page_title: Laguna Canyon
section_title: The creek
hierarchical_section_title: Laguna Canyon / Geography and geology / The creek
caption_attribution_description: English: Waterfall in Laurel Canyon, Laguna Canyon, CA.
context_page_description: Laguna Canyon is the name of a canyon that cuts through the San Joaquin Hills in southern Orange County, California, in the United States, directly south of the city of Irvine. The canyon runs from northeast to southwest, and is drained on the north side by tributaries of San Diego Creek and on the south by Laguna Canyon Creek. It is deeper and more rugged on the southwestern end near Laguna Beach.
  Geologically, the canyon likely originated millions of years ago as the result of San Diego Creek cutting through the San Joaquin Hills. Uplift diverted that stream to its present course, leaving Laguna Canyon as a wind gap. California State Route 133 runs the entire length of the canyon connecting Laguna Beach and Irvine, while California State Route 73 crosses it, running southeast–northwest. A majority of the canyon is located within the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park; small portions are part of Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park and the cities of Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Woods and Aliso Viejo.
context_section_description: Laguna Canyon Creek begins as an ephemeral creek draining a mountainside west of the valley floor down into the canyon. It is briefly culverted where it crosses under Laguna Canyon Road, but most of the upper course flows in a natural channel. It soon passes the Laguna Lakes and receives Little Sycamore Canyon from the right; this creek drains a narrow side canyon which runs about 2 miles (3.2 km) eastward. The creek continues southward, and then passes beneath Laguna Canyon Rd. again and receives Camarillo Canyon, a short and steep tributary, from the right.
  The stream then runs south under the twin California State Route 73 bridges and enters an underground culvert beneath an onramp. While in this culvert, Laurel Canyon (which harbors a 100-foot (30 m) waterfall) and larger Willow Canyon join from the right, then about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) later, the creek re-emerges from underground and flows in a riprap lined channel for the next few miles. It receives its major tributary, El Toro Creek, from the left. El Toro Creek, which follows El Toro Road for much of its length, drains parts of Laguna Hills and Aliso Viejo before emptying into Laguna Canyon Creek.
  The creek turns sharply west and then back south, then shortly after, is forced into a concrete-lined box culvert that carries it through downtown Laguna Beach (This stretch is also known as Broadway Creek.) It then is diverted completely underground and its channel winds to an outfall at Main Beach, one of the most popular beaches in Laguna Beach.
caption: The rock ledge that Laurel Canyon Creek spills over during heavy rainfall, viewed from lower on the Laurel Canyon Trail.
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