Santa Margarita River Trail

This trail has quickly become my family’s favorite place to creek stomp! The entire trail is 5 miles round trip, but this review is just the 1.5 mile round trip to the creek stomping area, which also avoids the major hills. If you’d like to make the hike longer, you are welcome to pass the creek area and keep hiking. The trail is almost entirely flat to the creek, but there were a few little rock scrambles my 4 year old easily did on her own. The trail is wide, but does have a drop off on the side of the creek the majority of the way (you can see it in my pictures). Keep an eye out for poison oak, which lined the majority of the trail. Leashed friendly dogs are welcome on the trail and in the creek. In the parking lot you will find two porta potties. Follow the wide trail that follows the creek. Soon you will reach what looks like a three way intersection (image with red arrow below). Left is to the creek, right is up a really steep and rocky trail, and straight is the easiest trail. A little ways down the right and middle trails meet back up. Continue to follow the trail until your GPS hits roughly 0.75 miles. On your right you will see a small brown marker with white writing that says “A6A (picture below),” and just before that you will see a wide trail forking off the left (image below with purple arrow). That trail will take you to the creek. Enjoy stomping in the creek, and then when you are ready to head home take the same path back.