Aliso Creek National Trail Dedication

The Aliso Creek Regional Riding and Hiking Trial was recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Interior as an exemplary local and regional trail as part of America’s national system of trails.

The dedication event was held on 10/18/12, and was well attended by local officials, county staff and hiking and biking enthusiasts of the trail with the highlight being the unveiling of the National Trail marker.
Thanks to Bill, our reporter in the field for providing pix from the event:

Aliso Creek Dedication

Aliso Creek Dedication

Opening Speech

Opening Speech

Marker Revealed

Marker Revealed

Looks Sharp!

Looks Sharp!

Great Turnout on the Trail

Great Turnout on the Trail

Thanks to Alicia Raish of OCParks for providing the above photo taken by Chad Yanagisawa, and spearheading the recognition of the trail as a National treasure.

Currently, the Aliso Creek Regional Trail has 15 miles of asphalt bikeway, and soft trail designed for varied recreational activities including hiking, bicycling, walking, running, birdwatching and horseback riding.  The soft trail is better suited to hikers, runners, horseback riding, and generally slower traffic. It runs for much of the length of the creek on the opposite bank, and there are plans to extend it the full length of the creek.

The trail links six schools, a community church, two skate parks, and ten community parks together and offers a wide variety of geography throughout its length from hard concrete channelized infrastructure to tranquil settings that soothe the soul.

The trail traverses five south county cities, extending from the foothills of Orange County near Cooks Corner, past the McFadden Ranch House, and follows Aliso Creek downstream all the way to the boundary of Laguna Beach within a few miles of Aliso Beach in South Laguna.

Moulton, Muirlands, Irvine / Trabuco, Portola, and Santiago Canyon / El Toro are great routes to link to this trail which is an integral link in the OC BikeBone.

Hope and Change in Aliso Viejo

Update 9/23/12: Not Much Change

Progress at AC-1xProgress at AC-2xProgress at AC-3x

Update 8/25/12

Signs of change taking place:

We’ll post the fence installation schedule when we receive it. Thanks OC Parks and OC Public Works!

Update 8/1/12

OC Parks and the AVCA have agreed to install lodge pole fencing to provide a barrier between the trail and “parking lot”.  Date unknown at this time.

Updated 7/5/12

Be aware of a change along the Aliso Creek Trail in Aliso Viejo. Although one of the safest cities in the OC, could that change with the new parking lot alongside the paved trail?

Specifically between Moulton and Awma, at Woodfield Park there is now parking allowed next to the paved trail as it makes its way next to the last baseball diamond by the Pacific Park overpass.  Additionally, the dirt portion of the trail is now a single lane driveway to additional parking by the 3 main diamonds in the park. That’s the change.

Update (in italics):

Since there is signage, the parking is approved, our requests for comment from OC Parks who manages the trail is being referred to the appropriate department, and the  City of Aliso Viejo  advises that the park is owned and managed by the Aliso Viejo Community Association (AVCA), so any concerns should be directed towards the AVCA and not the City of Aliso Viejo.

End Update

Now that you are aware of the change, ride this portion of the trail with extra caution especially on game days, and expect car traffic where there was none before. Here’s the location:

Aliso Creek Trail in Aliso Viejo

New Parking in AV Map from openstreetmap.org/
(click to enlarge)

We hope that the city maintains its cyclist safety record. That is the hope; here’s the pix:

Rider on the Trail

Rider on the Trail

New ramp

New ramp

Looking East

Looking East

Car on ramp

Car on ramp

Car on dirt

Car on dirt

Looking West

Looking West