 They extend in a northwest-southeast direction, starting in the northwest in Newport Beach at the southern edge of the Los Angeles Basin, and extending southeast to San Juan Capistrano.Named summits in the San Joaquin Hills include (from north to south)
French Hill in Turtle Rock, Irvine;
Signal Peak and Pelican Hill, both of which are near the Newport Coast neighborhood of Newport Beach;
Temple Hill in Laguna Beach, more commonly known as "Top of the World" after the neighborhood situated on its peak;
and Niguel Hill in Laguna Niguel.A fault line, the San Joaquin Hills blind thrust, lies eight miles below the hills.