This is Piece 6 of a series of 12 puzzle piece caches that I am hiding all across Southern California! Each cache contains a different piece and when you have obtained them all, you can assemble them into a custom-made puzzle. Please feel free to take one puzzle piece, and leave the rest for others! This particular piece is hidden along the Serrano Ridge Trail in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, where you can see scenic coastal canyon views. There are multiple ways that you could begin your journey, since Laguna Coast Wilderness Park is covered in a network of trails, but the shortest way up is to park at Nix Nature Center (parking is $3 at a self-parking kiosk) and begin the hike. Please note that this lot closes at 5pm, so plan accordingly! Starting from the Nix Nature Center, prepare for a 2.3mi roundtrip hike that ascends and decends about 400ft in elevation. Make sure to bring adequate water and sun protection, and a snack if you like. A walking stick and good shoes would be nice for the sandy sections of the trail. Follow Little Sycamore Canyon Trail up until it intersects with Serrano Ridge Trail, then turn right and follow the trail until you have reached ground zero, which will require you to step off the trail into a rock outcropping. Below I have attached two pictures; the first is the view you should see from ground zero looking towards the trail you have just taken, and the second is the view you should see by looking exactly 180 degrees opposite that view, towards the rocks above you. By matching up these two images, you should be at ground zero, so leave no stone unturned; the coordinates should be very accurate. If the pieces are running low or the cache otherwise needs maintenance, let me know and I will address it as soon as possible. Happy trails and best of luck!
Below are the links to the other pieces of the puzzle.
GCAYWT2 - Piece 1 of 12: Icehouse Canyon Trail
GCAYY96 - Piece 2 of 12: Mormon Battalion Peak
GCAZF47 - Piece 3 of 12: La Loma Hills
GCAZF64 - Piece 4 of 12: Lake Mathews
GCAZPN3 - Piece 5 of 12: Maple Springs Trailhead
GCAZPQ7 - Piece 6 of 12: Serrano Ridge Trail (you are here)
GCAZYFB - Piece 7 of 12: Westminster Park
GCAZYFH - Piece 8 of 12: Caruthers Park
GCB087Y - Piece 9 of 12: Ascot Hills Park
GCB0EEE - Piece 10 of 12: Echo Mountain
GCB0FYR - Piece 11 of 12: West Fork, San Gabriel River
GCB0FZJ - Piece 12 of 12: Marshall Canyon Staging Area