Back Bay Loop Trail

I guess how you feel about this place depends on how you plan to use it. Could be fun on a bike (track bike) since it is all paved and don’t have to worry about lots of traffic. Could be good for a family with young kids since and a stroller would be feasible. Could be good for joggers. I went with my dog to hike and there are no dirt trails, there is excessive debris in the water/​plants and there is a funky sewage smell in places.

Did the entire 10+ miles on Friday. Very enjoyable run/​hike/​walk. I definitely under estimated the distance as my knees were feeling the last few miles. It took a little more than 2 hours to complete.
The reason why I gave this a 4 and not a five is because there was an overcast that day so it was a bit gloomy. I also wished you didn’t have to go through the residential are for such an extensive part of the loop. But then again, I don’t think this was really meant to be a loop but people who like the challenge created a loop out of it. ;)
One advice… once you’re more than half way, your committed. Not like you can get to the other side by crossing the bay! haha
I parked by Back Bay Dr and Shellmarker Rd. I’m not sure if it was because I went on a weekday or not but there were plenty of free parking on the street. But I came across a few different spots throughout the loop where one can park and enter the loop.

Back Bay Park — A Magical Place
Does it just happens to you to be in Irvine, Newport Beach, or Costa Mesa? You will be happy to know to be at just few minutes from the most amazing marine park, full of nature, birds, snails, flowers, plants, hike trails, bicycle paths, and gorgeous views of blue sky and water, you can image.
Nature provides unbeatable shows. And free.
Please think at the most amazing man-​made garden or park, or even a giant building like a skyscraper in New York or the Colosseum in Rome. Then compare with what you see here.
Right in the middle of civilization, Back Bay is a huge self-​sustained ecosystem with delicate balance of life, providing exultation of colors and smells in Spring. Walk anywhere by the water shore, at sunrise, and listen carefully. Can you hear that little hummingbird singing there? And later the other ones echoing on the other side? Sometime turning their head, indifferent to you, you will see some elegant cranes opening their (unsuspected so well tightly folded) wide wings to fly away, without emitting a sound or a noise, taking off leaving you with your wonder. Take home your wonder, it will last for days and don’t be afraid to tell to your loved ones how Magic Life is.
What it makes «practicable» the Magic of this place is the fact that you can park the car at Irvine and University (that corner right there is called «Mile 0») and then you just walk in the wildness in 30 seconds.
From mile 0 to Belvedere and back it is 5.2 miles, great for my every day jogging. The Loop (about 12 miles, perfect for half marathon training) is fun with gentle slopes.
Smiling people of all ages and ethnics, sometimes with dogs running faster of their owners, other super athletic, few horses.
But if you walk the mini trails is where everything becomes Magical.
5 Stars!!!
Luigius — Thor of Unilocal Energy

This trail is awesome. It’s 10 miles of flat running goodness with a hill here & there.
PARKING: I normally park along Back Bay Drive coming from Jamboree near the Back Bay Science Center. There’s plenty of free street parking here. I’ve only gone on the weekends and I haven’t had trouble finding parking.
This is the perfect place to get your long runs in on the weekend if you’re training for a race. Once you start the trail you’ll start noticing mile markers every .25 miles — super helpful! Also a great place to bike. I’ve seen several bikers here. And if running & biking is not your thing, I’ve brought the pups here for longer walks & I’ve also seen families take walks. Something for everyone :)
TIP: Make sure you bring water and use the restroom before your run/​bike/​walk etc. There were no water fountains that I’ve noticed and the only bathroom I saw was a porta potty at mile 1. Good news — seems like they clean the porta potty often!
I wish I knew about this place last summer when I was training for my Disneyland Half Marathon. It would have definitely made my Sunday run day long runs a lot more bearable. Good news is that I can add this into my running rotation while I train for this year’s race — YAY!

Great place to ride bike, walk, run are first time here and we love it we will be back soon

This is a great place to run for any serious runner. It’s pretty much all flat with a couple of smaller hills. Yes, this is a 10-​mile loop but you can make it even longer if you follow signs to take the San Diego bike trail.
Lots of bikers, runners and walkers. It was on a weekday around 2PM so it wasn’t too crowded. I can see this being packed on weekends.
Using a GPS to get here will take you to Back Bay Drive and Shellmaker Rd, however the best place to park is on Eastbluff Drive. You can park on the street and you’ll see signs to start the trail. There are signs each mile which is nice!

Not a strenuous or hilly hike, but a relaxing walk. The entire loop is 10 miles. It’s paved and there are lines separating bicyclists and walkers/​runners. We started at Back Bay Science Center and headed north for about 2.25 miles. On Sundays they have «open house» from 10AM — 2PM, which means they have small touch pools with sea anemone, uni, lobster, starfish, sharks, and rays. There’s also a variety of birds around (we saw hummingbird, ducks, cranes, and other birds). There’s mini-​dirt trails you can take off the paved road which was fun to find! Would definitely come back to bike the loop.

