Notes about your surroundings

Sage Meeting--The members of Sierra Sage, the South County chapter of the Sierra Club, invite anyone interested to join them at their new meeting place, at REI in Mission Viejo, on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.

This week’s featured speaker will be Pete Bloom, a local independent biological consultant with the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology.

The REI store is at 25732 El Paseo, off Cabot Road just north of Oso Parkway.

Information: (714) 494-3268.

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Park It Here--Mark Memorial Day weekend at Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park meandering through 1,500 acres covered by oak woodlands, grassy hills and rock formations.

Self-guided tours begin at Red Rock Trail, a 1 1/2-mile hike from the park entrance on Portola Parkway.

Don’t let the sight of the shopping center across from the trail head get you down. Once your feet start moving, the thick trees and wildlife will verify that you’re not in South Coast Plaza anymore.

For those who prefer exploring on two wheels or four legs, Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park is open to mountain bikes and equestrians. Motorized vehicles are prohibited. Two popular trails start from the Portola Parkway trail head.

* Vista Point Trail: Four miles round-trip. Leads from heavily wooded Borrego Canyon to a high ridge overlooking South County. Great views.

* Borrego Trail-Mustard Trail-Whiting Road Loop: Six-mile route. Climbs through Borrego Canyon to a mesa-like top called Four Corners. The descent winds through Serrano Canyon to Portola Parkway.

To get there: From Interstate 5, exit on Lake Forest Drive and proceed east 4.8 miles to Portola Parkway. Turn left and drive half a mile to the entrance and parking lot of Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park.

For more information, or to sign up for the naturalist-led hikes, call Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park at (714) 589-4729.