Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park 28373...

Aliso &

Wood Canyons

Wilderness Park

28373 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Niguel

Park Information: (949) 923-2200 or https://www.ocparks.com

The park is open daily, year ‘round, 7 a.m. to sunset, for hiking,

bicycling and equestrian use. Parking is $2. No pets.

Learn about the canyons’ history, plants, animals and trails

during a 30-minute Nature Discovery Talk at noon on Saturday. Meet in

front of the Natural History Museum at the entrance to the park.

Opportunities for special hiking programs can be arranged by

calling Ranger Carroll at (949) 923-2299.

The Orange County Natural History Museum is located at the park

entrance, open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Information: (949) 831-3287 or https://www.ocnha.mus.ca.us.

Crystal Cove

State Park

8471 Pacific Coast Highway, Laguna Beach

Park Conditions: (949) 494-3539; Interpretive Programs: (949)

497-7647

https://www.crystalcove statepark.com

The park is open 6 a.m. to sunset daily, year ‘round, for hiking,

bicycling and equestrian use. The park includes backcountry, bluff

top and beach areas with access at different points. Parking $5. Dogs

are allowed only on paved paths above the beach.

Special Activities: 10 a.m. Saturday, join the monthly Historic

District Walk and view historic cottages on the Crystal Cove coast.

Meet at the Los Trancos parking lot by the trailer (Los Trancos

stoplight). Docent-led backcountry hikes are scheduled for 9 a.m.

most Saturdays and Sundays. Upcoming dates include Sunday, Oct. 18,

19, 25 and 26. Hikes are three- to five-miles and last about two

hours. Be sure to bring water and wear hiking boots. Meet at El Moro

Visitors Center (Coast Highway, School-State Park stoplight). A tide

pool walk is scheduled for 3 p.m. Oct. 25 .

El Moro Visitors Center is open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday and

Sunday and 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Crystal Cove Historic District Visitors Center is open 10 a.m. to

4 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Crystal Cove Interpretive

Assn. welcomes new volunteers. Call (949) 497-7648.

Irvine Ranch

Land Reserve

The Nature Conservancy (714) 832-7478 or irvineranch@tnc.org.

Participants meet at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park Headquarters on

Laguna Canyon Road just south of the El Toro Road intersection. All

tours are free, but require reservations. Reservations for each

weekend close at 2 p.m. Fridays.

Special Activities: At 7:30 a.m. Saturday take a bird hike with

Maya Decker in Laurel Canyon. Equestrians can ride in Laguna Canyon

Wilderness Park at 8 a.m. Sunday. At 8 a.m. Thursday take advantage

of a six- to 10-mile, two-hour mountain bike ride in Laguna Coast

Wilderness Park. Start your day on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 8 a.m. with

an eight-mile, three-hour aerobic hike in Emerald Canyon. Four hikes

are planned on Saturday, Oct. 25: At 8 a.m. choose between an

eight-mile, four- to five-hour hike in Emerald Canyon and a 12-mile,

three- to four-hour hike through Shady and Serrano canyons; at either

9 or 9:30 a.m. join three-mile, two- to three-hour hikes in Laurel

Canyon. On Oct. 26 at 8 a.m. take a two- to three-mile, two- to

three-hour easy walk in Laguna Laurel.

Laguna Coast

Wilderness Park

20101 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach

(949) 923-2235 or https://www.ocparks.com, nonprofit support group

Web sites https://www.laguna canyon.org and https://www.laguna

greenbelt.org.

Call the rangers to ask about special group hikes for schools,

scouts and other organizations and clubs. Parking is $2. No dogs.

Wilderness access: Willow Canyon Staging Area 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

every Saturday and Sunday, 20101 Laguna Canyon Road just south of El

Toro Road intersection. Open for hikers, equestrians and mountain

bicyclists on specified trails without guides.

Jim Dilley Staging Area 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday

for hikers only on specified trails without guides. On Laguna Canyon

Road just north of the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor.

Trails include Barbara’s Lake, the largest of the Laguna lakes,

Orange County’s only natural lakes.

Special Activities by Laguna Greenbelt, Inc. docent volunteers,

call (949) 923-2235 for reservations and information. At 8 a.m. every

Saturday join a guided hike through Laurel Canyon.

Help with restoration projects on Oct. 18 and every third Saturday

from 8 to 11 a.m. All volunteers receive free “Keep it Wild” T-shirts

provided by the Laguna Canyon Foundation. At 7:30 a.m. Oct. 19 and

every third Sunday enjoy a six-mile guided hike through Emerald

Canyon. Hikers meet at Willow Canyon Staging Area. $2 donation per

hiker.

Laguna Heights: Open 7 a.m. to sunset daily year round. Trailhead

for West Ridge trail and other trails into Aliso and Wood Canyons

Wilderness Park.

Laguna Greenbelt, Inc. welcomes volunteers, call (949) 497-8190

for more information or at https://www.laguna greenbelt.org.

* Activities compiled by Ellen Girardeau Kempler, LAGUNA CANYON

FOUNDATION, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to preserving,

enhancing and protecting Laguna Coast Wilderness Park and the

adjacent coastal canyon parks. For more information check out

https://www.lagunacanyon.org or (949) 855-PARK (7275).