Crystal Cove State Beach

Meeting time: 7am 

Meeting Place: We will meet at the church parking lot. Enter the parking lot from the church administration building on Red Oak Street, make a left and an immediate right to drive to the back parking lot where the tan portable buildings are located.

Parking Fee: $15 for parking pass

Trail Difficulty Rating: This trail is fairly easy to walk on and this is a family friendly trail. It is mostly flat with a paved trail above the beach and also walking on the coast in the wet sand. If you have difficulty balancing in the sand you should bring a walking stick.   

Weather: Check the weather and dress accordingly. Dress in leayers as you may be cool or cold at the start and warm up as the hike progresses.  

Required Footwear: Good tennis shoes or water shoes/sandals with good tread. Beach has rocky tidepools and shells so watch the bare feet!   

Required Gear: a LIGHT backpack or waist pack for water. You should have sun block, sunglasses and a hat. Don’t forget your camera. We will be on the beach. No bathing suits on the hike. You can wear your bathing suits at your personal leisure if you wish to stay at the beach after the hike.  

Can I bring my dog on this trip? Not recommended. You will be split off from the group. Dogs are allowed on the paved trail but not on the beach.   

Minimum Amount of Water to Bring: 1-2 bottles is enough.   

Minimum Amount of Food to Bring: Healthy snacks - nuts, tangerines/fruit, peanut butter crackers, energy snacks, etc.

Hike Description (include terrain, destination, challenges, flora, fauna, history)  Crystal Cove State Park has 3.2 miles of beach and 2,400 acres of undeveloped woodland, which is popular for hiking and horseback riding. It has 17 miles of hiking trails. The offshore waters are designated as an underwater park. Crystal Cove is used by mountain bikers inland and scuba and skin divers underwater. The beach is popular with swimmers and surfers. Visitors can explore tidepools and sandy coves. We will be taking you through the scenic route so you can bring the family back.

Our hike will be 3-4 miles along the beach. We will begin at the Los Trances parking complex and go across the street via the underground tunnel,(nice drawings in the tunnel) through the historic village, past the beachcomber restaurant and up to the paved trails. We will walk about 2 miles on the paved trails and drop down to the beach where we will walk back to the historic village via the beach. If you are tired you can rest and eat or take the tram back to the parking lot $1.00. We will be going up an incline getting to the bluffs to walk on the paved trail above the beach and a decline to get to the beach and then another incline to get back to the car.   

Hike Driving Direction (include mileage, landmarks, turns)  The Crystal Cove State Park is located on Pacific Coast Highway. We wil take the 15 south to the 91 west to the 55 south. Exit McArther and turn left and continue about 8 miles to PCH. At PCH turn left and continue about 4 miles to Los Trancos. 

Turn left onto Los Trancos into the driveway. (Los Trancos is a short street that leads to the state parking lot.   Six questions each participant must answer “yes” to before being allowed  on hike  1. Are you medically fit to participate in this hike?  2. Are you bringing adequate food and water?  3. Do you have the required footwear for this hike?  4. Do you have the proper clothing for this hike?  5. Do you have the proper gear for this hike?  6. Did you prepare physically for this hike?

7. Are you free of Covid-19 symptoms?  

In case of emergency  Nearest medical facility: Hoag hospital , One Hoag Drive, P.O. Box 6100,Newport Beach, CA 92658-6100 Phone: 949/764-4624   

Nearest law enforcement / Fire (name, phone number, directions, and time to reach):  Newport Police and Fire Dept (911)  

Appropriate State Park, Forest Service, National Park or local jurisdiction:  Crystal Cove State Park Ranger Station at (949) 494-3539

Leaving early: If you must leave the hike early please tell me. If I think you're lost, I’m going to call heaven, my prayer partners, Pastor John Matthews, all emergency services will be notified, your family will be called, most likely the hiking group will be calling their families telling them they are waiting for you and every angel in heaven will be on alert. We can avoid unnecessary stress, use of emergency personal and heavenly time if you communicate. Emergency services are charged to people who unwisely use them. 

Special Conditions: As always beautiful scenery.  What happens when the weather does not co-operate: We will never go hiking in inclement weather (storms, lightning, thunder, possible flash floods, icy roads etc). Only God knows all things, my job is to do the best at planning a great trip. I will make all efforts to call and email you if we must postpone a date or change sites.