Emerald Canyon Road

Dogs Unknown

Features Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

At the high point, the trail is open and exposed where it meets Bommer Ridge Road. Taking it down towards the ocean, the trail is a mix of hard-packed dirt, loose sand, and smooth rocks and it takes you down into greenery, surrounded by trees and shrubs. Descending about 800 ft. over 3 miles, the grade is gentle and allows for an easy run, up or down, without breaking your quads or face. This is unverified by myself, but allegedly the trail connects with paths and/or roads that will take you onto the beach at Emerald Bay, just south of Crystal Cove and north of Laguna Beach. This would be a pretty nice way to end your 5k if you started at the top, and a nice place to stop and rest before running back to the top.

Birds and bees and bunnies and snakes and occasionally condors and red-tail hawks circling, waiting for you to fall over from exhaustion or dehydration so they can feast. But you're running down to Laguna Beach for mussel pots and Belgian beer at Brussels Bistro, so you'll have the last laugh. And an Uber ride back to your car, cause sometimes you just don't feel like running uphill.