Although Aliso & Wood Canyons Park
must be one of the county's busiest, Wood Canyon is perfect for families.
And the kids will love Dripping Cave.
Distance: 9.5 miles Difficulty: Easy When to go: All year Location: Aliso & Wood Canyons Regional Park Elevation Gain: 350 ft. Phone: 949-923-2200 Dogs: Not allowed Directions: Exit Interstate 5 at Alicia Parkway. Travel south past
Aliso Creek Road about 1,000 yards. Turn right at sign. Parking is $2. Note:
no phone or water available inside the park.
Trail Information
Suggestions: A ranger's office at trailhead features a Natural
History Museum. Check for postings about recently sighted animals and
scheduled nature walks, or learning programs for all ages. Bring drinks,
snacks, comfortable shoes, sunscreen and a hat.
Remarks: From the parking lot, a gentle ride or walk down a dirt trail
leads through Aliso Canyon following a paved road (the road is for
official vehicles only). The canyon is a wide-open bowl with a creek slicing
through it and southerly cliffs that reveal some development in Laguna
Niguel. There is a planted habitat mitigation area along the creek helping
replenish many willows and cottonwoods lost in the heavy floods of the '70s
and '80s.
The Wood Canyon trail entrance is on the right at the heavy metal gate. Here
you'll find a Native American 'Tule" hut and restrooms. The trail is a wide
dirt road with comfortable room for hikers and bikers to pass safely, but
remain alert for those coming downhill. The first place to stop and admire
the beauty of this canyon is up a narrow one-quarter-mile hiking path on the
left to a lookout atop Cave Rock.
Imagine How Robbers Lived
Moving a little further up Wood Canyon trail is another side trek on the
left called Dripping Cave (aka Robbers Cave). This is worth experiencing at
any age. The first glimpse of the cave is mysteriously nestled between rock
outcroppings, trimmed with rare dudleyea succulents and wild ferns. Look for
holes bored into the cave for hanging gear. You can imagine how robbers
lived here, hiding out from the sheriff's posse. But carefully watch for
poison oak in the area. Remember, leaves of three, leave it be.
From Dripping Cave, you can continue along the canyon edge on a steep
hillside trail past some elaborately sculpted sandstone formations to Mathis
Canyon. Be ready for a workout on a thin ribbon trail that features intense
changes. Or, return from the cave to Wood Canyon trail.
Next the trail crosses a creek about a half-mile further up. Afterwards,
watch for the old coral on the right, used in sheep and cattle grazing days.
This is the widest open area of the canyon, where I once saw a bobcat and
have seen deer many times in the early morning.
Lush Forest of Oaks
Past the coral you'll notice more sycamores looking like giant umbrellas
nestled among the oaks. Trees become more frequent and the trail begins to
climb, gently turning through a thicker, lusher forest of oaks. Here you're
in the heart of Wood Canyon where a stream flows year round and many birds
chirp in the under brush.
Climbing higher, the trail becomes steeper, passing the Lynx trail on the
left, and leading to the Cholla trail. Both of these trails go up to the
West Ridge trail, which leads to "Top of the World" in Laguna Beach and Alta
Laguna Park. The park offers public parking, drinking water and restrooms.
At the top of Lynx you'll find a water tank that overlooks Laguna Canyon
Road.
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