Car Wreck Trail (Laguna Beach)
In This Guide |
|
Total Distance (?) | 3.8 miles (6.1 km) |
Other Options | 2.6 miles - 2 hours to Car Wreck and Back |
Hike Time | 2-3 Hours (Total) |
Difficulty (?) | Moderate |
Total Ascent (?) | 950 feet (290m) |
Highest Elevation | 1,020 feet (311m) |
Fees & Permits | None |
Dogs Allowed | No |
Alerts & Closures (?) | Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park |
Park Phone | 949-923-2200 |
Weather & Forecast | Latest Conditions |
Stay Safe | Copy this webpage link to the clipobard and share with a friend before you hike. Let them know when to expect you back. |
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Hidden in the hills high above Laguna Beach, far away from any road, lies the fabled “car wreck,” 1946 Dodge 5-passenger coupe. Visiting the car wreck became so popular that Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park officially made a trail to it in 2013. Today it’s a fun hike, offering not only a cool vintage car wreck but also expansive views from Catalina to Mt Baldy. This guide has a 3.8 mile loop that makes the climbing a little easier, or you can do a shorter hike to the car wreck and back.
Where is the Car Wreck Trail?
The hike to the Car Wreck Trail starts in Alta Laguna Park, about 1,000 feet above the ocean at Laguna Beach. From the parking area at Alta Laguna Park, you hike into Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park and then to the car wreck.
Use this trailhead address:
Alta Laguna Park, 3299 Alta Laguna Blvd, Laguna Beach, CA 92651


Gear for the Hike
The trails are rather steep, and there is virtually no shade, so it helps to bring the right gear. I recommend good hiking shoes or boots, at least 1L of water, sun protection, and trekking poles if you have them. If you don’t have proper hiking gear, you can certainly get away with fitness clothing, but don’t forget the water. Leave at sunrise before it gets too hot and crowded for the best experience.
Car Wreck Trail Maps

Explore Map on CalTopoView a Printable PDF Hike MapDownload the Hike GPX File
Elevation Profile

3d Map

Hike Brief

- The car wreck is a 1946 Dodge 5-passenger coup. In 1946 they sold for between $1,200-1,700, depending on how fancy you went. Innovations on this 1946 model include electric wipers and replaceable oil filters.
- How did the car get here, in the middle on nowhere? There’s no official answer, but it’s speculated by local historians that it ended up here in the 1960s. At the time, the dirt roads in the hills around Laguna Beach were popular spots for pop-up hippy concerts and hangouts. The likely scenario is that this Dodge was in the hills then and got washed down into the canyon during one of the bigger flash floods caused by heavy rains. That’s the theory, but no one really knows for sure.
- The hike makes a stop at the scenic “Top of the World,” a high point in the area that actually sits on top of a buried reservoir. So it’s more of a “Top of the Reservoir.” The 3 million gallon tank, built in 1996, is gravity fed and acts as a water supply to fight fires.
- The “Top of the World” hill lined up nicely with the takeoff path from the (now closed) Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, and planes have crashed here over the years. Some remains of aircraft used to be visible if you really looked, but I believe the park has removed them now.
Car Wreck Trail Hike Directions
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Video Directions
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Turn by Turn Directions










Keep an eye out for mountain bikes that share the trail with you.














If you want to do the shorter hike, just turn around and go back the way you came from here.









This guide last updated on July 1, 2021. Did something change on this hike? If so, please contact me and let me know. I'll update the guide.