A Local's Take on The Trails Around The Ranch

The quickest way to understand The Ranch is to see its trails, and Grant's Orange County Living channel has filmed plenty of them. This post is the written companion to one of those videos, embedded below, covering the open space that makes this part of South OC feel like a getaway.

A network, not a single path

The West Ridge Trail runs a moderate 10.5 miles across the heart of the property, Chiquita Ridge links Sendero and Esencia with a 2.2-mile climb, and shorter loops like the Sendero Loop and Esencia Farm Loop suit easy evenings and little legs. About 17,000 of the ranch's 23,000 acres stay as open space, so the trailheads start right where the villages end.

• West Ridge Trail: roughly 10.5 miles of moderate ridgeline
• Chiquita Ridge Trail: 2.2 miles one way between two villages
• Sendero Loop: an easy 2.8-mile evening loop
• Esencia Farm Loop: short, with views to San Juan Capistrano
• Gato Road hike: reserve-led, past a 500-year-old oak

Go early in summer, carry water on the exposed ridges, and share the path with hikers and equestrians. Trail conditions change with the seasons, so peek at the community trail map before a longer outing, and bring the kids: plenty of these loops suit little legs.

Tours are for shortlisting; the front door is for deciding.

Watch the companion tour embedded below, then browse the rest of Grant's Orange County Living videos for the next stop on your list.