About Laguna Niguel

Laguna Niguel is an affluent master planned community located in the coastal San Joaquin Hills of southern Orange County, California. The name Laguna Niguel is derived from the words "Laguna" (Spanish for "lagoon",) and "Nigueli" (the name of a Juaneño Indian village once located near Aliso Creek). The population increased from 61,891 at the 2000 census to 62,979 in 2010. The city of Dana Point to the south separates Laguna Niguel and the Pacific. On the east side, Laguna Niguel is separated from San Juan Capistrano by a significant ridge running along Trabuco Creek. To the north lie Aliso Viejo and Laguna Hills. Laguna Niguel is also bordered by Laguna Beach and Mission Viejo.

Laguna Niguel is located on the Rancho Niguel Mexican land grant of Juan Avila. He retained ownership until 1865, when a severe drought killed off most of his cattle. Lewis Moulton, owner of the Moulton Company, bought the area of modern-day Laguna Niguel in 1895, along with significant other portions of the surrounding area from farmers that were hard pressed to earn a living due to a local drought in the area.

Laguna Niguel occupies a hilly basin near the southern end of the San Joaquin Hills, a small coastal mountain range in southern Orange County. On the west is 650-foot (200 m) Niguel Hill, which separates the city from Aliso Canyon, an immense gorge cut by Aliso Creek, one of the county's primary watercourses. The Aliso Canyon area is home to Aliso and Wood Canyons Regional Park, a large wilderness area in the southern county. Although the creek itself only brushes the northwestern border of the city, a major tributary, Sulphur Creek, drains most of northern Laguna Niguel. Sulphur Creek runs through Crown Valley in eastern Laguna Niguel, Crown Valley Park, Laguna Niguel Regional Park and Sulphur Creek Reservoir (Laguna Niguel Lake). The two parks and the lake lie just north of the geographic center of the city.

Like much of Southern California, Laguna Niguel has pleasant weather year-round. On average, August is the hottest month and December the coolest. The highest recorded temperature is 108°F, which occurred in 1963, and the lowest such temperature is 21°F, which was recorded in 1949. Precipitation is sparse in Laguna Niguel, as only five months out of the year receive rainfall greater than one inch. The highest monthly rainfall on average occurs in February and is 2.96 inches (75 mm).