pwcfan

I ride from Lake Forest to Tustin Metrolink station regularly.
I ride on San Diego Creek Trail a lot from 133 to Harvard.
How is Hicks Canyon & Peters Canyon trails in Irvine ? Are they open for use ?
They look nice on Google Maps.
Thoughts ?

PeregrineA1 

Peter's Canyon is very nice, though 90* to your direction of travel. Would make a nice link to Portola from Tustin Metrolink. We use it from Cowan Heights to start our Back Bay and Irvine flats loops.

jimincalif

Both trails are like you'd expect in Irvine, smooth and clean. Note that there is an unfinished gap on the Peters trail between Warner and the train tracks. Not a lot of foot traffic on Peters IME.

Personally I don't care for Hicks and don't ride it. The paved trail is narrow, there is a very wide gravel trail next to it but for some reason in Hicks all the pedestrians, dog walkers, etc. walk on the paved section and take up the entire path and don't want to move over. People along there have a bad attitude toward cyclists in my experience. Maybe you'll have better luck. Note that Hicks eastbound dumps you onto Jeffrey, the underpass is closed.

I should add, my wife rides all of these trails a lot, she's been literally run off the trails by large groups (10-15) of cyclists riding in a paceline 3 and 4 abreast at 20-25 mph yelling at everyone to get out of their way. Has happened to her probably 6 or 7 times now. Why these Lance wanna-bes want to ride a multi-use trail is beyond me.

pwcfan

Lance wanna-bes............yep............I get the Pelaton on SART all the time. I'm a leisure/pleasure rider/commuter. I like a good workout, but not at the expense of others, or the law.
I will try these trails.
I just got my wife a road bike, and she likes flat & rolling hills best. Not much on the climbing.
Thank you so much for the info group !!

marquhar

I know nothing at all about Hicks. It looks like East/West, but when I'm in that area I strictly want a N/S trail like Peters Canyon.
By N/S I mean it parallels Jamboree. Jamboree is a super highway and freeway in spots, so without getting in to exceptions, I would avoid it until you are above Portola.

First time I rode Peters Canyon was in 2009. A friend drove me out from E. Long Beach and dropped me off where Jamboree & Edinger meet. I instictively looked for an off-road trail and quickly found an entrance going down into the river channel. It was pretty lucky for a first time. I was looking for Santiago Canyon Road. I left the Canyon too soon and had to climb Jamboree to get to SCR.

Since you are starting in LF, might I suggest that you use the PC trail to make a loop up to SCR, then ride it for ~13 miles back towards LF & El Toro Road (or Bake). Total mileage should be less than 50 miles. Anyone know this mileage, please chime in.

pwcfan

Thank you marquhar !!

MikeEckhaus

It's actually in the low to mid 30 mile range, depending on where you start. One of my regular after work rides is from roughly Bake and Muirlands up to Irvine, zigging to Portola, then up Jamboree, and back across Santiago Canyon. Depending on how I go, it's usually about 34-35 miles.

jimincalif

I live in Lake Forest at Bake & Trabuco/Irvine Blvd. The Santiago Canyon loop from my house is about 33 miles. My typical route:

R Trabuco/Irvine Blvd
R Alton
R Portola
L Glenn Ranch
L El Toro/Santiago Canyon
L Jamboree
L Portola
R Portola Springs
R Modjeska
L Irvine Blvd
Home

If I want to add more climbing, left off Glenn Ranch onto Saddleback Ranch, L on Ridgeline, L on Santiago Canyon

I I want to add a STEEP climb, R off Santiago Cyn at Modjeska Grade, over the top and rejoin Santiago Cyn.

jcb3

Walnut trail is open from Sand Canyon to Harvard, along the rail line. Depending on where you are coming from in Lake Forest, could be closer - if from the south, you could swing up Laguna Canyon (portion north of the 405) to Sand Cayonn - Walnut trail is just north of there.

From the north, it would be Irvine Blvd to Sand Canyon,