I did a 70-miler from here at home in San Clemente, up through Coto de Caza and down Live Oak, and back to the coast via the Aliso Creek Bikeway. BTW, very sketchy going along Ortega from Siega to Antonio! Only 1/4 mile but ZERO shoulder and cars going 50mph plus! I was shitting bricks!
Anyway, on to the question…anyone ever have issues getting into Coto at either of the Oso Parkway gates? I had a guard deny me access to the S. Bend Drive gate, but got in on the northbound gate by riding on the sidewalk.
Yeah, the folks at Coto took a stand and the guards are supposed to deny anyone entry to their little exclusive community.
FWIW, you weren’t the only one defying the odds this morning. Took the motorcycle through Trabuco Canyon as well and watched people riding bike on that road (no bike lane no shoulder) mid day.
Bummer! Just when I discovered the ride they are barring people? Arrggg!
FYI - twenty years ago I was warned NOT to ride on the Ortega Parkway. It was a dangerous section of road then and I suspect that it’s not gotten any safer.
As for the Gated communities, strange that they would not let you in, even though you may have been riding an $8,000 bike 
Maybe try telling that to the guards next time. Tell them that your car cost you 10X that!!!
Personally I have never understood these gated communities. What exactly are they protecting themselves from? In Canada, you can walk/ride/run along the streets where many of the weathiest Canadian live in Toronto areas such as Rosedale, Foresthill and the Bridal Path. Same in Montreal in Rockcliffe, Ottawa along Sussex Drive and in Vancouver in Point Grey or the British Propeties in N. Vancouver.
If you’re looking for a hilly diversion from cycling (boring) Antonio from Oso to Santa Margarita, after you come up Antonio from Ortega to Oso, turn left on Oso (west) and then right on Philipe. Philipe becomes Olympiad which you continue on to Alicia. Turn right on Alicia then left on Santa Margarita to get to the Aliso Creek bike path along El Toro, or turn right on Santa Margarita and take it all the way to Plano Trabucco for the start of the fun canyon run. A couple of other hilly diversions for your pain/pleasure is, once on Plano Trabucco, turn right on Robinson Ranch and climb to the top then back down. Once you wind yourself down the cliff side into O’Neil Park, turn right on Rose Canyon - just past the creek crossing, climb it to the top then back down. Now continue on your way to Cook’s Corner. Your legs should be fairly well trashed by the time you reach Santiago Canyon Road - a perfect time to include Modjeska Grade!
You shouldnt have a problem. If you do want to avoid getting vibed by thte gate guards, hang a left or right at the end of oso onto the southbound sidewalk. There is an equestrian/ walking trail that will get you through the gate unnoticed. It is light crushed gravel so it shouldnt be too rough on the tires, no worse than the garbage all over Oso in that area. I live in RSM and ride through Coto all the time, accessing from the Antonio gate, and ride down to Riley park to MTB or up Oso to Antonio on a training loop. We even go through the gate on a local shop ride on occasion. I havent had any problems in the past. Ortega is a death trap in a car much less a bike. Hopefully La Pata will go through to Talega in the near future which will create an interesting option (not holding my breath).
If you do have issues tell them you are that are from that stud from the the Real Housewives!
You’ve got to understand the mentality of Coto de Caza. Those joke of a human women from the Housewives of Orange County (or whatever that lame show is called) live there, and are very representative of a large population that live there. Take Newport Beach and magnify it by 10 LOL
As others have mentioned, I think it depends on the traffic on whether or not you can get past the guards. I haven’t tried it in awhile, but had no success in previous attempts.
and one more thing…
You might have some issues trying to get out of Coto at the Plano Trabuco gate, there is no sidewalk or way to squek through. I usually go out the Antonio gate.
here is another option for ya…
once you exit Coto, go out to Santa Margarita towards El Toro rd, right on Glenn Ranch, left on Saddleback Ranch, left on Ridgeline to Santiago Canyon…if you are really cool you can throw in a Modjeska Grade run…but I am not really cool. From there you can cruise past Cooks to the Aliso trail. Some fun 6-8+% hills to play with.
Loving all the alternate routes. I really want to avoid that 1/4 stretch of Ortega from the end of the San Juan Creek Bike Trail to Antonio. I was shitting bricks riding along that! I think Rancho Viejo Road/Marguerite and a right on Crown Valley and take that up to Antonio.
You’ve got to understand the mentality of Coto de Caza.
I guess it’s something I just don’t understand. When I was in Florida back in the spring, there were gated communities in the middle of nowhere that had gates, with-in the gates. I was wondering what on earth this set up was for - to keep the millionaires seperated from the multi-millionaires!! It seemed absurd to me. What’s the deal with all the security?
Yeah, hard to get around that bit of Ortega, considering what a good training climb Antonio is. Often I’ll just ride south on Antonio and turn around at Ortega and climb back up. From my work at the far end of RSM to Ortega and back is 20 miles - a great lunchtime jaunt. BTW: With bridge work going on Antonio, the construction zone is pretty dicey.
Yeah, I found that out on Saturday. Today, en route to my wife’s ultrasound appointment, I sort of scouted the Rancho Viejo to Marguerite to CV Pkwy route to Antonio and it looks alot safer. Just glad to have another long ride route. I was getting sick of doing the Pendleton to O’side over and over.
i just ride Santiago Canyon, and if you want more hill work you add in Silverado Canyon, Modjeska Grade, Ridgeline Drive, Live Oak, then back to Glen Ranch and turn on Saddleback ranch road, back to Ridgeline and back to the Canyon to do it all over again. My coach calls it the Alps of Irvine, one lap from where we started was about 4000ft of elevation on my Polar so who knows how much we actually climbed!!!
Ha, ha. I’ve ridden Santiago many times. Great ride, but I wanted some new routes, and reading news stories about cyclists getting hit there kinda spooked me from riding that area for a while.
yeah, but i think most of the people hit if not all have been hit during the evening hours when it starts getting late. early weekends there is not much traffic at all.
Yeah, good point. I rode on a weekday morning one time and couldn’t believe the amount of traffic on that road…I guess all the commuters that live in the Canyon. I’ll stick to early weekends I guess.