【Hike】Mariposa Trail Loop in Laguna Beach - Barbara's Lake

Thursday, July 14, 2022

【Hike】Mariposa Trail Loop in Laguna Beach - Barbara's Lake

Mariposa Trail Loop in Laguna Beach

In May this year, my husband and I went to Laguna Beach to enjoy hiking on Mariposa Trail Loop. We found this trail in the book, 50 Hikes in Orange County, which I purchased to enjoy Orange County hikes.

Tips for Walking on Mariposa Trail Loop.
・Apply sunscreen on entire body.
・Wear sunglasses and hat with high UPF.
・Drink water often.
・You cannot bring your dog.
・It's moderately easy trail.

My Mariposa Trail Loop Walking Summary (UA MapMyWalk App)

When I go hiking, I use Under Armour MapMyWalk App to track my walk. 😉

My Mariposa Trail Loop Walking Summary (UA MapMyWalk App)

Parking (James Dilley Preserve Parking Lot)

There is the James Dilley Preserve parking lot at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. It opens 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and parking fee is $3 per vehicle a day.

James Dilley Preserve Parking Lot

Trail Hour

7:00 a.m. to Sunset

Parking Lot Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

In Orange County, mountain lions can be found in many cities. For instance, in May this year, a mountain lion was spotted roaming a residential neighborhood in Newport Beach, and it was also spotted on Laguna Beach streets. In March, it was spotted roaming throughout a shopping center in Irvine. Therefore you should know what to do if you encounter a mountain lion before you go hiking in the mountains.

What To Do If You Encounter A Mountain Lion

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

After we parked our car at the parking lot, we headed toward the trailhead of Canyon Trail.

James Dilley Preserve

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

Canyon Trail (Moderate Trail)

Canyon Trail and Lake Trail

We began to walk on Canyon Trail.

Canyon Trail

It was a beautiful sunny day. This trail was nice and quiet, and we saw only several groups of people enjoying hiking there.

Canyon Trail

Canyon Trail and Blackjack Trail

This is the junction of Canyon Trail and Blackjack Trail. We kept walking on Canyon Trail.

Canyon Trail

There were many beautiful wildflowers blooming around this trail.

Canyon Trail

While walking on this trail, you will often find scat on the ground. As this park rule, you cannot bring any dog. Thus, the scat is probably from wild animals such as coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions and so on.

Canyon Trail

Prickly Pear Cactus on Canyon Trail

There are many prickly pear cactus around the trail, and you will hike up the hill.

Prickly Pear Cactus on Canyon Trail

Canyon Trail

Prickly Pear Cactus on Canyon Trail

You reach a flat open circle atop the hill.

We went down the stairs to the Ridgetop Trail.

Ridgetop Trail (Easy Trail)

Ridgetop Trail

This marked intersection (58) with Ringertop Trail, Canyon Trail and Mariposa Trail confused me a lot. At first, I was going to go Gravel Road (I should have turned left here!), but I ended up going to Ridgetop Trail.

Ridgetop Trail

This is flat, wide and easy trail. The view from the Ridgetop Trail is great.

Ridgetop Trail

The View from Ridgetop Trail

Ridgetop Trail and Woods End Trail

When we reached to junction of Ridgetop Trail and Woods End Trail, we noticed that we were walking on the wrong trail, so we went back from here. At that time, I started having heat exhaustion for my first time even though I wore a wide brim hat and UPF40 Uniqlo AIRism hoodie. I should have wore a better hat such as high UPF one and drunk a lot of water.

It was very hot that day.

Gravel Trail (Moderate Trail)

Gravel Trail

We finally found Gravel Trail and walked down the hill.

Gravel Trail

Edison Trail (Moderate Trail)

Edison Trail

We turned right at Post 35 and headed toward Barbara's Lake.

Edison Trail

This shade of trees saved me from the heat exhaustion.

Edison Trail

Barbara's Lake

We finally reached at Barbara's Lake! According to the book, 50 Hikes in Orange County, in 1978, a hippopotamus escaped from Lion Country Safari, a wild animal park, and stayed in the Bubbles Pond, which was part of Barbara's Lake, for 19 days until she was shot with tranquilizer darts.

Edison Trail

Barbara's Lake

After seeing Barbara's Lake, we walked up the hill on the Edison Trail.

Edison Trail

Barbara's Lake

When the trail ends, you can still see the Barbara's Lake.

Mariposa Trail (Moderate Trail)

Ridgertop Trail and Canyon/Mariposa Trail

We turned right at Post 58 and headed toward Mariposa Trail.

We were back to a flat open circle atop the hill.

Then, we started walking on Mariposa Trail.

Mariposa Trail

It's a narrow ridgeline trail but the view from the trail was beautiful.

Mariposa Trail

Sunflower Trail (Moderate Trail)

Mariposa Trail and Sunflower Trail

We reached to junction of Mariposa Trail and Sunflower Trail. We decided to hike on Sunflower Trail.

Sunflower Trail

The Lake Trail (Easy Trail)

Sunflower Trail and Lake Trail

We reached to junction of Sunflower Trail and Lake Trail, and we turned left and headed toward the parking lot.

We were finally back to the parking lot, which closes at 5 p.m. I was glad that I could make it in time since I had heat exhaustion during this hike. After this hike, I bought a hat which has an UPF 50+ to protect myself from heat and harmful UV rays.

Mariposa Trail Loop

We enjoyed hiking these trails. I liked that we were able to see a lot of beautiful prickly pear cactus, and we eventually reached to Barbara's Lake. If I hadn't hiked there that day, I wouldn't have known the hippo's story related to this lake.