Hiking Trail Guide: Live Oak Trail (West), O´Neill RP

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Live Oak Trail (West), O´Neill RP

Distance
3.2 miles

Elevation
700 feet gain

Difficulty
3/10

City
Trabuco Canyon ,CA (92678) 43.16 miles from you Weather Map

Trailhead
From Interstate 5, take El Toro north to Valley Vista. Turn right. Follow the road as it turns into Meadow Ridge. At the end of Meadow Ridge, park in the area at the intersection with Chisolm Trail. The trail begins at the end of the dirt parking lot, heading to your left between Norman's Nursery and a row of houses. Parking is free.

Alternatively, you can start at Cook's Corner. Continue past Valley Vista to the forks. Park at Cook's Corner. The trail begins about a block down on your left. This adds about two and a half miles and 150 feet to the walk, but drops one star from the walk due to traffic noise.

Description

Despite the name, live oaks only shade a short portion of this trail which passes through the Vedanta Wilderness section of O'Neill Regional Park. The route takes you through foothill meadows and cactus forest up to the highest point in this portion of the park, an overlook which on clear days allows you to see as far as Catalina Island.

Even when the weather isn't so accomodating, the views of nearby communities and the Oso Reservoir make this worth the ascent. A set of polished tubes erected as an Eagle Scout project point to prominent local landmarks. A bronze map and a bench marker set in 1910 help you locate yourself in the scenery.

If you're a jogger or a hiker looking for a foothills challenge which is not infested by trail bikes, this is your trail. The grade rises steadily once you pass the footbridge.

Don't let the beginning of the trail discourage you. It leads to some nice, seldom-visited country on the fringes of the Orange.

Map / Directions: