Newport Back Bay Loop

The Newport Back Bay Loop is a 10.9 mile path that makes use of numerous multi use paths and walkways to complete a loop around Upper Newport Bay and the Upper Newport Bay State Marine Conservation Area.

The route passes through some incredibly scenic areas, as well as offering access to a variety of features along the bay, including habitat restoration areas, overlook viewpoints, sandy shores, and even paddleboard and kayak rental offices. While this route is pieced together from designated multi use paths, sidewalks along main roads and residential areas, and dirt single track, walkers and hikers are able to bring leashed pets, and those looking to complete the loop on bicycles can do so with just a few alterations.

While the loop can be done in either direction, we'll describe it here going in a clockwise direction.

Beginning at the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve parking area, several dirt trails branch out onto the bluffs and offer a hilltop look down into the bay with the coast visible in the distance. An interpretive center is open to visitors and offers insight into the wildlife and significance to the bay area. The two lane paved Bayview Trail circumvents the parking lot and continues upstream along the bay. The Bayview Trail tends to be one of the most busy areas of the hike, as walkers, joggers, and cyclists all make use of the scenic route.

The trail ends at Jamboree, where crossing a bridge leads to the lower portion of the Mountains To Sea Trail & Bikeway. This path parallels the back bay's eastern shore, and offers the closest views of the bird and aquatic mammal populations that live and visit the bay. Bordered by the base of some cliffs, this portion is wide, though is open to one-way vehicular traffic. Along the route, it passes a parking area for the Big Canyon Loop Trail and interpretive signs, which offers the chance to explore a slightly wilder section of lower creek area as reaches its confluence with the bay.

Proceeding further down the Mountains To Sea trail leads past the parking area for the Back Bay Science Center, and eventually through Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort, which offers kayaks for rent and RV camping area but can get pretty crowded during the peak season. Hikers can walk the paved route around the shore or cut across on a foot bridge. Past this resort, the route reaches residential streets, requiring crossing the busy Pacific Coast Highway traffic bridge on a sidewalk before climbing a hill into a residential area. 

The route through here combines parks and dedicated multi use paths with residential sidewalks and is probably the least interesting portion of the hike - though you can fantasize about owning one of these idyllic homes whose backyards are perched right over the cliffs. 

Eventually a trailhead at the end of a short side road offers entrance back into the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve, where visitors can opt to follow single track paths through the preserve (there are no signs, however cel signal is pretty adequate here), or to meet back up with the paved Bayview Trail and follow that back to the trailhead and parking area.

All in all, this route is just under 11 miles and provides a nice glimpse into the different aspects of the area.

Water and bathrooms are located sporadically along the developed portions of the trail. The Bayview Trail and parking areas are open from sunrise to 7pm daily.