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Ecological Reserve of Upper Newport Bay
4.7 ★★★★★ 40 Google reviews · Running trail in Newport Beach, California · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- 10 mi
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Ecological Reserve of Upper Newport Bay's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
What runners say about Ecological Reserve of Upper Newport Bay
“Beautiful scenery, easy access, and it connects the other side so you can enjoy both sides.”
“I found this place by mistake (a wrong turn), and was surprised by how peaceful it is and overwhelmed by it's beauty.”
One of the favorite bike trail. Beautiful scenery, easy access, and it connects the other side so you can enjoy both sides. There is not enough shade so take your shades and water with you in summer.
There’s a back road/bike path that goes behind a trailer park before it leads to the nature center. You can look back at the bay and beach area that was blocked off from the trail. It offers a good ground level view of the bay.
I found this place by mistake (a wrong turn), and was surprised by how peaceful it is and overwhelmed by it's beauty. The air is super fresh here and you can hear the wind, so quite this place is. There are gorgeous birds and breathtaking views. Great place for biking: there's a nice trail and almost no cars ever.
Went on a beautiful day. Nice ocean breeze. Well maintained trail. Lots of water fowl. About a 2.5 mile trail we went on although there are longer ones if you get closer to the water line. We were alerted of 2 coyotes near, we didn't see them. Great for camera buffs. Beautiful birds to see.
Trail conditions & character
“Beautiful scenery, easy access, and it connects the other side so you can enjoy both sides.”
“I found this place by mistake (a wrong turn), and was surprised by how peaceful it is and overwhelmed by it's beauty.”
“5 mile trail we went on although there are longer ones if you get closer to the water line.”
Plan your run at Ecological Reserve of Upper Newport Bay
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- Distance10 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- Websitewildlife.ca.gov
Hours
| Monday | 7 AM–10 PM |
| Tuesday | 7 AM–10 PM |
| Wednesday | 7 AM–10 PM |
| Thursday | 7 AM–10 PM |
| Friday | 7 AM–10 PM |
| Saturday | 7 AM–10 PM |
| Sunday | 7 AM–10 PM |
Running trails near Newport Beach
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Upper Newport Bay State Marine Conservation Area
4.8 ★★★★★ 53 reviews
Scenic park with a one-way path popular for walking, driving, biking and hiking, plus a lake view.
Back Bay View Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 127 reviews
Water-focused campground offering paddle boards and kayak rentals, plus walking trails.
Castaways Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 462 reviews
Paved paths along the water here offer sweeping views of the bay & the ocean, plus parking.
Vista Point
4.8 ★★★★★ 240 reviews
Park featuring paved paths and scenic vistas along the Back Bay, plus wild birds.
Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,272 reviews
Home to many bird species, this 135-acre park offers an interpretive center & hiking/biking trails.