Crystal Cove Beach Loop

Orange, California

5.0/5

based on 4 reviews

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Details

Distance

5.13 miles

Elevation Gain

151 ft

Route Type

Loop

Description

Added by Karen Heifferon

The most beautiful beach loop in Orange County. Walk, hike or run past tide pools and view wildlife.

This is a favorite morning or evening hike, run or stroll. Park in the lot with a state pass, head down the cliff and back, and you'll get an amazing workout.

Tip: Time your outings for low tide as there will be more beach to walk on.

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Features

Fitness

Running

Beach

Dog Friendly

Easy Parking

Scenic

Reviews

PRO

Lucas Bremer

PRO

Crystal Cove Beach Loop

07/10/20

This was a cool and different state park. The 1950’s seaside vibe was awesome. The hike down from the parking lot along the creek was also cool and the beach was easy to spread out.

5.0

Explorer

Jamie Fleck

Explorer

Crystal Cove Beach Loop

01/23/16

We love going to Crystal Cove, whether to enjoy the water or camp. We also did our engagement photos here! The cliffs make a beautiful backdrop.

5.0

Explorer

Brynn Schmidt

Explorer

Crystal Cove Beach Loop

10/22/15

I grew up here. My dad grew up here. Our family has camped/had a cottage here since the 1940s. The cottages are now state owned and are so much fun to rent. We have stayed here every year since the state opened Crystal Cove as a state park. Obviously I am a little biased, but this is the best spot in Southern California. While surrounded by all the glitz and business, you head down a hill to the cove and feel like you have gone back in time to a simpler era. Beautiful beach, tide pools and restaurant. The Beachcomber Restaurant is great and was my great-grandparents house. Our favorite spot now is actually right above the cove at Ruby's Shake Shack. If in the Newport Beach/Laguna Beach area you have to check this place out.

5.0

Isabel M

Crystal Cove Beach Loop

04/09/15

One of the best runs I've ever been on!

5.0

Jack Heifferon

Crystal Cove Beach Loop

02/14/15

Try the burgers at the Beachcomber on the North end of the park.

Admin

Karen Heifferon

Admin

Crystal Cove Beach Loop

04/01/14

This is, hands down, my favorite run in southern California!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

El Moro Canyon Trail to Lower Moro Campground

Located off of Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach is Crystal Cove State Park. There are three primitive sites located in Crystal Cove: Deer Canyon, Upper Moro, and Lower Moro. The site I stayed at was Lower Moro campground. All three of these sites require the backpacker to hike everything in at least three miles each way. The closest site is Lower Moro which took me about an hour and a hal...

El Moro Canyon Trail

B.F.I. Trail in Crystal Cove State Park

To get to the trailhead, enter Crystal Cove State Park through the Crystal Cove El Moro Campground entrance immediately next to El Moro Elementary School. Follow the road behind the school which leads to the main gate where you will need to pay a day-use parking fee of $15. Drive past the Campground and down into El Moro canyon to the day-use parking. The trailhead is on the northeast side of ...

Crystal Cove Loop Trail

The trail begins and ends at the El Moro Visitor Center. Parking requires either a $15 day use parking pass, which is available in the visitor center. This hike we are focusing on is called the Difficult Loop Trail and it is the third most difficult trail the canyon offers. You take Moro Canyon, East Cut Across, Moro Ridge, then BFI. Maps are available at the ranger station. On this trail, yo...

Photograph the Pacific Coast Highway over Crystal Cove Beach

To get to the bluffs overlooking Crystal Cove State Park Beach to the south, you'll need to pull off onto the side of the Pacific Coast Highway *before* Morro Ridge Road.The easiest and most obvious turnoff is on the right side of the highway southbound, just past the "Adopt a Highway" sign and where the guardrail turns from metal to wooden. If you reach the "No Parking" sign, you've gone too f...

Emerald Canyon & Bommer Ridge Loop

There a numerous trails in the Laguna Coast Wilderness that proceed up and along the ridges and down into the canyons (or the reverse), and are quite popular for mountain biking, hiking, and trail running. A great mountain biking loop begins in Emerald Canyon at the end of Emerald Canyon Road and proceeds 1.8 miles to the intersection with Old Emerald Trail. Go right on Old Emerald Trail and c...

Crystal Cove Beach Loop

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Leave No Trace

Nearby

El Moro Canyon Trail to Lower Moro Campground

El Moro Canyon Trail

B.F.I. Trail in Crystal Cove State Park

Crystal Cove Loop Trail

Photograph the Pacific Coast Highway over Crystal Cove Beach

Emerald Canyon & Bommer Ridge Loop

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