Parking Lot for the Crystal Cove State Park El Moro Canyon Backcountry area has everything we need.
The El Moro Canyon Trailhead is "behind" you if you parked in the main lot. After parking, head for the ocean and look for the trailhead on the left.
This area is very well signed and with or without a map you should be able to navigate your way through.
The ride on El Moro Canyon Trail starts out level as we pass a trailer park on the right.
If you zeroed your odometer at the trailhead, El Moro Canyon Road jogs left (northerly) at about 0.4 miles into the ride after a steep rutted downhill
You'll pass several intersections with trails heading up to Moro Ridge to the right. Bypass these options and stay on El Moro Canyon Road.
At about 1.5 miles into the ride you'll pass an intersection with two steep trails on the left, Poles Rd. and West Cut Across Rd. Stay on El Moro Cyn.
There are a few steep climbs along El Moro Canyon Road. In this picture, you can see the trail ahead going over the hilltop straight ahead.
El Moro Canyon Road rollercoasters as it climbs up the Canyon. Here it dips down across a stream bed and then climbs abruptly back out.
Coming out of the creek bed, El Moro Canyon Road is a rocky and rutted technical challenge.
This section of the trail is really as steep as it looks here and will take some real effort to clear.
Beautiful Rock canopy to the right of El Moro Canyon Road.
Approaching the intersection to the left with West Loop Trail, otherwise known as Slow N' Easy Trail at about 3 miles. Take this sharp left turn.
The park map is shown at almost all of the major intersections, along with a "You are Here" dot.
View of the turnoff to West Loop Trail or Slow N' Easy Trail from the sign at the intersection, looking west.
Travelling up Slow N' Easy / West Loop Trail towards our first taste of singletrack on Fence Line Trail.
Travelling up Slow N' Easy / West Loop Trail towards our first taste of singletrack on Fence Line Trail.
Approaching the intersection with Fence Line Trail singletrack to the left and Elevator Road to the right. Veer left here at about 4.25 miles.
That's Fence Line Trail to the left of the fence, heading northwest for less than a half mile where it jogs hard to the left and starts heading SW.
Fence Line Trail is a smooth and fast singletrack with great views in all directions.
You'll reach a Y intersection at which you can go either direction and end up at the same place, where Fence Line Trail meets Redtail Ridge Tr.
Fence Line Trail just before it meets Redtail Ridge Trail.
Fence Line Trail singletrack essentially merges with Redtail Ridge Trail, which heads south and offers head-on views of the pacific.
Redtail Ridge Trail rollercoastering along the ridgetop.
I dubbed this Whale Rock upon seeing it to the left of the trail, as it reminded me of a caricature of a whale.
Approaching an intersection where a steep, rocky and rutted wide road goes right and a singletrack goes left.
Redtail Ridge Trail widens and narrows and then eventually settles into pure singletrack and transitions into Rattlesnake Trail at around 6 miles.
Redtail Ridge Trail widens and narrows and then eventually settles into pure singletrack and transitions into Rattlesnake Trail.
Rattlesnake Trail continues traveling along the ridgeline.
Rocky section of Rattlesnake Trail has a nice lookout point to the right in this photo.
Rocky technical downhill along the Rattlesnake Trail.
Narrow, rutted short uphill on the Rattlesnake Trail.
Slightly technical uphill to the high point along Rattlesnake Trail where we'll reach a small plateau.
Ridgetop plateau along Rattlesnake Trail, just before a very challenging, steep, long, rocky descent towards West Cut Across Rd (Mach One).
Beginning of an incredible downhill along Rattlesnake Trail as it snakes its way down to the West Cut Across Road.
Picking the right line is critical to making this downhill without picking up a few new scrapes and bruises.
The gnarly downhill eventually transitions into a smooth singletrack as it reaches a T intersection near an electrical tower. Go right.
Rattlesnake Trail continuing downhill towards its intersection with Mach One or the West Cut Across Road.
Nice view of Rattlesnake Trail snaking its way down canyon towards Mach One.
Rattlesnake Trail eventually flattens out before reaching an intersection with Mach One, where we'll go left, downhill, & reunite with El Moro Cyn Tr
Intersection of Rattlesnake Trail with Mach One, or West Cut Across Road, just ahead.
The intersection is well signed and you'll want to head towards El Moro Canyon Trail, downhill.
Crusing along Mach One / West Cut Across Road towards a reunion with El Moro Canyon Trail and our return to the parking lot.
Reuniting with El Moro Canyon Trail. Go right and retrace our original route back to the parking lot.
Approaching the trailhead and ride's end at about 9.5 mile and 1250 feet of climbing.
There is a parking fee of $5.00 which you can pay at the Ranger Station or at a vending machine. As you can see, there is a lot of parking available in the lot, along with the Ranger Station/Visitor Center, as well as toilets and water.
At the start of the ride we'll be heading southeast, skirting past a trailer park to the southwest and then following the trail as it jogs left and heads up into El Moro Canyon on the El Moro Canyon Road, the central artery through the park.
We'll cruise along El Moro Canyon Road for about 3 miles before taking a sharp left turn onto West Loop Trail (also known as Slow N' Easy Rd. on the Crystal Cove Interpretive Association Map given out at the Park).
The options along Moro Ridge look like a nice challenge and can easily be combined with the loop described here by riding the Ridge trail as far north as it goes and then taking "Missing Link Trail" to "Fence Line Trail" which we will be riding on in a few miles.
We'll be returning to this intersection later on West Cut Across Road and returning to the trailhead by retracing our route along El Moro Canyon Road.
This uphill was quite rutted when I rode it and the uneven trail surface combined with the steep grade made this a real challenge to clear.
The trail in this section also passes through a canopy of California Live Oaks and Sycamore trees.
This turn is well marked, as you'll see in the next slide, and you shouldn't have trouble navigating through it.
Occasionally and unfortunately, some knucklehead feels compelled to scratch off the dot showing where you are on the map. Even without these helpful hints the park is very easy to navigate.
We'll hit Fence Line Trail at about 4.25 miles into the ride.
The trail rollercoasters along the ridgetop in this section, offering great views of Orange County and the Pacific Ocean, including San Clemente and Catalina Islands.
Straight ahead is private property which is separated from the park by a fence, thus the name "Fence Line Trail." There's another park sign here showing your location on the map. The elevation here is around 1,000 feet. Santiago Peak is visible to the north and San Clemente and Catalina Islands are visible in the Pacific when the marine layer cooperates.
There's another park sign here showing your location on the map. The elevation here is around 1,000 feet. Santiago Peak is visible to the north and San Clemente and Catalina Islands are visible in the Pacific when the marine layer cooperates.
Needless to say, I took the singletrack, and that has made all the difference. I'm not sure if the trail to the right was Deer Canyon Trail though looking at all maps I don't know what else it could be. In any event, stay to the left here.
If there was a clear transition from Redtail Ridge Trail to Rattlesnake Trail I wasn't aware of it, but the trail took on a uniquely singletrack character at about the 6 mile mark in the route.
From here on out this singletrack is designated as the Rattlesnake Trail.
The trail surface changes frequently from silky smooth to rocky and rutted and then back again.
There's a sign here reminding you to go right. Going left dead ends almost immediately. The singletrack continues to the right and eventually widens into a doubletrack/fireroad.
This trail is named Mach One for a reason - it is a long steep downhill where one can gain a whole lot of speed. Beware of hikers, other bikers, and equestrians!
This trail is named Mach One for a reason - it is a long steep downhill where one can gain a whole lot of speed. Beware of hikers, other bikers, and equestrians!
