Las Ramblas Trail

Came here yesterday for a hike, and this has been one of my favorite trails yet. The markers are really clear, the trails are nice get work out because of the incline! I was able to see two hawks and it was so green out. Although, we got side tracked and ended up hiking through the local neighborhood instead (LOL) it was still a great time!

it’d good.

Went on this hike over the weekend and LOVED LOVED LOVED IT. There are several different trails that you can take from the entrance of Las Ramblas Trail. We had fun exploring and looking at all the views. We did about a 4 mile round trip hike and the end of it there was a flag pole with the american flag and a mail box with a journal in it where people left notes. The best part was the gorgeous view of the ocean. Breath taking is an understatement.
The trail wasn’t two busy, we got there at about 10:30 on a Sunday morning. Seems to be a popular trail to take your dog. Our dog loved the hike… but people please bring water for your dogs! and pick up after your dog.
**Note: the Unilocal address took us to a park near by. keep on the same street and go all the way up. It dead ends in to Las Ramblas Trail. If you type in Las Ramblas in to google maps it will take you to the right place.

Wowza! This hike was pretty awesome and took the wind out of me (ok, so i’m out of shape. A lady at least 20 years older than me hiked up the hill like nothing), but totally worth it. The view is 360 when you reach the top of Patriots Hill, you can see Dana Point, San Clemente and Rancho Mission Viejo. It’s a must try hike!

LOVED this hike… we lucked out with the perfect weather, accompanied by a nice breeze. My hubby and I set out with our 2 dogs around 8:30am. We drove up from San Diego, or would have started earlier, as we knew it was scheduled to be a hot day.
We started at the trailhead at the end of the the street, hiked to the flagpole, signed the guest book, and returned the way we came in.
This is definitely a hike for the intermediate exerciser… and like all the reviews before me, Patriot Hill was a killer. We had to go up on our tippy toes… I think the incline is about 45 degrees, which doesn’t sound like much until you try it.
That was the toughest hill and there were 4 – 5 others (including the way back) to make sure you kept your heart rate up:)
Very enjoyable and we’ll be back.

This trail is amazing. We love to hike here. You’ll see stunning ocean views, Catalina Island, San Clemente pier. Now and then I will see a family of deers right across my home since this place just across my home.

There is a great little trail here at the very end of camino los mares (literally drive to the end and park). This is a perfect hike for intermediate hikers (it starts out with one looong slow incline, followed by a few tough hills), it’ll take about 2 hours if you’re casually walking like we do, it’s about 5 miles. We love doing this one after work, great views of the sunset over SC, SJC and the Dana point harbor. Bring water, no bathrooms!

Bring water! Bring your dog too

«I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.»
–William Blake
I have a confession to make. I am harboring a very nasty grudge against the Las Ramblas Trail. A. Very. Nasty. Grudge. See, Cathy S. and I signed up to do… what we thought was… a fun and friendly casual 5k. We had no idea of the monstrosity we were about to face off against in Las Ramblas.
ROUND 1: (DING!!) Ingrid V. & Cathy S. VS. Las Ramblas Trail: FIGHT!
Everyone takes off running. Why are my legs already burning 3 minutes into this hike /​run? And why in God’s name are the first two inclines (according to my hiking app) an average of more than 20% grade? Seriously? We are now at the end of the pack.
Two inclines done. Effing FINALLY. We can breathe now, right? HAH! Las Ramblas flips me the proverbial bird as I round the corner to see this twat of a hill:
That would be Patriot Hill. It thinks its all cool with its 35%-45% uphill grade. Worst 10^th of a mile I have ever met in my entire life. At one point my app tells me the grade on this thing is 48.7%. Is that even safe? Shouldn’t that come with a warning from the damned surgeon general or something? Screw this hill.
Anyway, I don’t even know how Cathy and I got up, but we did. A few four letter-​words later, I looked up and saw this:
Cool huh? Actually it got cooler when I turned around. We went up so high we saw the ocean. THE BLOODY OCEAN. Dana Point Harbor to be exact:
The rest of the 5k was less eventful. There were still some rough spots and steep hills, but they were all chump change compared to Patriot Hill. The views were awesome for the length of the run:
So why the grudge if we completed it? Well, we really didn’t complete it. The race officials let us cheat a bit and shaved off half a mile for us, opting to let us bypass the «up & back» to the flag poll along the ridge of Flag Poll Hill. Our result? A bit over an hour and 10 minutes. I was dead last… with the last of the main pack coming in around the 50 minute mark. Plus, we got a freebie half mile cheat!
Needless to say, I have it out for this trail. I’ve been hiking some pretty rough trails lately, and getting in better shape. Next time I meet up with Patriot Hill, I hope to quote a certain Nancy Sinatra song.
OH RIGHT… My like vs dislike list…
LIKE:
1. Incredible views
2. Ass-​kicking workout
3. Easy to get to, near the 5 fwy
4. Great parking (when they have the gate open)
HATE:
1. Patriot Hill
2. Patriot Hill
3. Patriot Hill
4. Patriot Hill
…to be continued…

Its a nice run or walk and a great place for dogs — be careful of coyotes and snakes in season They aren’t a big problem, just something to keep in mind. It is a nature park after all. The views of Dana Point Harbor and surrounding hills and ocean are awesome.
RE a couple previous reviews. Its not the dogs that are a problem. Its the out of control mountain bikers careening down the slopes and onto the trails at high rates of speed with little room for error when people are present. A lot of these bikers are dangerous — and many are old enough to know better. Worse, they are constantly creating new trails and defacing a public park (a criminal act). Many are courteous and responsible and coexist with pedestrians and dogs, but too many believe that this is «their» mountain biking facility/​thrill ride and people and dogs use it at their peril. Five stars but for them.

Fun trail for walking, hiking, biking, or running. Lots of irresponsible dog owners on this trail so watch your step. There are some good inclines on Patriot Trail and Harbor View Trail is exactly what it says it is. I would like to see the parking lot at the trailhead opened up. It’s always empty and closed.
As another reviewer said, there is no shade. So if you’re planning on a longer outing, be sure to protect your skin.

I’m reviewing this as a running spot not a dog walking trail… I was so excited to discover a challenging trail to run so close to home (I live in DP). It really helped me improve my speed and in Jan/​Feb has been really perfect running weather. If you’re doing more than 4 miles I’d suggest you wear a water belt or bring a water bottle. This obviously isn’t a beach path. It’s hill after hill after hill… but if you want to get your heart rate up these trails will certainly do that for you.

The good about Las Ramblas Trail:
–panoramic views of Dana Point, San Clemente, Saddleback Mountain
–variety of trail inclines to suit the beginner to the advanced hiker/​cycler
–after 9am, very quiet and peaceful
The bad:
–no garbage cans
–due to no garbage cans, dog owners feel free to leave their dogs crap everywhere
–no shade
–no trail maps
If you are bringing your dog, you will pass some poop bag dispensers on the road as you drive towards the trailhead. They are on your left. PLEASE take some, and when they are full you can throw them away in the same area!
The only reason I give it three stars is because of the Patriot Trail. When you are driving north on the 5 by San Juan Capistrano, there is a flag pole on the hill above the highway. The trail to get there starts at the end of Las Ramblas, and at the flag pole are some amazing views. Unfortunately due to the lack of trail maps, this is one that you will have to find on your own. Good luck! Don’t forget to bring water.