Crystal Cove State Park

My friend and I almost got killed listening to Unilocalers and following their guide. But I guess it was equally bad using the map they had.
Instead of taking the easy hike we ended up taking a party of all 4 trails because we had no idea where the hell we were going. It became a 4 hours hike… The Hulk would have passed out and became a normal human. We decided to name the hiking trail Michèle and Ahed trail of death. Taking a great pleasure in hiking through all the trails to observe scenery, dirts and rocks. If you’re into losing 10lbs that’s also a bonus! Bored? Don’t worry, you won’t have time to feel your legs let alone your conscious mind. Just trying to find the beach? Have no worries, all the lost hikers will guide you there, as they point in mindless direction and mumbling answers.
Found the beach? Beautiful ain’t it! Now take a picture and head on home. It’s already 5 minutes in, you stayed long enough. What’s that? Your shoes got wet? Well then remember to get yourself some Walmart plastic bags and cover them as you nail that hobo look. Your ribs are showing? Have no worry, there’s an amazing bland restaurant close by. You’re going healthy today.
I enjoyed that hike a lot, despite all the downfall. It’s still very memorable and beautiful. Cheers, don’t forget 15 $ to park.

This place is so stunning. The price you pay for parking is totally worth it. I’ve always loved the beach & this one literally left me speechless! The walk down the trail brings such a surprise because it is something live you’ve never seen before. It’s like a 260 degree view of the ocean from a cliff. The tide pools are so cool since they have little critters like sea urchins and small fish. I recommend everyone who loves picturesque places to come here, you won’t regret it!

High on the bluffs is where you will find the campers. The views cannot be mire beautifully. The sunset is dazzling and the camp area provides unobstructed views in most areas. This is not an easy spot to get in the reservation website. Book early, on January 1^st, if you want to have a piece of California camping. Dogs allowed on campsite and on one trail.

Located right next to the park, this is the hiking area with lots of trails. I stumbled upon the trail by accident the first time with my cousin who actually knew we were hiking the whole time and wanted to make me suffer.
The trail is very long. Longer than I had anticipated. I remember walking and walking and walking forever. I did love the scenery and all its beauty so I wasn’t overly piss. Its actually a really good hike if you think about it. The beauty of the ocean and the trail itself is pretty clean and not that bad albeit a bit lengthy. To be honest I actually never finished the trail here. After about a good half way I kinda got tired, gave up and we chilled out at the beach for a bit. Parking is really pricey so we had to make the most of this.
Overall, its a solid place to hike. There’s barely any inclines but it is one long hike so be prepared for that. Parking is $ 15 so bring cash.

Gorgeous trail that parallels the ocean with magnificent views in every turn you make. Only down fall here is you have to pay for parking and there’s absolutely no shade… but I guess who needs that when you’re at the beach?
This place is not very crowded which is so nice. The beaches are clean and they have tide pools!
There are a few steep inclines when going up/​down from the beach to the top so it’s nice if you’re looking to burn some calories. Not a challenging trail at all and it’s really nice for a leisurely stroll or a quick run. You can bring pets here, too

Went here with my husband and in-​laws. It was very peaceful and beautiful. There are 4 trails to choose from and there were some pretty tough elevations so we were only able to finish the moderate one. I would definitely recommend it!
Watch out for the expensive parking… $ 5/​hr or $ 15 entire day.

My wife and I decided we needed some «us» time. She has wanted to hike this canyon for some time and today was a great day to do it. Nice and cool, not too hot. We packed up a snack bag and headed out. Our beach parking pass came in handy as we avoided the $ 15 fee.
As far as hiking spots go, it’s fabulous for Orange County but incredibly average for California. Beautiful ocean views and a choice of several trails with varying difficulties, elevation changes and lengths.
Not overly interesting scenery, outside of the ocean views, but we greatly enjoyed ourselves in a canyon just 20 minutes from home.

I’m not a cheap person, but… If I paid to park here, I’d be broke, because when I’m in the area, I’m here every day. Because of that, I usually park at the end of Ridge Park Rd, off of Newport Coast Dr. It’s way up on the top of the hill, so it’s not the greatest place to park if you want to go to the beach, but it’s great spot for mountain biking or a hike along the ridge.
There are a pretty good amount of trails to explore here. There are a couple of small creeks and streams deep in the bottom of the canyon. There are a few nice semi wooded areas and some open fields as well. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can hike from the top of Ridge Park Rd to the beach in about an hour. It’s really a beautiful park and there is a ton to do. You can either make it an entire day trip or just stay for a couple of hours.

We came here to meet up with some friends to look at the tide. Unfortunately, we walked towards the wrong direction and my buddy fell 2 ft off a cliff into the water… ._​. Other than that the beach was pretty awesome!
Overall | 4 stars. From the parking lot is walking distance to an outlet with good eateries. 10 minutes down, you’re close to the famous beachcomber. As for the beach itself, it was pretty clean and not too packed. Waves were below average and sand was pretty standard.
TL;DR Tips:
* If you’re at Beachcomber and you’re facing the water, tidepools should be 10 minutes down.

