Buck Wild

Hiking Buck Gully Reserve in Newport Beach

06.06.2019

Buck Gully Reserve in Newport Beach is right in the middle of the city but feels like a hidden oasis. As the 5.2-mile (round-trip) out-and-back Buck Gully Trail crosses through the reserve, it gains about 440 feet, making it easy to knock out in a couple of post-work hours. This easy trail mostly feels like a pleasant stroll through nature with just enough incline for a quick leg workout.

Once you enter the reserve, all signs of civilization disappear except for the massive mansions dotting the hills above you. The only sounds you’ll hear are birds chirping and frogs croaking. Keep your eyes open for quail scooting across the trail and cottontail bunnies hiding in the bushes. Bobcats are also known to frequent the area, so keep that in mind if hiking alone near dusk. The reserve sits on 300 acres and is located just one mile away from the glitz and glam of Corona del Mar (in case you want to treat yourself to an après-hike beach sunset). You can start the trail at either end, but the Poppy Avenue entrance has parking right at the trailhead, while the San Joaquin entrance does not. Also, hiking from Poppy to San Joaquin puts the steeper incline on the first half of the hike, so the way back is mostly downhill.

The trail parallels a small stream surrounded by coastal sage scrub and brightly colored wildflowers—a peaceful and serene escape from city life! The temperature drops quickly in the gully after the sun dips behind the hills, especially with those coastal breezes, so a light jacket comes in handy. Note: The Irvine Ranch Conservancy is working to restore the reserve after years of damage due to illegal hiking, so please stay on designated trails. The only legal trails in the reserve are the Bobcat Trail and, of course, Buck Gully.

Buck Gully Reserve is between Poppy Ave. and San Joaquin Hills Rd. in Newport Beach. To get to the Poppy Ave. trailhead (recommended), take the CA-55 south toward Newport Beach. Take exit 5A to merge onto CA-73 south toward San Diego. Take exit 14A onto MacArthur Blvd. toward Newport Beach, followed by a left onto San Joaquin Hills Rd. Make a right onto Marguerite Ave., then a left onto Fifth Ave. Turn left onto Poppy Ave., and the reserve will be on your right. Street parking is available, but pay attention to posted signs. The reserve is open daily from dawn till dusk. No dogs.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View

  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

    View
  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

    View
  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View