Portola Hills was a census-designated place in Orange County, California, United States. The population was 6,391 at the 2000 census. It was incorporated into the city of Lake Forest, California, in 2000. The tracts were developed in the late 1980s through the early 1990s. The development was named after Gaspar de Portolà, California’s first terrestrial Spanish explorer, who passed through the vicinity in 1769. (Nearby Trabuco Canyon is named for a blunderbuss which was lost by expedition members.) These communities provide country living close to the city and are surrounded by wilderness areas loaded with beautiful canyons full of wild life, wild flowers, streams and hiking trails. Real classic cabins can be found in Silverado and Modjeska Canyons. Custom estates and ranches of several acres can be found in Trabuco Canyon. Outdoor enthusiasts and view lovers can enjoy fishing and picnics at Irvine Lake and camping and hiking at O’Neill Regional Park.
