside...
Note: Escondido Creek Bike Path has closed from Hickory to East of Date due to the installation of new recycled water pipes. Please contact Mark Lewis, city of Escondido Field Engineering Inspector...
The Santa Gertrudis Creek Trail is a 3-mile paved trail that serves as both a recreational amenity and an active transportation alternative for locals looking to get to nearby locations without...
The Robert McCollum Memorial Bicycle Trail, also known as the Trabuco Creek Trail (East Bank), is a short paved path along Trabuco Creek in San Juan Capistrano. The trail begins at a junction with the...
This urban trail travels along the side of North Colton Avenue and South Inland Center Drive, connecting San Bernadino and Colton. The corridor is an abandoned Southern Pacific rail line and will...
The Turtle Rock Trail meanders its way through the neighborhood of the same name in southern Irvine. The path is a short—but serious—aerobic workout, as it features climbs to the trail's high point at...
The scenic Huntington Beach Bicycle Trail runs along the Pacific Ocean waterfront of the most populous beach city in Orange County. Paved over its entire length and remarkably wide at some points, the...
Irvine's Jeffrey Open Space Trail, currently open in three disconnected segments, has won awards for its landscaping and innovative design incorporating a series of intaglio panels in the concrete bed...
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The Salt Creek Trail, with more arms than an octopus, offers a variety of experiences for trail users of all types in Dana Point and Laguna Niguel. Featuring two sections, several branches and a mix...
The Aliso Creek Riding and Hiking Trail passes through the heart of Mission Viejo from South Laguna to Rancho Santa Margarita along an 18.5-mile corridor. The trail features many parks in Orange...
The Woodbridge Trail, while short, is one of the most scenic in Irvine's extensive trail network. Views of two lakes and surrounding mountains unfold around each bend. It's a great route for families...
The Venta Spur Trail travels along the narrow corridor of a former rail spur that began serving the Frances Packing House—a major citrus processing facility—in 1916. Today, the popular trail serves...
The Oso Creek Trail offers just over four miles of paved pathway connecting Jeronimo Open Space Park and Oso Viejo Community Park in the suburban southern California city of Mission Viejo. Much of...
To the trail user, the West Irvine Trail and Peters Canyon Bikeway are one continuous trail with two names in three cities. The northern component of the Peters Canyon Regional Trail, both paths...
The Juanita Cooke Greenbelt is a wonderful escape from the often-busy streets and highways of Orange County. This 2.5-mile trail in Fullerton connects some of the area's quiet neighborhoods with the...
The Freeway Trail, as its name implies, parallels the San Diego Freeway (Interstate 405) on its brief route through Irvine. With power lines overhead and neighborhoods blocked by sound walls to the...
Experience the easy life of the West Coast on Orange County's Bud Turner Trail. Set in a quiet neighborhood in the city of Fullerton, the trail is ideal for all types of trail use and uniquely caters...
The Victoria Avenue Bike Path parallels a scenic parkway dotted with palm trees that was built in 1892 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The northeastern end of the trail...
The Aliso Creek Riding and Hiking Trail passes through the heart of Mission Viejo from South Laguna to Rancho Santa Margarita along an 18.5-mile corridor. The trail features many parks in Orange...
The Venta Spur Trail travels along the narrow corridor of a former rail spur that began serving the Frances Packing House—a major citrus processing facility—in 1916. Today, the popular trail serves...
The Santa Gertrudis Creek Trail is a 3-mile paved trail that serves as both a recreational amenity and an active transportation alternative for locals looking to get to nearby locations without...
The San Juan Creek Trail starts where the creek meets the Pacific Ocean at Doheny State Beach in scenic Dana Point. From there, it runs on the levee along the western bank of San Juan Creek to its...
To the trail user, the West Irvine Trail and Peters Canyon Bikeway are one continuous trail with two names in three cities. The northern component of the Peters Canyon Regional Trail, both paths...
The Juanita Moe Trail—formerly known as the Quail Hill Trail—is a short path along Interstate 405 south of downtown Irvine. Forming a link between the University Trail and Jeffrey Open Space Trail in...
The Juanita Cooke Greenbelt is a wonderful escape from the often-busy streets and highways of Orange County. This 2.5-mile trail in Fullerton connects some of the area's quiet neighborhoods with the...
The Coastal Rail Trail will one day run 44 miles from Oceanside to San Diego along the Coaster commuter rail. Short sections of the developing trail are currently open in Oceanside, Carlsbad, Solana...
The Harvard Trail is a short sidepath along Harvard Avenue in Irvine. Beautifully landscaped, lit and featuring smooth concrete, the trail is a much more pleasant experience than your average roadside...
The Bonita Canyon Trail is a sidepath along Culver Drive and Bonita Canyon Drive linking the Orange County cities of Irvine and Newport Beach. Near the trail's midpoint, pick up the Shady Canyon Trail...