Beautiful spot a few minutes from Laguna Beach. Visiting from out of town and decided to see what exactly the cove park was all about. There aren’t specific times written here regarding when day visitors can stop by; thankfully, we made it an hour before the sunset, which apparently is when day trip-​goers are no longer allowed inside. We paid the 5 $ for parking and followed signs to head towards the tunnel to the beach.
It must have been an off day? The tunnel to the beach was completely flooded, which we didn’t know until we parked and made our way over, so we had to take our shoes off and brave the walk through it. It was a little precarious because I wasn’t sure where that water came from but it was totally worth it. The beach is sublime, clean and practically empty. Plus watching the sun go down was just beautiful. It’s a perfect location to enjoy the view but not be too far from the city.

Has so many great trails to choose from from easy to hard. Awesome veiw. Love that the beach is nearby so you can feel the cool breeze despite it being hot.

Such a gorgeous state park! There are multiple entrances along the PCH so you can park at different access points depending on what you want to do. It’s an all-​in-​one park for beaches, hiking, horseback riding, camping, and water activities.
According to their map:
Best tide pool areas: Reef Point, Rocky Bright, Pelican Point, North End Treasure Cove
Best swimming areas: Muddy Creek, El Moro, Historic District, 3.5 Cove, Treasure Cove
Best surfing areas: Scotchman’s Cove, Pelican Point, Abalone Point
We parked at Pelican Point and walked along the trail to the beach. The trail doesn’t get a lot of shade so remember your sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats! We stopped at the Historic District, which has some facts about the Japanese farmers who settled here in the late 1920s but had to leave during World War II.
When we got to the beach, we walked around checking out the tide pools. Some of them had starfish, mussels, hermit crabs, and crabs in them! There were a lot of empty shells, and we could only guess the culprits were the many, many seagulls and birds scampering nearby. We even saw a lobster tail on the beach.
Over 3 miles of beach, more than 2000 acres of backcountry wilderness, Crystal Cove is perfect for beachgoers, hikers, and just about any outdoor enthusiast! You can also surf, boogie board, scuba dive, and mountain bike.
Whether you like sandy beaches, sea cliffs, reefs, or canyons, visit this park! The ocean breeze is just lovely. Feels so good even with the sun beating down.
Park opens at 6am and closes at sunset. It’s $ 15/​day per vehicle or you can get an annual pass.

I know I’ll probably get some flack for my review, but coming from the East Coast which is full of forest/​greenery/​water/​etc, I wasn’t entirely impressed with this park. If you have East Coast blood like me, it gets a little difficult walking the open trails since you have the hot sun beating down on you for 95% of the hike. All the hikes are simply sandy/​gravel inclines and declines, nothing that involves or requires any sort of special skill or gear (other than water). I routinely saw folks in flip flops and sneakers.
The same can be said about the mountain biking here. I don’t count MTBing as riding on flat sandy/​gravel trails that are «tough» simply because of the steep incline. These trails seem to simply exist to torture the rider. I get that many folks in SoCal don’t have any other choice and love it since it is all they know.
That being said, the views are very nice. I don’t see a ton of mountains/​large hills where I’m from and seeing that much undeveloped land is quite breathtaking. The ocean views and access to the water is also a plus.
Keep in mind that you’ll have to pay $ 15 for parking. I see that as a bit much, so if you are with friends, try to carpool to save some money.

Beautiful state park! It here are several entrances with different advantages to each, such as being close to the shake shack, beach or hiking trails.
It costs $ 15/​day to park here or you can buy an annual pass for for about $ 185. I’ve owned a pass for a few years and it encourages me to visit this and several other state parks.
During the weekends in summer months, the beach can be very crowded. However during off months or the weekdays, it’s not very crowded.
There are bathrooms and showers that are maintained well for public use.
Great park for beach time, hiking, snorkeling or exploring the cottages!

