Crystal Cove State Park
This is hopefully the first of many trip reports that I would like to write to help my fellow outdoor adventurers learn about different hikes. This weekend my friend and I went to Crystal Cove State Park in Southern California. This relatively small state park is more well known for its beach and historical sites than for its backcountry hiking, but the backcountry does exist and it is beautiful! We were able to see most of the park in a quick weekend overnight trip. I would recommend this park as a good place for first time hikers, testing out new gear, and shaking off the cobwebs after winter hibernation.
Some basic facts about the park: it has 3 backcountry campsites that are first-come, first-served. The parking and camping permit (combined) costs $25 per vehicle. You can call ahead to check for availability - we did not see all the campsites fill up even in the summer when we would expect peak numbers of visitors. The trails are all very well maintained and clearly marked. There are maps posted everywhere and they all use a screw + washer to mark your current location. There is very little shade in the park unless you are on Moro Canyon trail so wear sunscreen. There is also no water at any of the campsites so you have to pack in all your water. I carried 6L for a 1 night trip. The main critters in the park are rattlesnakes (we saw one only 5 minutes out from the trailhead) and rabbits; we did not see any rodents or squirrels that might like to go after the food in your pack.
Below is the map of the park's hiking trails, courtesy of the California State Parks. We managed to put our boots on almost every trail in the park in about 24 hours!
Source: http://www.crystalcovestatepark.org/map-of-hiking-trails/
We camped at Upper Moro Campground but we saw all 3 during our adventures. Lower Moro is definitely the most easily accessible campsite from the trailhead; it is located on the Moro Ridge so it has good views of the ocean. It tends to fill up first. Upper Moro (where we camped) is higher up on the ridge in a back corner of the park that is less frequented and less crowded. Our particular tent site provided an excellent view of the ocean but some of the sites' views were obscured by brush. Deer Canyon had some shade and seemed quite pleasant, but about half the sites are closed so it tends to also fill up quickly.
On our first day we hiked out to our campsite in Upper Moro Campground and then explored the north side of the park, even leaving the state park to try Bommer Ridge Trail. The hikes along the ridges provided excellent views, although the hike from Ticketron to Bommer Ridge Trail was abutting a residential area which detracted from the magic of being in the wilderness, in my opinion. Look out for mountain bikers on all the trails, especially the ones marked as single tracks (more narrow) - often the bikers do not carry bells so you can be surprised when they come up behind you!
On our second day we took Moro Canyon across the park to West Cut Across and No Name --> No Dogs trails. Originally we had intended to do Poles trail but it is VERY steep. West Cut Across is a slightly gentler ascent to the ridge line and the climb is totally worth the view. No Name and No Dogs trails were incredibly beautiful hikes down to the water.
I managed to get in a little photography practice, and put some of my favorite pictures below.
