The Hike:

Take the trail on your left where you will come to the obligatory sign warning of the hazards of the wilderness. A short switchback levels off onto a small plateau dominated by sagebrush, cactus and grasses. You will come to a crossing trail which heads west and provides a good view of south Orange County. Instead of turning left on this trail, turn right on the trail which heads slightly uphill and to the east.This will take you off of the County trail as you cross into the federal land of the Cleveland National Forest. About 1/4 mile up the trail, just past where the trail makes an "s" turn with an oak on your left, you'll reach a fork. A left turn will take you up a slope of about 40 degrees for about 350 vertical feet, and then a more reasonable climb to reach the Bell Ridge trail. The main trail (still a narrow single track) will also reach Bell Ridge, but without the aerobic effort required on the steeper trail. Although the first half-mile of the trail is close to the suburbia of Robinson Ranch, don't think you have to hike to the top of the ridge line to see the abundant wildlife of the Santa Ana mountains. In the first 1/2 mile of the hike, I have see bobcats, rattlesnakes, and deer. As I write this, there are still mountain lion tracks visible which were created during last month's rain, preserved by the subsequent dry weather. These are less than 100 yards from Robinson Ranch Road. Your chance of spotting these animals is, of course, much greater if you hike in the early morning or late afternoon.

Because of the vertical climb from an elevation of 1,450 feet msl at Robinson Ranch Road to 2,500 feet in just over a mile, this is a good trail to see the transition from an interior sage scrub habitat to a chamise chaparral. At the lower elevation, off-trail movement is relatively easy. Above about 2,500 feet, off-trail travel is often impossible due to the impenetrable chamise and shrubs which can reach over 12 feet high. Continuing on the trail at about the 1.3 mile point, you will reach a small knoll at the 2,500 foot level. On a clear day, you will be able to see Catalina and San Clemente Islands to the southwest, Palos Verde and the Long Beach Harbor the west, and Dana Point Harbor to the south. At this point, the trail flattens for about a half a mile and Trabuco Canyon comes into view. The smaller canyon directly north and perpendicular to Trabuco Canyon is Falls Canyon. The trail resumes its upward climb as the chaparral gets thicker and higher. Although this trail is not an official forest service trail, it is in excellent condition due to the efforts of mountain biker clubs such as the Warrior's Society . If it wasn't for their toil, this trail may no longer exist. At the2 mile point (about 3,000 foot elevation), the chaparral is high enough and thick enough that off-trail travel is difficult if not impossible. You will see the switchbacks of West Horsethief Trail to the northeast. Except for the occasional mountain biker, you are unlikely to see anyone else this far into the trail. I have heard that there is a side trail that connects with Yaeger Mesa, a private land in holding (now owned by the San Bernardino Land Conservancy), and on into Trabuco Canyon, but I have not taken it. This is an excellent hike if you are looking for solitude since it does not get as many hikers and mountain bikers as do some of the more popular trails (such as the Trabuco Canyon trail, for example), or if you want to do a night hike (preferably with fellow hikers) since the trail is not closed at night as are the county park trails. On your return, you may want to try one of the alternate trails which are visible from the ridge at the 2,200 foot level. As an added bonus, this is one of the better hikes to see wildflower after a wet winter. The hills are often yellow with sticky monkeyflowers. You'll see lupines at the lower elevations, and mariposa lillys, blue-eyed grass and wooly blue curls are also common. If you are lucky, you will see a prickly pear cactus during the brief period it is in full bloom.

View of Santiago peak from Bell Ridge Trail.

Trail continues to the east parallel to Trabuco Canyon.

Moonrise over Trabuco Canyon

Click on image for topo and elevation profile