The Oso Creek Trail offers just over four miles of paved pathway connecting Jeronimo Open Space Park and Oso Viejo Community Park in the suburban southern California city of Mission Viejo. Much of...
The Walnut Trail shares a wide corridor with an active railroad line, a BNSF route, through a section of Orange County known for producing oranges and strawberries. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe...
The Santiago Creek Trail is a scenic urban ride up a portion of Santiago Creek northeast from the Westfield MainPlace Mall to Collins Avenue in Orange. From Collins Avenue, the trail heads south to...
The short Castaways Trail has expansive views of the mountains, ocean, Upper Newport Bay and Newport Harbor. Much of the 1-mile path runs along the bluffs in Castaways Park and the trail offers...
Note: Escondido Creek Bike Path has closed from Hickory to East of Date due to the installation of new recycled water pipes. Please contact Mark Lewis, city of Escondido Field Engineering Inspector...
If you are looking for a quick escape from the smog and traffic of Southern California, take a trip along the Tustin Branch Trail. Currently open in two disconnected segments, the trail runs on the...
The Salt Creek Trail, with more arms than an octopus, offers a variety of experiences for trail users of all types in Dana Point and Laguna Niguel. Featuring two sections, several branches and a mix...
The Hoover Bike and Walking Trail is a utilitarian path adjacent to an active rail line in the western Orange County city of Westminster. Also paralleling Hoover Street for its entire distance, the...
The Robert McCollum Memorial Bicycle Trail, also known as the Trabuco Creek Trail (East Bank), is a short paved path along Trabuco Creek in San Juan Capistrano. The trail begins at a junction with the...
You can continue beyond this mapped trail to use the trail on both the north- and south-side of the Back Bay trail and related / co-joined trails and use the sidewalk on the PCH to then join other trails and the cliff-top roads on the north-side to get to the Back Bay trail.
I really like this trail. I have only made it from Cactus to Cherry Ave. But it seems like a safe and easy ride so far. You’ll see some homeless people peppered throughout Fontana area but in all there are a lot of people walking, running and biking.
I have rode the eastern part of this trail a few times with my friends. It is really nice and has some nice scenery. Just be aware that the 1-5 is closed and you will not be able to come up and down on the trail in that area. There are detours that you can take. Good trail on the eastern part.
Better than nothing describes this trail. I biked the entire 10 miles each way starting from the transit center. The trail/path itself is nicely paved but could use more directional signs. I found there too many street crossings for my tastes and in many places you have to stop and really look for where the trail leaves off after crossing a street. About 30% of the trail passes through an industrial area with little scenery. This area is better off for sure with this trail but the trail itself when compared to others in the area lacks many desirable things.
Beautiful, clean, well maintained, wide trail. Much of the way you have to option to be on a paved path or compact gravel. We went on a mild weathered Saturday afternoon and the trail was not busy at all. There are several intersections with lights you have to go through but it’s all very safe. Plenty of water fountains and rest break locations. Most of the trail abuts the backside of residential areas. Very little shade from sporadic trees. We felt super safe. Our GPS clocked in a little more that 18 miles (20).
My husband and I rode this trail again today. This is our third ride on the trail since February. It has fast become my favorite bike path. There is so much nature to see along the trail. Maneuvering through the detour was much easier this time.
We Love this trail and rode it for a second time last week. Please note, the trail is closed at the I 5 connection for a while They are doing construction. You will need to take a detour on surface streets to get across the 5. Be sure to take your GPS to maneuver safely through the detour.
Overall - this trail was a fun ride. Nice to speed down the couple of hills but remember what goes down must come back up..... Next time we will park @ the Buena creek station and start ride from there. Cant wait till they open more of the trail in Vista.
Parking: While there isn't designated parking @ the "Philips Street" trail entrance, there is side street parking. We discovered after the fact that there is more discreet parking if you drive further down to Philips street/Philips Circle. There is even a dip in the curb for easy bike entry.
Trail: I would call this stretch of the trail intermediate. There were a couple steady inclines that might be difficult for some on the way back or if your hauling a kid trailer like we do. There were 2 major lights that needed to be crossed to continue on the trail. This section of the trail from Philips to the Buena Creek station where the trail continues is a little more than 2.5 miles.
My husband and I rode our electric scooters from the Civic Center, Vista train station to the end in Escondido - about 10 miles. It’s nicely paved and some of the fencing had beautiful blooming vines. The trail is positioned, at times, right to the side of a busy street but mostly it’s away from the street and runs parallel to the railroad tracks. There are a few cute wooden bridges to cross. There are many stops at street crossings (signals) and the continuation of the route is not well marked at many of those points so look at the markings on the sidewalks when you have a choice to go two directions. There was great etiquette by all users, whether walking, jogging, biking, skateboarding, or rollerblading. We had breakfast in Escondido at Delight of France and then went back to Vista. We really enjoyed it.
This was a nice trail that was well marked. However in the TrailLink description it does not state that motorized bikes are not allowed - But the signage on the trail state no motorized bikes. We went anyway and had no problems.
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