Zulu (my dog) and I finally completed the whole loop on foot today! To some pros it may seem like nothing, but it was quite a feat for us. We printed out Stacey Z’s map (
) and used that to help us navigate the boring street parts.
We started at Castaways Park and went north from there. Luckily there are signs either on the sidewalk or on light posts pointing you in the correct direction to go for the Back Bay Loop Trail — VERY helpful!
Most of the trail is very nice and close to the bay, like others have mentioned some parts (Parts of Dover St and Irvine Ave) are just neighborhoods and kinda boring, but we got that out of the way in the beginning so it was not so bad.
We will definitely do this trail again sometime… but for now, plenty of rest.

One of the most beautiful and scenic views in Newport! My friends and I do a mini triatholon here every couple months and it’s a great spot to host it. There’s a lake you can swim in, nice biking trails, and gorgeous backyards of houses you wish you owned: p I love that the location isn’t too far from the beach.
It’s a good biking trail and definitely works your legs out. For some reason I love running miles here instead of biking. Very nice smooth roads and surprisingly all the mile markers are still there. Lots of nice people here on the weekend that randomly say good morning to you if they happen to be going the opposite direction. They also have paddle boarding and kayaking here, but I haven’t tried it. Parking is free for the most part which is a bonus!

The highlight of my day is coming here. The scenery is stunning and I love the trails.
It’s funny how a person can show up and be a sour puss but you help leaving with a smile on your face. The main road can definitely get busy with walkers, runners, cyclists and parents with stiller however, everyone is super friendly you end up saying hello to almost everyone you encounter. The locals know all the great secret trails.
On the backside you can also kayak, paddleboard.
Yes, I highly recommend :) just don’t my trails getting over crowded. Yup I’m selfish :)

I need to come back here to cycle because this did not seem much of a nature hike during the last quarter of this trail.
Originally I came here and explored this hike for my cousin’s birthday. We went east on the trail which lead to confusing dirt trails that sometimes branched off to dead ends that eventually lead to a neighborhood. After an hour, we decided to leave to have lunch because we wouldn’t have enough time to do the whole loop.
My fiancé and I decided to come back here and give the whole trail a try & started off west on the trail from the parking lot on Irvine Blvd. It started out great, we had to walk over the overpass/​bridge to continue on the back bay loop which lead to a concrete paved road along the bay that consisted of plenty of plants, snakes, birds, and fish. It was definitely beautiful, quiet, and serene.
This is where I started to be disappointed. By the end of the 5 miles or so of paved road, you reach pacific coast hwy and take the sidewalk all the way to Dover Rd. and enter a suburban neighborhood where you would have to walk another 2.5 miles to get back to the east side of the trails that I originally did with my cousin, which then lead back to the parking lot at Irvine Blvd. I was disappointed because I had hoped this trail would be more along the bay and nature than having to look at well kept lawns and rich architectural homes. At this point, I figured this loop was meant for cyclists.
Overall, because of the man-​made paved roads, I feel this trail would be better suited for cyclists and great place to do a jog if you start on the west side of the trail next to Jamboree Rd.
Nonetheless, I was proud that my fiancé and I accomplished a 10+ mile hike. And although I strained my ankle, at least I know I can do it! Next stop, Mt. Baldy!

This is a great place to get a nice workout while being able to enjoy nature’s simple pleasures. As a UCI student this place is easily accessible and take you as far as Bill Barber Park to even the Newport/​Balboa Island area. It’s great for all ages and great for all tools of transportation. I’ve usually saved about 2 hours for a safe round trip reaching one end to the other biking. The path may not be intense but it’s quite a lengthy trail.
Tips:
Bring water just in case
Money if end up in Newport or take the back end to Ralph’s
Be sure to share the road!

This trail has a beautiful scenic route, but it’s not as a great review as the trail closer to the UCI campus.
1. Vehicles share this road. It makes it a little stressful looking for vehicles and having a small space to run. No matter which way you are running, you will be on the side closer to the bay.
2. It’s mostly pavement instead of dirt. I really like the dirt trail closer to the UCI campus because it is easier on your feet. For me, me shins start to hurt and I run 3 miles to the end, and 3 miles back.
Other than that, if you go during sunset, it’s worth going.

I visited once, and hopefully I’ll be coming back more in the future! Thanks to fellow Unilocalers, I found the parking lot off of University Dr and Irvine Ave. Parking was not hard to find at all. There are some mini trails by the parking lot, but the actual loop continues down the street toward the YMCA.
I didn’t have enough time to go through the entire 10 miles, but from what I’ve seen, it’s nice and quiet. Mostly bikers come through in the morning, but there are some joggers too. As other reviewers caution, bring your own water and wait to use restroom after your exercise. There are no bathrooms here.

