Park In Orange County Where Cougars Were Sighted Reopens

O’Neill Regional Park in Orange County, closed since Dec. 26 after several cougars were sighted, reopened to the public Friday morning with 30 campsites still off-limits.

Richard Dyer, supervising park ranger, said about 1,800 acres of the parks 2,200 acres remain closed.

Although cougars injured two children at Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park about five miles to the southeast, no one had been attacked at O’Neill. But several of the cats were sighted there last December, and tracks were found almost daily in and near picnic and camp grounds.

County park officials chose to close the park until they had a plan to protect visitors.

Now, children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult and may not stay overnight. Adults must be in parties of at least two for overnight stays. Also, one person in each party entering the park must sign a use permit acknowleding the danger from cougars, rattlesnakes and other wild creatures and must assume responsibility for the group’s safety.

“We’re losing 30 of our 182 camp sites,” Dyer said said. “What really hurts is that we’ll have no place for many of those homeless families who won’t be allowed to camp overnight because of their children.”

Caspers Wilderness Park reopened recently with similar restrictions.