La Palma Your Hand

Hike Yorba Linda and Enjoy Beers and Mead Along La Palma Beer Trail in Orange County

11.18.2020
Yorba Linda Orange County Hike and La Palma Beer Trail

{NOTE February 2025: Due to recent rainstorms, be advised this trail may be affected; please use good judgement and caution.}

Looking for a hidden hiking spot? We’ll sweeten the pot! Head to Yorba Linda in northern Orange County to find an inconspicuous 2.5-mile lakebed park loop and a meadery (brewery too) along the ever-growing La Palma Beer Trail.

Park along the street (Buena Vista Avenue) and find the concealed entrance and trailhead to Yorba Linda Lakebed Park on your left at Vista Del Lago. You’ll see the first of a few resident arts and crafts projects throughout the hike that also include a few painted rocks with positive messages. This adds to the charm of the hike, which splits immediately: Take the path to the right and start the loop.

Hike Yorba in Orange County

Enjoy the wide dirt trail as you pass under willows and oaks, alongside a lakebed. At the halfway point (the southernmost portion of the park) you’ll reach a looming ridge with views over the 90-acre space that once was a reservoir. Take a short side trail on your right to reach the highest point of the park. Here the oil derrick pumps contrast with the views of surrounding suburbia.

Person hiking at Yorba Linda Lakebed Park

Head east along the ridge and then descend north; take time to explore the branching trails through the creekbed’s riparian flora. Finally, take the wide path that borders the eastern edge of the park. This leads you back to the trailhead.

American Brew Works in Yorba Linda Orange County

Bonus Mead: Hop in the car for less than 10 minutes to get to Honeypot Meadery to enjoy the perfect sweet (and yes alcoholic) treat for your autumn adventure. We like Prelude, their traditional orange blossom mead, and Knuckles, a unique cyser (apple is added!), but they also have cider. Don’t leave without also stopping at All American Brew Works next door, which has outdoor seating ... and great beer! Make a beeline for Yorba Linda!

To get to the Yorba Linda Lakebed Park trailhead, take the CA-90 to Yorba Linda and exit Yorba Linda Blvd. east. Take the first right on Lakeview Ave, and after 0.6 mile turn left at Buena Vista Ave. Park here; the trailhead is on your immediate right. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories

  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  2. 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
  3. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View

  4. Bucks Up!

    Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Tram to Cool Treks

    Elevate your fun, getting whisked from palm trees to alpine wilderness on the world’s largest rotating tramcar. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway transports you up and away on a 2.5-mile scenic route from the desert floor to the refreshing wilderness of Mount San Jacinto State Park.

    View

  2. Coming Up Roses

    Looking to spice up your hiking life? Give your partner a rose—Mount Rose! The 10-mile out-and-back peak hike goes up to one of the grandest views in all of Lake Tahoe. Get ready f

    View
  3. A group of people clamored around the summit marker at Mission Peak in the Bay Area

    Your Mission Is Less Crowded

    Mission Peak is one of the Bay Area’s most popular mountains, with many hikers climbing every weekend. Skip the crowds with this 6-mile loop up the less-traveled southern route.

    View
  4. Vista Hermosa Park in Echo Park Los Angeles

    Vista Hermosa, Echo That!

    Tucked in Echo Park, the little-known gem of Vista Hermosa Natural Park feels worlds away thanks to its serene beauty and thoughtful design. At 11.5 acres there’s still plenty to explore. And it's got a premier view of the iconic Los Angeles skyline.

    View