Bolsa and a Nano Brewery

Hike Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach

Whether you’re a bird nerd or just like beautiful views, the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach is a must-do in these parts. Its 1,341 acres of coastal estuary are home to over 200 avian species. Wander the 3.3-mile lollipop loop trail to explore the varying habitats here, from riparian lowlands to marshes and mudflats and coastal dunes.

Start at the Mesa Trailhead on the east side of the parking lot. You’ll immediately cross a bridge and get to a waterside pathway lined with coyote bush and coast sunflowers. Follow this route for 0.8 mile to the Mesa Trail Overlook. This is the perfect spot to take in the surrounding wetlands and read up on the local flora and fauna.

A few steps down and you’ll find a low bridge across the water. It’s one of the best spots for spying ducks, loggerhead shrikes, and snowy egrets. From the Mesa Trail Overlook, turn left onto the Pocket Loop Trail. This 1-mile loop around the Bolsa Pocket gets you up close to the mudflats full of nesting great blue herons. The route follows the shoreline then curves uphill and bridges to the crest of a sand dune, linking back to the Mesa Trail Overlook.

BEER BONUS: Huntington Beach’s Riip Beer Co. is directly off the Pacific Coast Highway and just across the street from Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. As the home of the Super Cali IPA, the 2016 silver medalist in the Great American Beer Festival IPA category, Riip Beer Co. is definitely a place for IPA lovers. Founded in 2014, Riip Beer Co. made a name as one of the first nano breweries in SoCal and operating on only a 3 bbl nano brewing system. Their small-batch beer is handcrafted, and though they specialize in IPAs, their brews range from blondes to stouts. With plenty of outdoor seating, Riip is an essential stop on a Huntington Beach adventure.

The north entrance of Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve is located at 3842 Warner Ave.,Huntington Beach. Take the Bolsa Chica St. exit from CA-22 and head south. Turn right on Warner Ave. then left into the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve north entrance. The parking lot accommodates bicycles; no bikes on the trail. No dogs.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Can't Top This

    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

    View
  2. This Is Paradise

    Granite mountain-scape, superb sunset views, crystal lakes, and shoreline campsites … the trip to Paradise Lake in Tahoe National Forest lives up to its idyllic name.

    View
  3. Aloha from California

    Say Aloha without leaving California with a 7-mile out-and-back hiking adventure to Lake Aloha in El Dorado National Forest. You can also camp here, a premier place for stargazing.

    View
  4. 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

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Hot As (Bumpass) Hell

    So you like going to all the hot spots when you visit places? Well, in Lassen Volcanic National Park there’s a place so hot it gets downright steamy. Bumpass Hell is the largest hydrothermal area in the park, with sputtering mud pots, sulfur vents, and boiling pools. It’s California’s Yellowstone. But it only opens in summer through fall.

    View
  2. Underground Garden

    Looking to escape the summer heat? Head to Fresno and discover its cool secret: the Forestiere Underground Gardens–an enchanting garden and architecture oasis like no other.

    View
  3. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

    View
  4. 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