The Santa Ana is a beautiful California trail
You would think that traveling from the beaches of Huntington and Newport to the Chino Hills would be a tough workout. But surprisingly, the elevation climb of west to east was easier than vice-versa. But more on that later.
The best route for starting California’s Santa Ana River Trail is from the Huntington Beach Trail to Weir Canyon Road. You will notice very little difference, exertion-wise, when going either way on the trail due to the winds usually blowing west to east. So you’ve got elevation gain going west to east, but you’re bucking headwinds going east to west. So it’s a wash.
Even on the weekend, this trail isn’t nearly as crowded as its sister trail, the Huntington Beach Trail… (Learn more about the Santa Ana River Trail here.)
