Map of bike paths / walking paths in the Huntington Beach & Newport Beach area

Recreational trails for walking, running and cycling in Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa & Fountain Valley, California

Huntington Beach, and its neighboring communities, are located in Orange County, south of Los Angeles, along the Pacific Coast. The City of Irvine is to the east and Long Beach is to the northwest.

This area is known for its year-round sunny weather, its long stretch of sandy beaches and world-class surfing. This is an urban area with many residential neighborhoods crisscrossed by freeways. The topography of these beach cities is relatively flat, but there are hilly areas to the south and east.

The major recreational trails for cycling, walking and running in the Huntington Beach and Newport Beach area are:

Santa Ana River Bike Trail & Banning Channel Bikeway

The Santa Ana River Bike Trail is a 13.5-mile long multi-use paved pathway that follows alongside the channel of the Santa Ana River. The Santa Ana River is the boundary between the City of Huntington Beach and Newport Beach and also the City of Costa Mesa. The trail has underpasses at most major intersections, so it is a fantastic way to get out to the beach on a bike without having to deal with traffic.

The west end of the trail is located at the south end of Huntington Beach State Park along the Pacific Coast Highway. This terminus is also a junction with the Huntington Beach Bike Trail heading north and the Pacific Coast Highway Bike Path heading south. The underpass for connection from the other trails is on the north bank, but there are paved pathways on both sides of the river channel at this point. The Banning Channel Bikeway is on the south bank of the river channel. There is also an access path coming in from the northwest from Brookhurst Street in this area. The two pathways head to the northeast from here.

The trails go past Talbert Regional Park and Fairview Park which are located on the south side or the river. Estancia High School is just south of Fairview Park and there are paved and unpaved pathways to get to the campus. Near Fairview Park, there is an access path from Huntington Beach City School and a bridge for the Santa Ana River Bike Trail and east of here there are three pathways paralleling the river. There is a footbridge for crossing the Banning Channel as well.

The Banning Channel Bikeway ends at 1/4 mile northeast of Gisler Avenue. The two pathways for the Santa Ana River Bike Trail continue to the northeast, and travel under Interstate 405. In another 2.5 miles, the trail goes past Centennial Regional Park on W. Edinger Avenue. Farther to the northeast, the trail goes past Spurgeon Park and Spurgeon Intermediate School on W. 5th Street.

The south bank trail ends at W. 19th Street near River View Golf Course. The north bank trail continues past the golf course and goes under the Garden Grove Freeway and Interstate 5. It goes past Angel Stadium of Anaheim and ends at the Honda Center at Katella Avenue and S. Douglas Road.

Read more about the Santa Ana River Trail

Huntington Beach Bike Trail

The Huntington Beach Bike Trail is an 8.5-mile long paved path that is located just east of the beach along the Pacific Ocean. Its a great place to cruise along the shore enjoying the ocean breezes, watch the waves crash along the sand and to partake in some people watching. People use this path for riding bikes, rollerblading, strolling, walking the dog and running.

The northwest end of the Huntington Beach Bike Trail is located at the terminus of Warner Avenue at the Pacific Coast Highway. The paved path heads to the southeast from here going past Bolsa Chica Park, and Huntington Beach State Park. There are fees for parking at Huntington Beach State Park. The south end of the trail is located at the Santa Ana River Bike Trail, half a mile from Brookhurst Street.

Balboa Peninsula Trail

The Balboa Peninsula Trail, also called the Newport Pier to Balboa Pier Trail, is a 3-mile long paved path that follows the shoreline next to the beach residences. The Balboa Peninsula is located southwest of Newport Bay. The northwest end of the pathway is at 36th Street and the path extends to the southeast ending near E Street. The path goes along Newport Beach Municipal Beach and by both the Newport Pier and the Balboa Pier.

Crystal Cove State Park Trail

Crystal Cove State Park is located southeast of the City of Newport Beach along the Pacific Coast Highway. It is a large and hilly natural area with native plants, dunes, bird watching, tidepools, educational opportunities and several paved and unpaved pathways for exploring the area. There are fees for using the parking lots within the park.

Bayview Trail

The Bayview Trail is a 2.75-mile long paved path located in the City of Newport Beach at the end of San Diego Creek. The trail wraps around Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and runs parallel to Irvine Avenue. The west end of the trail is located near Santiago Drive and Irvine Avenue. The trail extends to the intersection of Jamboree Road and University Drive.

There is a junction with the San Diego Creek Trail along Jamboree Road. The San Diego Creek Trail heads to the east into the City of Irvine. You can also use the San Diego Creek Trail to access the trail along MacArthur Boulevard.

Pacific Coast Highway Bike Path

There are stretches of the Pacific Coast Highway that have an adjacent bike path. One stretch starts at the Santa Ana River and extends past Newport Boulevard. The other stretch extends form Newport Bay to MacArthur Boulevard.

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Resources

Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the recreational trails in Huntington Beach & Newport Beach, California.