Merry in Moreno Valley

Hike Cold Creek Trail in Moreno Valley

At 2.6 miles round trip, a quick escape to the out-and-back Cold Creek Trail in Moreno Valley is a great way to enjoy a beautiful sunset. The trailhead is located right in the middle of the city (or more accurately, a suburban neighborhood) and is very easy to access.

As you depart from the trailhead, it isn’t long before you leave the neighborhood behind. The trail starts out rather flat as it skirts the back side of houses, but soon you’ll be on a gradual climb (226 feet elevation) into the hills.

Once above the houses, the views open up into a sweeping panorama of the Inland Empire, San Bernardino Mountains, and San Jacinto Mountains (including two of southern California’s tallest peaks: San Gorgonio and San Jacinto).

The trail is wide open and easy to follow for almost the entire length. Just before reaching the end, the trail veers sharply uphill and becomes much narrower—but don’t worry, this part only lasts for a minute or two until you reach a flat area with some really cool rocks. This is the end of the trail.

After snapping a few photos of the view, head back the way you came, enjoying the setting sun for the rest of your hike. For the best sunset experience, aim to start your hike around 45 minutes before the official sunset time, depending on how fast you like to hike.

The Cold Creek Trail is located in Moreno Valley. Map. Park is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Street parking available in the neighborhood but please be respectful of the locals. Dog-friendly.

Story and photos by Natalie Bates, @wanderwithnatalie

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

    View
  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

    View
  4. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View
  2. Hiker walking along the North Bluff Trail on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

    View
  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

    View
  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

    View