The old Fairy Trail Hike at Oso Creek in Mission Viejo was an artistic and miniature fantasyland brought to you by the same Fairyologist (Andre) who created the Aliso Summit Fairy Trail.
During the summer of 2018 and the holiday season of 2018/19, the hike was located below the Oso Viejo Community Park Playground and along the Oso Creek Trail.
It is no longer there. But there is still fairy magic around Orange County!
Fairy Trails Orange County (2026 Update)
If you are looking for a fairy trail in Orange County, there is a long history dating back almost a decade. That's why this post was originally created!
There is still 2026 fairy trail magic thanks to the my friend, Dee, at @TheFairyDoorProject on Instagram. Follow along with her to find out more.
You might have seen that there have been fairy doors spotted in tree knots on the greenbelt at the end of Camino de los Mares in San Clemente (between the cross streets of Bonanza/Camino del Rio and Diamente/Portico del Norte - near the Roller Coaster Trail), in Orange around the Old Towne circle, and maybe in Los Rios Historic District in San Juan Capistrano.
You can also discover fairies in the Fairy Garden at the front of the Laguna Beach Public Library.
Or if you are down in north county San Diego near Legoland, then check out the fairy garden at Agua Hedionda Discovery Center in Carlsbad!
FAQs
Is Oso Creek fairy trail open? NO. The Oso Creek Fairy Trail was last up along the Oso Creek Trail in winter 2018/2019.
In December 2021 and then for February 2022, the Caring Fairies and a NEW Fairy Trail made their homes at Sycamore Park in Mission Viejo.
Again, there are NO fairy houses at Oso Creek anymore. The Fairy Trail at Sycamore Park in Mission Viejo is also not there anymore.
Fairy Trail Hike History
What follows is my blog post about the Fairy Trail hike from 2019 which I'm leaving up because you never know when the fairies will decide to return along the trail . . .
If your primary purpose is the Fairy Trail, you may want to park in the lower lot leading to the Potocki Center for the Arts to begin at the start of the Fairy Trail.
There really aren't rules on how to explore the trail, but I think it might be more fun to start at the beginning and end with a romp at the awesome double-tunnel-slide playground.
There are complimentary fairy maps at the Potocki Center.
How to Get to the Fairy Trail in Mission Viejo: From the 5 Freeway, take the La Paz exit and head east past Marguerite Parkway. Make a left just past Marguerite into the parking lot past the stores, across the creek, on your left. MAP TO THE FAIRY TRAIL HIKE AT OSO CREEK IN MISSION VIEJO
We visited about an hour before sunset when the day was cooling off. I think my daughter may have caught a photo of fairies flying!
Although other local bloggers jumped right in, I hesitated to cover the original Aliso Summit version of this trail because I didn't know if it was sanctioned by the entities that managed the site -- or how long it would be around -- or even who was responsible.
Who could have predicted the Fairy Trail's popularity? Who could have predicted a little kindness and caring would draw people to it in droves?
I mean, I even spotted coverage of the trail on the Atlas Obscura website! Wow.
I'm exceedingly happy to support both the Fairyologist and this new iteration of the Fairy Trail hike at Oso Creek Trail in Mission Viejo.
Andreas and I hit it off right away on the phone.
He's doing this for all the right reasons - inspiring art in our youth and generating interest in the cultural arts in our community.
And, in my opinion, infusing a little imagination and wonder into our everyday lives.
Now this Fairy Trail in Mission Viejo has the parking and infrastructure to support visitors to this magical land -- plus the added support and permission of the Mission Viejo arts community.
This spot is so perfect! Although it's inside a manicured and maintained city park area -- it feels very wild and mysterious when you are on the trail and see fairy homes hiding in the forest around you.
The fairies spent their first summer here in Summer 2018 and they were back for November and December 2018 for their winter holiday.
Then they lived year-round in the courtyard of the Potocki Center for the Arts in Mission Viejo (former home of World Cup & Women's Soccer) and the fairies were back on the trail for the holidays in November and December 2019.
Fairy home and garden workshops were offered at the Potocki Center for the Arts continue through the fall, with special fairy-themed workshops for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Ways to Show Your Love for the Fairy Trail
Mission Viejo needs to know how much you love this trail and want to see it stick around. If you love it, you should be able to contribute one of the following . . .
Respect the Homes and Give It a Voice
Visit often and be respectful to maintain the Fairy Trail for other visitors
Use the Fairy Trail for art inspiration at home (photographs, creative writing, artwork in any medium) to SHOW how it inspires you and then share with the Caring Fairies.
Send the Caring Fairies your mail! Whether you choose to send an email or leave your letters and artwork - or even your fairy questions . . . your delivery will be received with gratitude.
First of all, it's nice to know that all the hard work is making a positive difference for you & your family.
It's also a concrete and quantifiable illustration of your support.
The email address is caringfairies [at] gmail [dot] com and there is a Fairy Mail box in the Potocki Center.
Attend and Support the Workshops
Attend a Build a Fairy Home or Build a Fairy Garden workshop (sign up is through the City of Mission Viejo art classes page and the fairy workshops are under the "Art" heading).
Do you have more questions - or, really, do your kids have more questions? Make sure you read the CLEVER Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section of the Caring Fairies website.
They've thought of everything!
Checklist:
- Parking is free. If there is no parking in the lower lot, try the upper lot -- or move to the playground or Village Green parking lots.
- There are no restrooms along the trail, but there are restrooms at the playground.
- The Oso Creek Trail is stroller-friendly, but the Fairy Trail goes off pavement.
- Learn more about the Oso Viejo Community Park playground
- Learn more about the Oso Creek Trail (the trail eventually links up to Pavion Park if you follow the signs, but it's an uphill hike)
- Make it a play trip and pair it with the Mission Viejo Library and/or nearby kid-friendly drive-thru: Bravo Burgers
Thanks Andreas! We hope you come back soon, Caring Fairies!
Originally published in 2018.
