Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park...

Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park

28373 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Niguel

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

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

hiking, bicycling and equestrian use. Parking $2. No dogs.

Special Activities: Join Ranger Carroll for a free 30-minute

informative nature walk on Saturday, Oct. 26. Meet at noon in front

of the Natural History Museum at the entrance to the Park. Special

hiking programs can be arranged by calling Ranger Carroll at (949)

923-2200.

The Orange County Natural History Museum is located at the Park

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

For more information: (949) 831-3287 or www.ocnha.mus.ca.us.

Crystal Cove

State Park

8471 Pacific Coast Highway, Laguna Beach (949) 494-3539 Park

Conditions (949) 497-7647 Interpretive Programs

State Web site www.parks.ca.gov; local Web site

www.crystalcovestatepark.com

The park is open from 6 a.m. to sunset daily year round for

hiking, bicycling and equestrian use. The park includes areas of

beach, bluff top and backcountry, with access at a number of

different points. Parking $3.

Special Activities: Join docent-led hikes Saturday and Sunday,

Oct. 26 and 27 and Nov. 2 and 3. Meet at El Moro Visitor Center

promptly at 9 a.m. Hikes are 3 to 5 miles and last about two hours.

Call for reservations for a special Halloween Hike on Thursday, Oct.

31.

El Moro Visitor Center is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and

Sundays and from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Crystal Cove Historic District Visitor Center is open from 10 a.m.

to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

The 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!

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

20101 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach

(949) 923-2235 or www.ocparks.com

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

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

Laguna Coast Wilderness

Park Activities:

Drop-in mountain bike rides -- at 8 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 27, and 9

a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2 and 9.

At 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, and Sunday, Nov. 2, join docents

for a 10- to 12-mile mountain bike ride through Laguna Coast

Wilderness Park, Shady Canyon and Serrano Ridge. The three- to

four-hour guided bike ride is for cyclists with mountain bike,

helmet, gloves and camelback.

Special Activities: Explore sections of the park not usually open

on Saturday, Nov. 23, at Hike and Help, for more information

www.lagunacanyon.org.

Wilderness Access: Every Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

at Willow Canyon Road staging area on Laguna Canyon Road just south

of El Toro Road intersection. Open for hiker, equestrian and mountain

bicyclist access on specified trails without guides.

Jim Dilley Greenbelt Preserve: Every Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m.

to 4 p.m. Hikers only on specified trails without guides. Trails

include Barbara’s Lake, the largest of the Laguna Lakes and the only

natural lakes in Orange County.

Guided hikes in Laurel Canyon: Every Saturday at 8 a.m., a

3.5-mile guided hike by Laguna Greenbelt, Inc. volunteers. Call for

reservations. There is $2 donation per hiker.

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

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

more information or online at www.lagunagreenbelt.org.

* Photo courtesy of Maya Decker Activities compiled by Mary

Fegraus from the 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 www.lagunacanyon.org or (949) 855-7275(PARK).