Trabuco Cañon National Forest was established as the Trabuco Cañon Forest Reserve by the United States General Land Office in California on February 25, 1893 with 49,920 acres (202.0 km2).
On July 6, 1907 the name was changed to Trabuco Canyon National Forest and lands were added.
It originally covered 109,920 acres (444.8 km2) in the Santa Ana Mountains.
Its purpose was the protection of water presources.
It is now the Cleveland National Forest.