Turtle Rock Hiking

There's a big hill in the neighborhood of Turtle Rock, just south of UC Irvine.  There are stairs leading part way up the hill adjacent to Bonita Canyon Elementary School (on Turtle Rock Drive).  On a weekend or evening, you can park in the school's parking lot.

From the top of the hill, you can see all the way to the Pacific Ocean in Newport Beach, and out across much of Orange County. There are also a couple of trails that wind around the hill...good for a little hike or even a quick mountain bike ride.

Another great walking/biking trail follows along Shady Canyon Drive, on the west side of the Turtle Rock neighborhood.  The trail leads into the very upscale, gated neighborhood of Shady Canyon, where sports stars, entreprenurs and other quietly wealthy people live. If you've ever wanted to get a glimpse of the pretty Shady Canyon home, the public trail is about the only way you can get in.