Laguna Coast Wilderness Park Laguna Bowl Trail
Viewing Laguna's Art Festivals From High Atop the Canyon Walls
Aug 3, 2008
A summer day in Laguna Beach, California is incomplete without a visit to the world-renowned Sawdust Art Festival, but one should also plan a nearby hike in the environments that first brought art to this part of the Southern California Coast.
Art and the Wilderness - Laguna Coast Wilderness Park
Laguna Beach has been a magnet for artists because of the remarkable coastal and canyon scenery. Those artists (along with others who were drawn to Laguna Beach) endeavored to ensure that the natural beauty of the coast and coastal canyons would remain undisturbed. The fruits of their efforts are the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, which is easily accessible from the Sawdust Art Festival.
Accessing the Laguna Bowl Trailhead
To access one populat trailhead, the Sawdust Art Festival visitor takes a left out the main entrance of Sawdust (on foot, of course), and walks down past Art A Fair to the traffic light where he or she can cross Laguna Canyon Road. Once across the road, the hiker heads back up the canyon until the tennis courts just beyond Festival of the Arts. At the far end of the courts is a dirt road/trail on the left. This is called Laguna Bowl Road, and it leads (quite steeply at times) to Bommer Ridge Trail which continues almost all the way up to Signal Peak (1164 feet).
From the Laguna Bowl Road, the hiker gains spectacular views of the canyon and the ocean and can observe coastal prickly pear cacti and lemonade sumac shrubs. After approximately one and one half miles of walking (and about 900 feet of elevation gain), there are several trail options.
Water Tank Road/Trail
The first trail on the left is called Water Tank Road and will take the hiker down to the neighborhood above Cliff Drive and Pacific Coast Highway. From here it is an easy walk back to the Sawdust Art Festival or to Heisler Park.
Laguna Ridge Trail
Next is a single track trail on the right (Laguna Ridge Trail), which leads back down to Laguna Canyon Road near Big Bend (it actually intersects the Big Bend Trail before reaching the trailhead).
Boat Road/Trail
The next major trail on the left is called Boat Road and leads back down toward Pacific Coast Highway and the ocean via the ridge above Boat Canyon on the opposite side of the canyon from Water Tank Road. The Guna Peak Lookout is located at about 700 feet along this trail. The Boat Road trail ends in the Hillcrest area above PCH, where it is but a short walk down to Crescent Bay Point Park.
Bommer Ridge Trail
Alternatively, from the top of the Laguna Bowl Road, one can continue on Bommer Ridge Trail. From the Bommer Ridge Trail, the intrepid hiker can access Crystal Cove State Park, the old Laguna Coast Wilderness Park Ranger Station and Visitor’s Center on Laguna Canyon Road (opposite El Toro) or even Bommer and Shady Canyons on the other side of the toll road (the 73) in the City of Irvine Open Space Preserve.
Be PeparedMaps are available at many places in town, but can also be purchased online from Franko Maps, Ltd. Hikers should wear sunscreen, appropriate footwear and carry their own water. Always check online or in person with the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park in order to check local conditions and any trail closures.
This article is not a substitute for a map or basic hiking skills.
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