Nix Nature Center — Attraction in Laguna Woods

Came here today and enjoyed a few hours of hiking. The weather was great and there wasn’t that many people. The only down side was that there wasn’t that much parking and people had to wait for people to leave so they could park. My son road his bike and had a good time. The trail maps were hard to read and so we could figure out exactly where we were but google did a good job providing a top down view. Parking was $3.00 which isn’t bad I think I will get an annual pass as I do plan to go back and visit other OC Parks. I...

For hiking, this is about as scenic as it gets. Based on my experience doing Boat Road Trail (parking is free, but in a neighborhood), I would definitely come back to check out other trails in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. It was a short, sweet trail (2 miles each way) with mostly rocky terrain and a good balance of going up and down. Laguna Ridge has a nice lookout spot, as does the Joseph Sweany Bench. Gorgeous views of Laguna / Newport with a side of exercise! I'd bring visitors who want to hike (but don't do it regularly)...

I've been wanting to do this loop hike for years and finally did. I parked at Nix Nature Center (unfortunately it was closed the day I was there) and paid the $3 fee. They have paper maps available at the pay station if you need one. Then took the Barbara's Lake Trail to the Edison Trail, then Ridge Top, down Black Jack (steep!), through the parking area at Dilley Staging Area, and The Lake Trail back to where I started. In mid-October, the weather is great. You see a lot of houses, roads and power lines, but it's still...