more stats
1.1 miles
Distance
10 ft
Climb
-323 ft
Descent
00:08:33
Avg time
-314 ft
Altitude change
591 ft
Altitude min
905 ft
Altitude max
905 ft
Altitude start
591 ft
Altitude end
-5.2%
Grade
-29.7%
Grade max
8.5%
Grade min
151 ft
Distance climb
1 mile
Distance down
541 ft
Distance flat
00:08:33
Avg time

Lizards Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Laguna Coast Wilderness Park
    Laguna Beach, California
  • AKA
    Lizard
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (21 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    100 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 90 in Trail Running
    • 85 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
  • Global Ranking
    #8674 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #63654 in Trail Running
    • #74600 in Hiking
    • #998 in Horseback
  • State Ranking
    #220 in Mountain Biking · California [+]
    • #3,102 in Trail Running
    • #4,207 in Hiking
    • #71 in Horseback
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T1 Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    Downhill Primary
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • TTFs on Trail
    Berm, Rock Garden, Skinny
  • Land Owner
    Laguna Canyon Foundation

Coming from the Newport side, the trail starts with a pretty technical downhill section (not beginner friendly). There are some man-made rock gardens with an optional easier dirt line. A couple small optional man made jumps as well. After the initial DH, it's all easy flowy fun single track within the trees except at a mandatory (for mere mortals) rock step-up to finish out the last section of singletrack. This trail is popular with the uphill hiking population, so be aware in the low visibility areas.

Access Info

From the Newport side there's a small unmarked opening on Bommer Ridge.

Tags
BermsFlowyJumpsRock gardensSkinnies
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 6 rides
  • 17 miles average
6 Months
  • 216 rides
  • 14 miles avg distance
All
  • 2,578 rides
  • Last: Oct 20, 2026
c1c2c3c4
January
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December
Status:
on Jul 26, 2026
Dry
Avg: 4.08 (56 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (20,637)
close
      Directions to lizards trailhead (33.598590, -117.792660)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      23 more »
      mtb
      687 |
      Dec 8, 2017 @ 1:40am
      Dec 8, 2017
      mtb
      719 |
      Dec 16, 2016 @ 4:10pm
      Dec 16, 2016
      mtb
      89 |
      Feb 25, 2026 @ 3:14pm
      Feb 25, 2026
      mtb
      127 |
      Oct 17, 2024 @ 5:40pm
      Oct 17, 2024

      Videos

      39 more »
      youtuber WISHING I was a weight weenie
      mtb
      8:18 | 869 | Jan 22, 2018 , Laguna Beach
      youtuber Bumping Down Lizard, Really, El Moro, March...
      mtb
      0:57 | 390 | Mar 27, 2024 , Laguna Beach
      youtuber MTB Riding Lizard First, El Moro, March 15,...
      mtb
      8:40 | 323 | Mar 17, 2024 , Laguna Beach
      youtuber MTB Riding Lizard at El Moro, August 8, 2023...
      mtb
      6:51 | 243 | Aug 15, 2023 , Laguna Beach

      Technical Trail Features (TTF)

      Trail Lists

      Routes with this trail

      109
      Laguna - Advanced Route 1
      ★ 3.5 • 11 miles • 1,520 ft • 7 •
      Laguna Coast Wilderness Park is another fun riding location closer to the beach in Orange County, much...
      294
      Slow & Steady
      ★ 5.0 • 27 miles • 3,783 ft • 24 • Loop •
      Take a tour through 3 different outdoor parks with this route! Nothing too difficult here- as long as you...
      141
      Crystal Cove 19 Miles/3k'
      ★ 5.0 • 19 miles • 3,228 ft • 11 • Loop •
      This route will get you 4 popular black diamond runs in this area.
      4.1 ★★★★★
      56 Ratings
      5 ★ 32%
      4 ★ 52%
      3 ★ 11%
      2 ★ 4%
      1 ★ 2%

      19 Reviews & Comments

      wyone wyone
      99% blue with a few sections rated black.
      Top bit is possibly my favorite section of trail in Laguna, has some really cool flowy lines if you can carry speed.
      I’m very experienced for context, but I’ve taken my 8yo down this trail as well at a very different speed and some walking.
      esangbro esangbro
      Fun flow for most parts, but there are couple technical sections without detour. This trail can be easily BLACK or even DOUBLE BLACK due to these obstacles. Nearly 3-4ft drop / vertical climb rock section is one example. This is def not blue overall.
      mtbwilli
      Very fun side trail, don‘t miss this little gem
      Very different to most other trails around

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      Nearby Trails

      Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Lizards located?
      Lizards is located in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Laguna Beach, California, United States. It is part of the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 33.59859, -117.79266.
      ▼ How hard is Lizards?
      Lizards is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 5.2%.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Lizards?
      Lizards has 10 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 323 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 591 ft to 905 ft.
      ▼ Is Lizards a point to point trail?
      Lizards is not a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Primary. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Lizards?
      Lizards is 1.1 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Lizards?
      There is no information about dogs being allowed on Lizards. Check with local trail managers or the trail page for the latest access rules.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Lizards?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Lizards are:
      • May (145 activities)
      • July (113 activities)
      • April (98 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Lizards? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Lizards are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Lizards?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 9 minutes to ride Lizards. The trail is 1.1 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Lizards?
      Lizards is a very popular trail. There have been 20,696 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 20,637 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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