Nature Interpretive Center and Trails

Staff is extremely helpful and knowledgeable.. We took the walking tour located just outside the building and saw from the cliffs some of the most amazing views. Well worth a visit.

One of the most beautiful hikes in this area. Stairs, flat, beach and the views are amazing. Today was cloudy but it is usually so clear and breathtaking views. You get a good work out and the 2.5 miles goes by so quickly because there is so much to see. A must if you like to hike a beautiful trail.

This place is fantastic! Best place to watch a sunset! Perfect walking trails for my 5 year old niece! She loves watching the birds!

I must confess that I’ve never actually been inside the center, but love the trails and incorporate them into a longer walk starting just North at Strands beach going past the new gazillion dollar lots and custom homes just off the sand. The trail is fully paved and there’s a steep set of steps at the South end of Strands that leads you up through some older houses and condos on the headlands and eventually to the trailhead (the one that doesn’t start at the center).
Once you hit the Sandy trails atop Dana Point (the actual point, not the city), it’s a great undeveloped contrast to the view of the beach mansions you just walked past and houses speckled across the hills to the east. You also get views of Laguna’s craggy cliffs defining the coastline to the North. As you keep walking you can see Dana Point (the city and harbor) and San Clemente sprawling along to the south.
Once you leave the gate (by the center) you can actually catch another segment of the trail that loops you back to the Strands Parking Lot. You simply follow the road downhill towards The Chart House restaurant (which also happens to have gone downhill) and you’ll see some stairs shooting up to the left. Take that until it ends at the guard gate for the beach mansions, but keep going on the sidewalk. You’ll see the trail open up to the left after about 20 paces. Wow this sounds like buried treasure is waiting. No, just your car and some amazing sunsets overlooking Strands beach.
Great walk across some choice South OC landscapes. Enjoy!

We came here for walks on Silva Beach for years but never knew about these trails! Just saw the pictures and maps they recently put at trailheads (great job!) and decided to do it. Short nice hike, takes you to the ChartHouse area and back with options to go down on the beach or farther. Involves nature preserve trails, pavement walks and stairs, and vista points, pretty cool!

Wow. You. Must. Go. Simply stunning. Enough said.

This is a conservation area and an effort to preserve the surrounding land.
I remember coming up here before any of this was built it was just a dirt road that led to the few houses that you see up here.
It’s good to see that the city actually cared enough to preserve what is a great habitat close to the ocean and a great part of what is the California coast line.
This facility is a little shack it has all kinds of information about the area a restroom and a few stuffed creatures that you might see in the SoCal wild.
Right out back you see a little trail that heads down to where the cliff area is providing a gorgeous view of the Dana Point Harbor and some of Laguna.
There’s a decent amount of parking here always because not many people know this place exists which is good for you reading this because your only a drive away from one of the most mellow places in Dana to kick it.

Beautiful, gorgeous, world-​class view of the ocean, perfect sunsets.
Don’t miss the lovely memorial for our brave veterans near there too.

Kind of a little gem in Dana Point — never knew this was here. Beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean and a great place for a run, family walk or a romantic stroll. Overlooks the Strands community which is fun to see these expansive, excessive lots and homes.
Great place for an early evening trail walk and very kid friendly as the entire trail walk is fenced off and little ones can’t get into the bushes unless they literally crawl under the wires (but hopefully you are paying attention to your kids enough that you would catch them, before they crawl into rattlesnake territory).
There is a lot of about 7 – 8 parking spaces and bathrooms at the entrance.

This is a really cool place to take a short walk. Amazing views of the coast and not so crowded during the week. I come here with my wife and we just recently watched some whales migrate up the coast from one of the outlooks built into the trail. If the center maintains it the way they have, I’ll be coming here for years to come.

This is a great little stop with kids. Educational, with cool bones and a very lovely view of the ocean, as well. There are trails for hiking, and if you love photography, like I do — there are lots of photo ops. Outside you can hear the sea lions and we sw dolphins swimming by. This is a small venue at the top of the hill, but easy to find. It overlooks Baby Beach and the harbor.