enCYCLEpedia Southern California - The Best Easy Scenic Bike Rides

UPDATES, LINKS, NEWS, ERRATA, ETC. CHAPTERS 5 to end

5. ORANGE COUNTY  

News: enCYCLEpedia was featured in the May, 2015 Orange County Register, with emphasis on the OC rides.  The print version is no longer available on line. Limited web version

ORANGE COUNTY LINKS Ocean Water Quality   Bikeways Master Plan    OCTA County Bikeways

News: All e-bikes are banned on the dirt trails of the OC Regional and Wilderness Parks. 

HB1 SURF CITY HUNTINGTON BEACH LINKS: City of HB    HB Restaurants
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

NB1,2 NEWPORT BEACH LINKS: City of Newport Beach    Balboa Ferry
Restaurants    Upper Newport Bay Regional Park    Newport Bay Conservancy
Birding/Audubon   Corona Del Mar   CDM State Beach

NB3,4 CRYSTAL COVE STATE PARK LINKS: State Park   CrystalCoveStatePark.com

Take-Along Map Available (See bonus materials previous page) 

Historic Cottages Restaurants Update: Recommended Pacific Whey Cafe CLOSED. (These updated in 2nd Ed)

LB1 and 2 LAGUNA BEACH

Take-Along Map Available (See bonus materials) 

Expanded Ride Description Available (See bonus materials) 
LINKS: Restaurants    Laguna Coast Wilderness Park    Pageant of the Masters    Sawdust Festival     City Site 

Updates: LB1: The path to Top of the World is completed, but is very steep, requiring a walk-bike (included in 2nd Edition and shown on Take-Along Map).  

LB2: Bike Shop for this area: Laguna Beach Cyclery

Pickleball: Fledgling facilities at Alta Laguna Park on Top of the World (LB1) and Lang Park at Wesley Dr & PCH in south Laguna (not along our route).

DP1 DANA POINT LINKS: Dana Point Harbor    City Site    Ocean Institute
Blues Festival    Doheny State Beach    Doheny Interpretive Association

Take-Along Map available.  (See bonus materials previous page) 

News:  Doheny Campground is closed through at least April  2021 for repairs. 

Parking: RV's only <25 feet allowed in South campround. >25 ft is $30/day.

Update: The Pilgrim tall ship sunk in 2020.

x  "Marine Institute" on map P 150 refers to Ocean Institute.

Pickleball:  San Clemente's pickleball facility is accessed via a ~.76 mile detour from ride DP1.  From Coast Hwy & Camino Capistrano take Camino Cap; then right on Vaquero, right on Calle Vista Torito, and left on Via San Gorgonio to San Gorgonio Park entrance on the top of the hill. This requires a hill climb so e-bikers will be happier.  

SJ1 SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO LINKS: City Site    Local Info

Take-Along Map available.(See bonus materials previous page) 

Update:  At the north end of SJ1 at Reata Park:  The official bike trail now continues under Ortega Hwy to the Rancho Mission Viejo Trail for NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicles) bikes and peds (as described in the 3rd Ed). Head east to Sendero Park (restrooms, open pickleball on Sat AM's) in a couple hundred yards. You don't need to cross Ortega Hwy with the light at Reata. From Sendero the path goes under Antonio Pkwy, then climbs a steep hill to a shopping center with Gelsons, In'N'Out, Starbucks, and several other restaurants. It ends at the adjacent  apartment complex. There is a parallel dirt path as well.

Rancho Mission Viejo Paths:  A work in progress, explore OC's newest community on a series of very hilly paths (e-bike edge).  Head north on Reata from the light on Ortega Hwy (0.0) on the sidepath or bike/NEV lane.  Curve right at the roundabout of Ribera Rd, and follow the bike/NEV route on path or road to a wide bike/NEV only roadway that goes under Antonio (1 mile).  Continue up the hill, then under the Cow Camp causeway (1.6),  following signs to the right and under the causeway again.  Soon a trail junction on the left goes back under the causeway, and leads to a scenic pathway roughly parallel to Chiquita Canyon Rd.  Take that into (and UP) into the Esencia community and its network of paths and bike/NEV lanes.  Or, keep on the main path and follow it to Esencia Dr (2.3) and take path or lane UP into the development that way.  At time of writing the path ends at Esencia, but big plans are in store to continue it, perhaps all the way to Caspers Wilderness Park (Ride SV11).  

Pickleball on temp courts on a basketball court is available near the south end of the path in the park north of Coast Hwy. Sendero Park also has courts but signs say for club members only. However it may be open to all on Saturday mornings.   

SC1,2,3 SAN CLEMENTE LINKS: City Site   San Clemente State Beach    San Onofre State Beach    San Onofre Foundation (Preserving Trestles Beach)     Local Surfrider Chapter    Camp Pendleton Check for Pendleton Closures Restaurants

Take-Along Map available.(See bonus materials previous page) 

Pickleball:  See Dana Point ride DP1 to access San Clemente's facility.

News:  Ride SC1, the Beach Trail: The elevated trestle near the north end is slated to be re-constructed.  Check with the city to see if that has begun before setting out. 

Also the city has banned e-bikes on the beach path. 

News: SC3 Camp Pendleton bike access: Starting March 1, 2016 bicyclists were required to register on line in order to have access to the base. However starting in 2018 a bicyclist ID card was required, obtained from the Visitors Center with valid ID, fingerprint, criminal check, the whole shabang.  www.pendleton.marines.mil/Base-Access/Recreational-Bicycling/  Avoid days when there tends to be a lot of visitors to the base like holidays.

News: San Clemente has a Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan. The only aspect of interest to us is a 1-mile Class I connector between the Class I path along Coast Hwy (DP1) and the Beach Trail (SC1) completed summer 2017 (incorporated into Ride DP1 in 2nd Ed). 

Photo: NB1 Beach Promenade