Laguna Coast Wilderness Park
Managed by Orange County Parks
1,023 acres4.1 mi of trail
Muddy Canyon TrailBommer RidgePacific Ridge TrailMissing Link+1
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Don Ramey Logan · CC BY-SA 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Newport Beach
19% of Newport Beach’s land is conserved, and 99% of residents live within a half mile of a park
41 miles of mapped trail cross Newport Beach, 1.7 per square mile of land. 19% of Newport Beach’s land is conserved, about 2,949 acres. 2,951 acres are parks and preserves, 35 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns · #72 of 847 in California. What drives it
Conserved land
19%
2,949 acres · of 23.8 sq mi of land
Trails
41 mi
1.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,951 ac
35 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
99 mi
68 mi lanes · 27 mi paths
Highest peak
1,184 ft
Signal Peak
Lakes & rivers
8
38 beaches · 5 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Newport Beach?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Newport Beach have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Newport Beach is ahead of 97% of U.S. towns, #72 of 847 in California. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Newport Beach’s overall grade.
Conserved land19% of the land · typical CA town 4% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (41 mi) · CA 0.9 · U.S. 0.4APark land35 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,951 acres) · CA 5 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home99% of residents within a half mile of a park · CA 91% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 97%
LessMore
California towns of 2,500+ (847)Ahead of 92%
Water is 9% of Newport Beach’s area (2 of 26 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 18%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, with 4.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Buck Gully Reserve
Managed by City of Newport Beach
298 acres3.5 mi of trail
Buck Gully TrailBobcat Trail
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Crystal Cove State Park
Managed by California Department of Parks and Recreation
257 acres1.4 mi of trail
Crystal Cove Access
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Civic Center Park
Managed by City of Newport Beach
9 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
San Miguel Park
Park
8 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Bonita Canyon Sports Park
Managed by City of Newport Beach
22 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 38 parks & preserves
Laguna Coast Wilderness Park1,023 acres · 4.1 mi of trail · Orange County Parks
DirectionsBuck Gully Reserve298 acres · 3.5 mi of trail · City of Newport Beach
DirectionsCrystal Cove State Park257 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · California Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsCivic Center Park9 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · City of Newport Beach
DirectionsSan Miguel Park8 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Bonita Canyon Sports Park22 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City of Newport Beach
DirectionsEastbluff Park17 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsMariners Park10 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsArroyo Park6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsPeninsula Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCoastal Peak Park10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsGrant Howald Park8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Newport Beach
DirectionsBuffalo Hills Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Newport Beach
DirectionsBayside Dr Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
John Wayne Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsUptown Newport Park1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSunset Ridge Park13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBonita Creek Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHarbor View Nature Park11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Bob Henry Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Newport Beach
DirectionsSpyglass Hill Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Inspiration Point1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve169 acres · Orange County
DirectionsRandall Preserve40 acres
DirectionsCastaways Park18 acres · City of Newport Beach Department of Recreation & Senior Services
DirectionsCrystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area17 acres
DirectionsBack Bay View Park10 acres · City of Newport Beach Department of Recreation & Senior Services
DirectionsMarina Park8 acres
DirectionsBonita Canyon Sports Park West6 acres
DirectionsWest Newport Park5 acres
DirectionsSunset View Park5 acres
DirectionsCliff Drive Park4 acres
DirectionsEnvironmental Nature Center (ENC)4 acres
DirectionsBegonia Park2 acres · City of Newport Beach
Westcliff Park2 acres
DirectionsGalaxy View Park1 acres
Channel Park1 acres
Directions38th Street Park1 acres
Who protects it
2,949 conserved acres
19% of Newport Beach’s land. Water is left out: Newport Beach has 23.8 square miles of land and 2.2 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Newport Beach’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
County1,287 ac
Town or city835 ac
State fish & wildlife506 ac
State parks269 ac
Private owners50 ac
