Trail Descriptions

EASY OUT AND BACK- MORO CANYON:

Time:  1 hour (approximate) Elevation:  35’-178’ Distance:  3.0 miles

DETAILS:  Starting at the Ranger Station, walk downhill and turn left onto the dirt trail before the campground.  Continue on the dirt to the long bridge.  Once you cross the bridge, you will be in beautiful Moro Canyon.  Continue up the MORO CANYON Trail until you reach the junction with POLES and WEST CUT ACROSS.  Turn around here and retrace your steps back to the Ranger Station.

MODERATE LOOP TRAIL- NO DOGS, POLES, MORO CANYON:

Time:  1 hour (approximate) Elevation: 35’-550’ Distance: 2.85 Miles

DETAILS:  Starting at the Ranger Station, walk uphill to the dirt road past a gate. This is the NO DOGS Trail which is a short, but moderately uphill hike.  Follow the trail until you reach the intersection with POLES which is a steep descent (electric poles mark the way downhill.) At the end of POLES you will intersect MORO CANYON and WEST CUT ACROSS Trails.   Turn right, downhill on MORO CANYON Trial, cross the long bridge, and bear right up a moderate uphill climb, past the campground and back to the parking lot.

DIFFICULT LOOP TRAIL – MORO CANYON, EAST CUT ACROSS, MORO RIDGE, BFI:

Time:  2 hours (approximate) Elevation:  35’-740’ Distance:  About 5 miles

DETAILS:  Starting at the Ranger Station, walk downhill and turn left onto the dirt trail before the campground.  Continue on the dirt to the long bridge.  Once you cross the bridge, you will be in beautiful Moro Canyon.  Continue up the MORO CANYON Trail (~ 1 mile) until you reach the EAST CUT ACROSS Trail.  Turn right and climb the steep, winding uphill to MORO RIDGE (~ 1.1 mile). Turn right towards the ocean and as you near the Coast Highway (~1.6 mile) look for BFI. Turn right on this short-with-some-steep single track which connects with MORO CANYON.  Turn left, cross the long bridge, and bear right up a moderate uphill climb, past the campground and back to the parking lot.

STRENUOUS LOOP TRAIL- PARK PERIMETER:

Time: 4.5 hours (approximate) Elevation:  35’-1000’ Distance:  About 9 miles

DETAILS:  This route known as the “Perimeter of the Park” is the best way to experience the whole backcountry.  Take plenty of water and a snack and stop at one of the three environmental campsites for a view, a rest, or to use the portable toilets.  Starting at the Ranger Station, walk uphill to the dirt road past a gate. This is the NO DOGS Trail which is a short, but moderately uphill hike. NO DOGS connects with NO NAME RIDGE (bear left) which has several ups and downs. Pass the junction with WEST CUT ACROSS staying on NO NAME RIDGE until you turn downhill (right) onto TICKETRON Trail. This single track leads to DEER CANYON and CAMPGROUND.  Climb uphill from DEER CANYON, to RED TAIL RIDGE, bear left to near the park boundary gate.  Turn right onto FENCELINE Trail (single track) eastbound which becomes MISSING LINK Trail (single track) and ends at MORO RIDGE.  Turn right on MORO RIDGE which runs along the southeastern boundary of the Park.  Stay on the ridge for 3+ miles, and turn right onto the single track- BFI.  This trail leads to MORO CANYON where you turn left, go over the long bridge, bear right uphill, past the campground and back to the parking lot.