La Palma Your Hand

Hike Yorba Linda and Enjoy Beers and Mead Along La Palma Beer Trail in Orange County

11.18.2020
Yorba Linda Orange County Hike and La Palma Beer Trail

{NOTE February 2025: Due to recent rainstorms, be advised this trail may be affected; please use good judgement and caution.}

Looking for a hidden hiking spot? We’ll sweeten the pot! Head to Yorba Linda in northern Orange County to find an inconspicuous 2.5-mile lakebed park loop and a meadery (brewery too) along the ever-growing La Palma Beer Trail.

Park along the street (Buena Vista Avenue) and find the concealed entrance and trailhead to Yorba Linda Lakebed Park on your left at Vista Del Lago. You’ll see the first of a few resident arts and crafts projects throughout the hike that also include a few painted rocks with positive messages. This adds to the charm of the hike, which splits immediately: Take the path to the right and start the loop.

Hike Yorba in Orange County

Enjoy the wide dirt trail as you pass under willows and oaks, alongside a lakebed. At the halfway point (the southernmost portion of the park) you’ll reach a looming ridge with views over the 90-acre space that once was a reservoir. Take a short side trail on your right to reach the highest point of the park. Here the oil derrick pumps contrast with the views of surrounding suburbia.

Person hiking at Yorba Linda Lakebed Park

Head east along the ridge and then descend north; take time to explore the branching trails through the creekbed’s riparian flora. Finally, take the wide path that borders the eastern edge of the park. This leads you back to the trailhead.

American Brew Works in Yorba Linda Orange County

Bonus Mead: Hop in the car for less than 10 minutes to get to Honeypot Meadery to enjoy the perfect sweet (and yes alcoholic) treat for your autumn adventure. We like Prelude, their traditional orange blossom mead, and Knuckles, a unique cyser (apple is added!), but they also have cider. Don’t leave without also stopping at All American Brew Works next door, which has outdoor seating ... and great beer! Make a beeline for Yorba Linda!

To get to the Yorba Linda Lakebed Park trailhead, take the CA-90 to Yorba Linda and exit Yorba Linda Blvd. east. Take the first right on Lakeview Ave, and after 0.6 mile turn left at Buena Vista Ave. Park here; the trailhead is on your immediate right. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories

  1. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

    View

  2. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

    View

  3. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

    View
  4. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. Locals' Feature: Jim Litchfield, Owner of Reno Fly Shop

    If there's a river, you're likely to find Jim Litchfield there. As the owner of Reno Fly Shop, Nevada's premier fly fishing outfitter and shop, Jim's passion for rivers knows no bounds: he's fished in places near and far, including Alaska, Bolivia and Christmas Island. But home is beautiful Reno, where he has been running Reno Fly Shop and leading tailored river float and fly fishing adventures (including beginner-friendly options) for over a decade.

    View

  2. Volcanic Activity

    Northern California is home to one of the most unique ecosystems in the country: Lassen Volcanic National Park. The region features geothermal areas, including the largest dome volcano in the world, Lassen Peak. Hike to the top of this active volcano on a 5-mile out-and-back.  

    View

  3. Great Is an Understatement!

    Tucked against the Utah border in eastern Nevada, Great Basin is a hiking wonderland of 13,000-foot peaks, ancient forests, sub-alpine lakes, and marbled limestone caves.

    View
  4. Lake Nacimiento
    Sponsored

    Savor Summer in Paso Robles

    Ready for the “Great California Road Trip”? Keep it real and rolling in bucolic and beautiful Paso Robles. This down- to-earth destination has everything you need to enjoy the coolest experiences.

    View