Notes about your surroundings

Take a Hike--It’s not at all like Sea World or the Santa Ana Zoo.

This is a wilderness where the lions don’t punch time cards to perform every four hours. If there could be only one word used to describe this place, it would be wild .

Spanning 7,600 acres, Ronald W. Caspers Regional Park is Orange County’s largest county park.

More than 30 miles of trails cross some of the county’s untouched woodlands. For example, while hiking along Cold Spring Canyon, you’ll pass hot pools of sulfur and thickets of alder trees.

This least-taken trail, like many of the park’s other climbs, was washed out by the heavy winter rains and the brush is overgrown. In other words, wear hiking boots.

Another caution: poison oak. All of Orange County’s wilderness parks are brimming with poison oak and wild artichoke. While artichoke only scrapes, poison oak can continue to itch for as long as three weeks. Savvy trailblazers will wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts and will stay on marked trails.

To get to this mountain greenery, take the Ortega Highway east off the Santa Ana Freeway and follow the signs to the park entrance. At the main gate, obtain a wilderness permit. These day passes for hiking cost $2 each.

At Caspers Regional Park, both two- and four-legged animals roam free. Since the latter include cougars, children under 18 years old are not allowed in the park.

The park also features a visitors center and more than 100 campsites, with some including equestrian facilities.

For more information, call (714) 728-0235.