We are TOTALLY SPOILD ROTTEN here in SoCal and most of Cali for that matter. I don’t know any where else in the US where you can go to the beach, and skiing all in the same day. If that were not enough for you we have camping, hiking, parasailing, kayaking, hot air ballooning, skydiving, wine tasting, fishing, whale watching, amusement/​water parks, etc all within a 1 – 3 hour drive from many parts of SoCal but of course NOT all. Don’t be stupid this isn’t heaven is just SoCal and there’s traffic.
Anywho, this State Park is stones throw away from me and although I have known it was there I have NEVER been until recently when I went hiking but you can also bike and camp as well! It’s a bit trippy because your at the beach and just a hop, skip and a swim away you can be hiking up some pretty gnarly hills and getting in a GREAT workout or skipping up the hill depending on your endurance level. As with most things some people can make anything look easy including ascending up a hill like they were wearing roller skates and being pulled by a truck. That was NOT me by ANY STRECH of the imagination.
It’s actually REALLY quite pretty up here. Probably more so when we used to get some rain and things were a bit more green but its still beautiful none the less. To me anyway. There is a part in the hike depending on which route you take were I thought I was LITERALLY going to meet JEEE-​SUS but I kept at it and when I reached the top I was met by…(no NOT JESUS or any of his disciples) but an AHHH-​MAZING view of the Pacific. Sooooooo BLUE, sooooo GREEN… SOOOOO MESJESTIC! I think a tear rolled from the corner of my eye. No NOT because I was gasping for dear life and breath but because I ENDURED and made it to the top! SIMPLY BREATH TAKING and a definite photo-​op here. Either take a selfie or ask a passerby to snap your pic. YOU WILL WANT TO REMEMBER THIS VIEW and capture it on print and not just file it into your mental roller deck.
If you want a to spend a half day or so, getting some fresh air mixed with a little smog, and getting in a NICE workout come here for a hike. Please note there is a FEE for parking which is $ 15 buck-​a-​ross to park ALL DAY! Not really cheap but your CA STATE PARK pass is good here too! So if you have one USE the dang thing especially since they keep going up on the yearly fee.
Also please be aware that although your in what seems to be the city and you are; You are also roaming around in bobcat, coyote, wild rabbit, possum, and some other kind of very large cat that enjoys eating FLEASH as well as other creatures. So just be mindful and go with a partner or take a walking stick. Nothing says stupid like NOT being prepared! Also mobile/​cell use is slim to none. Trying to get a signal was like trying to pull chicken teeth up until you get to the ocean view section.
HAVE FUN and wear good walking/​hiking shoes! Don’t be that person wearing flip-​flops to go hiking. NOT SMART! If it’s warm out use sunblock or sun screen, wear a hat, bring water to stay hydrated and a snack, etc. And if your going alone let someone know where you will be IN CASE something happens and you get lost or hurt so they can come look for you.

Crystal Cove is a pretty nice park right by the beach. The most attractive thing about this park is that it has good hiking trail. They can be range from 3 to 9 miles! That pretty much has something for all level of hiker. Our group chooses the 5.5 miles but ended up over 7 miles. It was quite exhausted but and was it was very rewarding to see the ocean and beach in the end. Not many hike get those kind of view, few dozen has view of ocean but never that close and definite not a beach in walking distance like this one is. I would definite come back here !
Parking is $ 15 but you find park in the street. There’s pretty to do nearby, a lot good place and shopping center are very close by.

5 Stars for a gorgeous beach, clean waters, and ample parking. There’s several parking lots dotting the beach — view a map to see the one that is closest to where you want to be. The landscape is stunning, great for photography, and there’s plenty of room, it’s a long beach. There’s the bluffs above with a nice path for exercise. The beach has some interesting rock formations, which also contain tide pools. It’s typically less crowded than nearby beaches because there really isn’t street parking. So most people have to pony up the high parking fee. If you’re a regular beach goer, you should just buy the annual state beach pass (around $ 200).
1 Star for the brainless fools that go here. The TIDE POOLS are not a free source for your souvenirs. I’ve seen grown ups and kids pick shells out of the pools and not just stand IN them, but actually WALK THROUGH the tide pools. After watching snails crawling around in another pool, my jaw dropped as I watched these yokels disrespecting the wildlife, thinking of the animals that were being crushed under their feet. Also, if you ever need anything, there’s an assortment of hairbands, toys and trash that also can be found in the tide pools. There’s nobody policing these jackholes, just signs for people who can read, posting the rules.

Crystal Cove State Park is one of those treasures that makes me so happy to live in Socal. There’s hiking trails, a beautiful beach, and plenty of bathrooms around.
The best thing to do before or after your nature adventure is to make it to the Beachcomber where you could get a cold one and some food.
I don’t visit the park every month, but I’m glad it’s there.
Note: parking is $ 15, but it’s worth it. You could always park further and walk it in.

Yes I mean YES! stopped in for a hike after work while on a work trip nearby… I did the blue loop. It started out pretty difficult and then ended really nice and even with a little section right on the beach.
I parked at trader Joe’s to save some money :)
I also saw a dead seal on the beach… ah the circle of life…

***really prepare yourself to understand the map and I would mark it at the beginning with the map (with colors at the starting point). I didn’t like how on the trails they didn’t have colorful maps… or signs to show what direction is what.
I recommend taking the strenuous challenge with your friends. Great for long walks, endless conversations, sight seeing. It took about 3 – 4 hours, but it felt great to finish at the end!
You know what they say, in order to succeed you must come prepare!
— light snack (banana or watever)
— light food to have a picnic on ½ way through (located by the box of porter potty)
— water! Stay hydrated
— comfortable shoes
— prepare a playlist to have as background music
— and etc!
Let the adventure begin!
Oh and there’s that $ 15 parking (they should put that into colorful maps!) jk… :)