San Clemente State Beach

San Clemente State Beach appears to be geared towards beach camping and picnicking. There are ample camp sites and summer camp programs for the family as well as covered picnic tables along the bluffs with ocean views and breezes. Getting to the beach from the parking lot is a steep climb down. The experienced beach goers roll their gear along in wagons or loaded down strollers.

Today I got in touch with my “hobo” side. There is a trail that starts along Calafia Beach (San Clemente) and follows the railroad tracks into Trestles Beach in San Diego county (north of San Onofre and Camp Pendleton). I parked at San Clemente State Beach which is in the middle of the trail, mainly because I still have a few days on my state beach park pass, and headed south. I can now say that I have walked to San Diego (county).

The trail is sand and gravel and is about 4 feet from the train tracks. On the other side of the tracks are beautiful beaches. The track crossings are well-marked and one can get back and forth pretty easily (depending on how tired one is from walking in the sand). I estimate that the walk from the state beach to Trestles was about a mile one-way. Going north, it seemed possible to follow the tracks up to the San Clemente Pier and then to end the walk with a bucked of assorted fried sea creatures and cold bubbly beverages.

Jeronimo Open Space, Mission Viejo CA

Jeronimo Open Space parallels Jeronimo Parkway between Olympiad and Arbolitos (the next major cross road is Marguerite Pkwy). There are 2 paved trails, an upper trail and lower trail, that straddle Oso Creek and are each about 1 mile one-way. The trail is well-used by the locals for strolling, dog walking, running and casual biking. If you are driving in, there is street parking at Pavion and Jeronimo, along Pavion Park. If you are bringing kids, Pavion Park has nice playground and grassy areas for running down little kid ‘batteries’.

The open space runs through established neighborhoods and there is a lot of human and dog traffic. I have not seen many ‘beasts’ along this trail but there has been some recent habitat restoration activities. Hopefully, wildlife will follow!

Ladera Ranch: Bluff Top and Arroyo Trabuco Trail

Ladera Ranch offers access into the south end of O’Neill Regional Park via two pleasant walking/biking trails, the lower end of the Arroyo Trabuco trail and the Bluff Top trail. Each trail is about a mile and a quarter long one-way, is fairly level and generally well-maintained.

The Bluff Top Trail starts at the Cox Sport Park parking lot and winds around the neighborhood park areas and has both paved and graveled segments. There are benches along the trail at various view spots as well as a native California plant garden with interpretive signs. The community has planted fresh water marsh and riparian scrub habitat to capture and filter urban run-off before it flows into the Trabuco Creek and then to the ocean.

The Arroyo Trabuco trail is one of my favorite quick walks after work. The path is accessed from the Bluff Top Trail. There is a black top ‘drive way’ at the approximate intersection of Winfield and O’Neill Drive. It is a fun ride down to the pump house and then one can either ride north towards Oso (across the creek is the official O’Neill Regional Park) or south towards Crown Valley Parkway. From Oso to Crown Valley, the trail is flat and graveled. It appears to be a maintenance road.

Today was a beautiful day to be outside. Once down in the canyon, it was easy to forget I was in the middle of a city. The houses on both sides of the trail are hidden by oaks and sycamores, and the air was thick with sage scent and the trees were loud with scrub jays, hawks, crows and finches. The toyons were bursting with bright red berries and the eucelia were just starting to bloom again. The only drawback was the swarms of gnats. The gnatcatchers must still be on vacation.