Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park - Mountain Bike Trail

If you are bored of easy trails and willing to challenge yourself by creating your own course, not many trails are more suitable than the White Ranch Wilderness Park in Irvine, Orange County, California. This park offers a network of singletrack and gated fire roads that let you customize your ride to your preference.

Also, there are multiple trailheads at the park, giving you the freedom to choose from several options.

Before you go:

Drinking water

Restrooms

Fee required

Lift service

Fat bike grooming

Family Friendly

Night riding

E-bikes allowed

Dogs Allowed

Obstacles

Shuttles

Detailed Trail Description

There are 23 trails in the Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park that together make up approximately 15 miles of singletrack and graded roads, giving you many options to ride through.

The park also offers connectivity to other trail options that are a part of the OC Parks Regional Trails System, there are the Aliso Creek Riding Trail, Edison Riding Trail, Aliso Creek Bikeway, as well as Aliso-Serrano Riding Trail among them. Despite the networked configuration of the trails, they are loop trails that can return you to your trailhead.

As we mentioned, the park has several trailheads, however, we recommend the Borrego Parking Lot at 26701 Portola Parkway, Foothill Ranch, CA 92610. Cross Portola Parkway and begin your ride at Borrego Trail. This is a one-way trail with a slightly gradual grade for approximately two miles.

Continue riding on Borrego, where you will meet a few obstacles. At the end of this trail, follow the fork to the right side up Mustard Road. Prepare for a steeper ride at this point. The Mustard Road itself is a fire road that becomes steep as you ride further. This road is where you do some technical riding and show that you are no longer a beginner mountain biker.

The Mustard Road is about 0.6 miles with about 350 feet of climbing. You will teach four corners at the top. Start a singletrack ride by going down the Cactus Hill Trail. The first fork in the road is your clue to continue riding along Sleepy Hollow Trail. Finally, follow the next fork right at the Serrano Cow Trail.

Continue riding until you connect with Serrano Creek Trail or Live Oak Trail. Stay on the trail until you are back at Portola Parkway.

Precautions

The park has a mountain lion warning. Therefore, if you see signs at the park that a trail is closed due to mountain lion sightings, we advise that you take them seriously and steer clear of the affected route.