A lot of trails in Orange County have restrictions on pets, so I put together a list of 5 hikes in Orange County where you can bring your dogs. I would rate all of these trails and parks as easy. If you have any suggestions, feel free to add them in the comment section a the bottom of the page.
1. Santiago Oaks Regional Park
Santiago Oaks Regional Park is located in Orange California. It has some excellent trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. The park is located in the heart of Orange County, but it feels surprisingly remote once you get into the canyon and up into the hills. There are several easy trails that follow the creek, and a few that go straight up the mountain.
2. Peters Canyon
Peters Canyon is a relatively small park. The main trail follows the perimeter of the reservoir and leads down into the canyon below the dam. There are a few side trails, but they just circle back to the main loop. All of the trails are fairly easy with only an occasional steep hill. One of the highlights of the park is a large eucalyptus grove at the end of the canyon. It's not a big park, but it's fun.
3. Fairview Park
Fairview Park is a great little park in Costa Mesa. It’s situated on a bluff overlooking the the Santa Ana River. The main trail is a wide, flat, gravel path that loops around the perimeter of the park. The trail is shared by hikers, families and cyclists. Fairview Park is also the “secret” mountain biking spot where locals come to hit the jumps and the makeshift dirt trails that snake through the middle of the park. The mountain bikes trails and the dirt jumps are not maintained by the city, so you probably want to scout the trails before you do any hardcore riding. Fairview park isn’t very large, probably less than 2 miles in circumference, but you can turn your trip into a longer loop by combining Talbert Park, Canyon Park and Fairview Park.There are also public bathrooms and water fountains too. This park is also a great jumping off point for people who want tot bike on the Santa Ana River Trail.
The Huntington Beach dog beach isn't a hike. It's just a large beach where you're allowed to bring your dogs and let them off the leash. It's never overly crowded because it's located far enough away from the main Huntington Beach pier.This is also a pretty great surf spot, so don't forget your board. The park is located a bit north of Main Street between Seapoint Ave, and 21st Street. The beach is open everyday from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. To find the beach on your GPS using Google Maps, enter 100 Goldenwest St, Huntington Beach, CA
5. Aliso and Woods Canyon Wilderness Park
Aliso Canyon is one of my favorite parks in Orange County. I usually come in through the entrance on Alicia Parkway. When I'm typing it in to the GPS, I just use the address for the the Mormon church next to the trailhead at 28291 Alicia Pkwy, Laguna Niguel, CA . The trail starts on a paved section of Aliso Canyon Road and heads downhill. After about a mile on the paved road, I like to pick up the Wood Canyon Trail on the right side and head to Dripping Hole Cave. Wood Canyon is a dirt trail that leads slightly uphill, but it's an easy hike. Keep an eye out for the spur trail on the left that leads to Dripping Hole Cave.
