When you think of hiking in Orange County, you don’t usually envision dramatic waterfalls. But during the spring, there are a number of wonderful seasonal waterfalls that are just a hike away. One of my personal favorites is Chiquito Falls.
Time: ~4 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 2,900 ft
Dogs: OK
When to go: Fall–Spring
The trailhead parking is across the street from The Candy Store on Ortega Highway (Route 74). Being in the Cleveland National Forest, you’ll need to display an Adventure Pass to park. If you don’t have a pass, you can purchase one at The Candy Store. They also have a few free parking spaces behind the store.
At the northeast corner of the parking lot, you’ll see this sign marking the San Juan Loop trailhead.
There’s a map of the trails in the area as well as the usual warnings about rattlesnakes and wildlife. Note that dogs are permitted, but must be kept on a leash.
The trail climbs for a short distance, then bends around the ridge taking you by the San Juan Falls. These falls see a lot of visitors due to their close proximity to the parking lot. There are a lot of people who aren’t serious hikers. It’s also a great place to take kids to give them a taste of the wilderness.
The multi-tiered San Juan Falls seen from the trail
I prefer to take a look from above, then leave the crowds behind and continue on to the more secluded and beautiful Chiquito Falls.
While you’re in the canyon, enjoy the shade of the oak trees. Most of the hike has full sun exposure.
Watch for the turn off to your right at about the 1.1 mile marker. Note that there is an unofficial turnoff before the official trail. Both cross the creek — an easy boulder hop usually — but only the second turn off has the official trail marker.
If you miss the turn and find yourself connecting back to Ortega Highway, you’ve gone too far.
Once you cross San Juan Creek, the trail parallels another tributary with good shade and a gentle climb. You’ll cross this tributary at about mile 2, and begin your ascent up the ridge.
The remaining 2+ miles to Chiquito Falls is exposed to the sun. As you climb up the ridge, you’ll be treated with some awesome panoramic views to the southeast, including Sitton Peak.
At 3.7 miles, you’ll reach the highest point on the trail — just shy of 2,700′ above sea level. Once you round the second bend, you’ll catch your first glimpse of Chiquito Falls.
As you near the falls, watch for the spur trail to the left. The main trail continues on connecting with the San Juan Trail.
The spur leads to the top of the falls, There are some great places to sit, enjoy the views and share lunch.
You can easily climb down to the base of the falls for a view from below. See the photo gallery below for more pics.
Trail Map and Elevation Profile
Getting to the Trailhead
The trailhead parking lot is directly across the street from The Candy Store on Ortega Highway 74, about 15 miles east of the 5 Freeway and San Juan Capistrano.
Chiquito Falls Trail Tips
- Remember you’ll need an National Forest Adventure Pass for parking
- Watch for rattlesnakes, particularly when the weather gets warmer
- Be sure to bring The Ten Essentials. This isn’t a walk through the ‘burbs!
- Watch for mountain bikers. This is a popular downhill route. If you see one, there are probably more following. Ask how many are behind them, and let them know how many hikers are behind you!
- The Candy Store now has a grill going on the weekends for a post-hike burger in addition to homemade fudge and cold drinks. Check their website for hours and details.
- Do you use the EveryTrail app on your smart phone? Download this guide and take it with you on the trail!
Photo Gallery
Special thanks to my girlfriend Joan for joining me on this hike, and for John from Hiking OC for introducing me to this trail.
Fun hike! We did it last Saturday. We’ll for sure do it again.
Thanks, Frank! I saw you added a link to the site on your blog, too. Much appreciated!
Wow, Jeff you really pack in a lot of information here. We get a really good feel of what to expect on this hike. Great site!
Thanks, Linda. It’s my goal to make each trail guide a comprehensive reference for anyone wanting to hike that trail. If you have suggestions, send them my way!
Great post! What a scenic hike, we tried it but didn’t make it! We did the loop, maybe next time we’ll do all 8 miles. We’re just casual hikers, but love it all the same!
Thanks, Shellsea! It’s a beautiful hike and you get to see some nice water falls pretty early on, so even if you don’t have the ambition or endurance (yet) to make it all the way back to Chiquito Falls, you still get a beautiful hike.
Jeff, great quality on your site. The Chiquito Falls hike reminds me of the Eaton Canyon hike down from above Henninger Flats.
What great photo’s thanks so much for sharing
Thanks, Michelle! I enjoy photographing the trails and aim to get better with every guide I write.
I gotta do this trail!
I highly recommend it. I suggest a GPS if you’ve got one. There’s a point where the trail splits off and crosses the creek (noted above) and is easy to miss. And definitely hike in the spring when the water is really running.
OMGoodness! I’ve stopped at the candy shop for candy and even to take a quick car nap. I never knew about the trail or the falls!
Thank you!
The falls run nearly dry during the summer, but definitely check it out in the spring. They are well worth the trek!
Oh, I’m homesick – have been all over this area and love the falls. Thanks for this site!
Thanks for your comment, Madlyn! Waterfalls in Orange County are like hidden gems. Most people have no idea they’re there.
Been in OC since 1979 and did not know about this hike. Thanks for the map, pics and excellent info Jeff!
Thanks, Stephen. Let me know if you want to join me on a hike sometime.
Nice Work Jeff. I havn’t been to these falls yet, looks like you beat me to it! Im pretty sure I found the best waterfall in OC a couple weeks back, even better then blackstar falls! If you catch it when its flowing good its quite the site to see. And well hidden.
Is the elevation gain really 2900 feet, or is the top elevation 2900 feet? Your summary suggests 2,900 feet, but the elevation profile looks more like 1,200 ft. I ask because the one is within our range this spring, but the other probably is not–too much Holiday food and too little exercise!
2900 is supposed to be the actual vertical gain, not the top elevation, though it’s tough to say precisely. I used my Garmin eTrex to record the GPS data, uploaded to EveryTrail and pulled the total vertical gain from the “info” view: http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1000128
Is this accurate? Not perfectly but probably close.