Technically speaking, there is no trail or ridge officially named The Roller Coaster, but if there was, this would be it. This is a great double-track trail with hills that will get your heart pumping. I like to hike this after work most Wednesdays, and enjoy the ocean breezes, the sweeping coastal and mountain views and the sunset over Catalina Island. It’s a little slice of heaven right in the heart of south Orange County.
The Trailhead
Time: ~1.5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation gain: 1,150 ft
Dogs: OK
When to go: Year round
At the gate you have two options. For the gung-ho, take an immediate left and head up the steep hill. When you reach the first junction, turn right to meetup with the main trail on the ridge. The second option is a little kinder on the lungs. Head straight up the main trail to the ridge. It’s a long, gradual ascent.
As you travel the ridge you’ll climb over two hills, then follow the trail as it gradually climbs of the left side of the ridge. At the saddle, take a sharp right up the steep hill. The trail is marked as the Patriot Trail. You’ll follow this ridge all the way to the terminus — a flag pole. You can sign the logbook in the mailbox (or just see who else has been there). Turn around and head back, but at the first junction, veer left and follow the trail along the side of the ridge and retrace your steps to the trailhead.
Trail Map and Elevation Profile
Photo Gallery
Click an image for a larger version.
Tips
- Bring a liter of water (my recommendation).
- There is no shade, so wear sun protection. I prefer to hike this early or late in the day, especially during warmer months.
- The trail is shared with bikers and horses. Keep your eyes and ears open.
- I have seen one rattlesnake on this trail, and heard others say they’ve seen them. Nothing to be fearful of, but keep your eyes open so you don’t step into one.
- My favorite après-hike dinner is the Number 1 combo (grilled fish taco, black beans, brown rice and extra salsa) at the Wahoo’s on Camino de los Mares. Highly recommended, and healthy, too.
Hike with the SoCal Hiker
I lead a hike on this trail most Wednesday evenings during daylight savings time. Check the postings in the Hiking OC and FSOCSE meetup groups for details or to sign-up for a hike.
Do you lead hikes on Meetup? Grab our description with maps, links and photos preformatted for use on Meetup. Just click anywhere in the text box below cut-and-paste to your event.
Resources
Have fun, be safe, and see you on the trail!
About the Author
It looks like a great hike. It’s nice to be able to get an ocean breeze while hiking.
Looks pretty green out there. Will be brown soon!
Derek, yes, it’s very green right now. The wildflowers are blooming! It’ll be interesting to see how long before it all turns brown.
And it’s hard to beat an ocean breeze, or the view, to keep you going on the trail.
I did this hike today and it was excellent. I was with another member of the OC Miniature Pinscher Meetup group. In January, we did a hike of similar difficulty called Weir Canyon Loop. Our Meetup does hikes ranging from easy to difficult so I always have my eyes out for new hikes. This website is really well done. Thanks.
This looks like a fabulous hike, Jeff. Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks for visiting, Jeff T. I love the Roller Coaster Ridge–it’s a perfect length and workout, and the views are terrific. Doing it mid-week at sunset is just about perfection.