Back Bay loop is a scenic and serene trail great for walking, running, and cycling. For bike ride, we start from Irvine Civic Center Plaza to Castaway Park for ~18 mile ride roundtrip:
Start on San Diego Creek Trail head down Newport Beach direction
Make a left towards Bayview Trail come out on Jamboree/​Eastbluff
Make a right at Eastbluff
Make a right down to BackBay Drive
Make a right into Newport Dune entrance to cross the Newport Dune Bridge
Continue on Bayside Drive
Make a right on PCH
Make a right on Dover
Within 200ft, take the entrance into Castaway Park on the right and climb up the hill to enjoy the viewpoint (~ 9miles halfway point)
Continue on the bike trail, make a right and then slight right onto Santiago
Make a right on Irvine to take Bayview Trail
Make a right on Jamboree to merge onto San Diego Creek Trail to starting point
Really enjoyed the scenery around the bay, very calming and relaxing. Most of the ride is fairly flat; the toughest part of the ride is the little hill entering Castaway Park. There are various types of cyclists on this trail, so just take it at your own pace. People are also very friendly if you need help with flats or roadside assistance.
TIP: If you are riding at dusk/​night, be sure to bring BRIGHT lights since it’s really dark on the bike trail with no streetlights.

The best 10 mile loop around! Oh how I love this path. I’ve only used it for running, and I can say that it’s one of the most reliable workout locations I’ve got in my repertoire.
I’ve run it in rain and shine, and it’s always great. The part of the loop that’s actually on back bay is divided with a small lane, that I usually take to be for foot traffic. There are a lot of road bikes most of the time, and they usually stay over on the larger part of the path.
There is an option to stay on the path and loop through the mobile park, or to go up Jamboree to PCH and pick up the path again as it goes up to Dover.
Either way, this is such a fun, gorgeous run. I train on it as much as I can! Check it out!

10 miles of beauty and serenity.
Long distance running seems forever, but when you have this loop as your backyard, 10 miles seem like a breeze! The Back Bay is a scenic and relaxing run that many bicyclists and runners gather. It is a rather flat trail and pretty easy to do long distance runs. It’s also a great place to walk with a few girlfriends a chit chat. While on our run, we ran into a few people taking engagement photos, which were absolutely beautiful since the gold and reddish rays of the sunset reflect beautifully on the water. There are a few bugs, but that is expected since it is in a «swamp» like area and they don’t really bother you. Just have bug spray, in case. This place is very safe and a great place for everyone to enjoy the outdoors! Leslie Knope would be proud of how clean everyone has kept this natural preserve park!

I don’t know how I ended up here, but I’m sure glad I did!
It’s more of a road than a trail I’d say. Nonetheless, a very nice walk along the waterway. A lot of locals out walking, and cyclists. It will take roughly 1.5 hours to walk from Irvine University down to the coast. I’d love to do it again sometime.

Runner’s Paradise! I ran my long run here last weekend for my marathon training plan. Back Bay Loop is a 10.5 mile loop that is truly beautiful. No cars… just trails on trails on trails. The views of Newport Harbor are divine. With approximately 9,000 boats, Newport Harbor is one of the largest recreational boat harbors on the U.S. west coast. The trails are very sunny so go early and make sure to put on some sun block. I parked near the Back Bay Science Center at Shellmaker Island (600 Shellmaker Rd. Newport Beach 92 660) on Back Bay Drive off of Jamboree Road. There’s free street parking on Back Bay Drive… the science center wasn’t open yet so I opted for the street parking.
I ran by the Newport Dunes, the Aquatic Center, Mariners Park and the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center. Upon reaching the Interpretive Center you are officially at Upper Newport Bay. Follow this around until you reach Back Bay Road to follow it back down to the Science Center. There are lots of runners, walkers and bikers so if you feel like you’re lost, follow the others as they are most likely going around the Bay as well. And just remember, your goal is to go around the bay so stay close to the water and you will be fine. Sometimes our internal compass is all we need. Nonetheless, I’ve posted a map on here with the loop highlighted for your reference. Also, make sure you bring your own water to stay hydrated as I didn’t see one water fountain the entire way. Have a good workout and make sure to stop and take in the beauty that is the Newport Harbor & Bay!

I road all the way around the loop.
I would probably have given it a 5 if the path went all the way around. Path covers about ²⁄₃ of the loop. The ¹⁄₃ with no path you have to walk sidewalks in neighborhoods or ride your bike in the street in the bike lane.
Plus No bathrooms.
New Port Beach probably doesn’t want bathrooms on the loop because it attracts transients. No bathrooms keeps the riff-​raff out is probably their thinking because there certainly are adequate parks on the loop, and land to build at least one on the loop if they wanted to.
Well, consider this not only a good athletic workout, but also a Bladder workout.
TONS of signs on the loop. I posted some here. I have never seen so many signs in a recreational area. They must put up a new sign every month.
All in all, it is fun to ride here occasionally – mainly flat, some rolly hills – nothing too severe. And just a few blocks off the loop is Fashion Island Shopping or Balboa Island is not too far away either.