Local Conservation Area · 1,473 acState Conservation Area · 506 acLocal Park · 354 acState Park · 269 acLocal Other or Unknown · 205 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 70 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laguna Coast Wilderness Park Local Conservation Area | County | 1,029 | Open |
| Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 506 | Open |
| Buck Gully Reserve Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 299 | Open |
| Crystal Cove State Park State Park | State parks | 269 | Open |
| Irvine holding 29 Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 141 | Open |
| Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve Local Conservation Area | County | 139 | Open |
| Newport Dunes Aquatic Park Local Park | County | 66 | Open |
| Bonita Canyon Sports Park Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 46 | Open |
| Santa Ana River County Beach Local Park | County | 43 | Open |
| Big Canyon Park Local Park | Town or city | 40 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
155 places to go in Newport Beach
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Newport Beach
China Cove Beach
DirectionsEdgewater
DirectionsNewport Beach
DirectionsNewport Dunes
DirectionsNorth Star Beach
DirectionsThe Resort at Pelican Hill
Directions38 beaches are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Public pools in Newport Beach
Plus 1 public pool without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Newport Beach
71 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Newport Beach
City of Newport Beach Dog ParkHours: Mon–Sun 7 am – 7 pm
DirectionsBoat launches in Newport Beach
5 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Waterfalls in Newport Beach
3 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Newport Beach
Moro Cove OverlookIn Crystal Cove State Park
DirectionsPelican PointIn Crystal Cove State Park
DirectionsReef Point VistaIn Crystal Cove State Park
DirectionsPlus 22 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Newport Beach
Signal Peak1,184 ft elevation
DirectionsPelican Hill728 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Newport Beach
Sunset Ridge Picnic AreaIn Sunset Ridge Park
DirectionsSunset View Picnic AreaIn Sunset View Park
DirectionsPlus 3 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Newport Beach
1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
20 named trails and 8 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 12.4 miHorses · 5.3 miUnpaved · 19.2 mi
Buck Gully Trail2.5 mi
Pacific Ridge Trail1.2 mi
Brian's Trail1.0 mi
Muddy Canyon Trail1.0 mi
Bommer Ridge0.9 mi
Missing Link0.4 mi
Crystal Cove Access0.4 mi
West Fork Trail0.3 mi
Fence Line0.2 mi
Bobcat Trail0.2 mi
10 more trails
Arroyo Park Singletrack
0.2 miSlow 'N Easy
0.1 miMoro Canyon Trail
0.1 miTrail D
0.1 miCape Cove
0.1 miNo Name Ridge
0.1 miShelter Cove
0.1 miVista del Vela
0.1 miReef Cove
0.1 miElevator Trail
0.1 miBiking & sports
99 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
68 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
27 mi
off-road bike paths
4.1 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
153Tennis
112Pickleball
80Basketball
69Beach volleyball
29Baseball
20Soccer
14Tracks
3Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →6 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 11 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Lovell Beach HouseBuilding · listed 1974
About itCrystal Cove Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1979
About itBalboa PavilionBuilding · listed 1984
About itBalboa InnBuilding · listed 1986
About itBank of Balboa-Bank of AmericaBuilding · listed 1986
About itWILD GOOSE (yacht)Structure · listed 2011
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Newport Beach: April to August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.1 | 10.9 | 11.9 | 13.0 | 13.9 | 14.4 | 14.2 | 13.4 | 12.3 | 11.3 | 10.4 | 9.9 |
| High (°F) | 69 | 68 | 69 | 71 | 72 | 75 | 79 | 81 | 81 | 78 | 73 | 68 |
| Rain (in) | 2.6 | 2.9 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 2.1 |
August is the driest month (under 0.1 in) and the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 2.9 inches fall in February, the wettest month. The climate in Newport Beach →
Next door
Newport Beach and its neighbors
Newport Beach has the second most mapped trails of the 3 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newport Beach | 19% | 1.7 | 35 | 99% | A+ |
| Costa Mesa | 9% | 1.2 | 7 | 96% | A− |
| Irvine | 22% | 1.9 | 12 | 99% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Newport Beach
Where can I hike in Newport Beach?
The longest trail networks: Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, 4.1 miles; Buck Gully Reserve, 3.5 miles; Crystal Cove State Park, 1.4 miles; Civic Center Park, 0.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Newport Beach is conserved land?
19% of its land, against a typical 4% for a California town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Newport Beach’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Civic Center Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Newport Beach?
99 miles of bike routes are on the map: 68 of painted or protected lanes, 27 of off-road paths and 4.1 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Newport Beach?
30,419 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Newport Beach or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,951 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Newport Beach have?
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #72 of 847 in California. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Newport Beach neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →