There are so many beautiful trails to explore in Southern California that it can be hard to know where to start. If you’re looking for a relatively easy hiking trail with a spectacular payoff at the end, you can’t go wrong with the Borrego Canyon Trail in Orange County. This is an easy, 4.1-mile hike featuring wildflowers and a shifting landscape, ultimately arriving at Red Rock Canyon. There you’ll find picturesque red sandstone formations, not unlike those of Sedona, Arizona.

You’ll find the trailhead at the Portola Parkway entrance to Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park. The park contains approximately 2,500 acres, with 23 trails available to hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers. Three streams wind through Whiting Ranch - Serrano, Borrego, and Aliso Creek - and you’ll make a few stream crossings on your hike to Red Rock Canyon.
Lei Liu/AllTrails
The park is rich with a stunning diversity of local flora, including wildflowers, oak trees, and cacti, so don’t hesitate to pause and take some photos.
Shin Takagi/AllTrails
Be sure to also keep an eye out for the abundant wildlife – birds, squirrels, rabbits, and mule deer all make their home in Whiting Ranch.
Mercedes Juarez/AllTrails

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Enjoy the cool shade of the oak groves as you continue your trek. There are benches here and there along the path, offering you an opportunity to rest and take in the natural beauty surrounding you.
Ap Qazi/AllTrails
You’ll travel up a slight incline, watching the terrain slowly change and become more desert-like and reminiscent of Arizona or Utah. As you come to the junction with Mustard Road, stay to the left and follow the sign for Red Rock Canyon. You’ll see the sandstone pinnacles up ahead, beckoning you toward the canyon.
Brooke Blandino/AllTrails
Once you finally reach the vibrant red rock formations, take a moment to marvel at this natural wonder hidden away right in Orange County.
Wendy Camargo/AllTrails

Before you head out on your adventure, make sure to check Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park’s website just in case the park is closed due to weather.

Have you taken Borrego Canyon Trail to Red Rock Canyon? We’d love to hear about your experience.

 

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Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park, 27901 Glenn Ranch Rd, Trabuco Canyon, CA 92679, USA