Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park 28373...

Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park

28373 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Niguel

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

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

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

Nature Discovery Talk on Saturday and Sept. 20. Learn about the

canyons’ history, plants, animals and trails. Meet in front of the

Natural History Museum at the entrance to the Park at noon for the

30-minute talk.

Opportunities for special hiking programs can be arranged by

calling Ranger Carroll at (949) 923-2299.

The Orange County Natural History Museum is at the Park entrance,

open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more

information: (949) 831-3287 or 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

www.crystalcovestatepark.com

The park is open daily, year round, 6 a.m. to sunset 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: Docent-led backcountry hikes on Saturday and

Sunday, Sept. and 20 at 9 a.m. Hikes are 3 to 5 miles and last about

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

Moro Visitors Center (PCH, School-State Park stoplight).

Today and Saturday at 10 a.m. the monthly Historic District Walk

returns. View historic cottages on the Crystal Cove coast. Meet at

the Los Trancos parking lot by the trailer (Los Trancos stoplight).

Saturday, Sept. 20 join the annual Coastal Cleanup Day from 9 a.m.

to noon. Help clean 3.5 miles of coastline with two staging areas

available, one at Reef Point parking lot, the other at Pelican Point

parking lot No. 4. The parking fee is waived for volunteers between

8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Info: (949) 497-7647. Also starting Saturday

Sept. 20 and continuing for two days a gala event “Celebrating the

Past and Rebuilding the Future” fund-raiser dinner, art auction and

music celebration welcoming the next era for the Historic District.

Reservation required for the Tropical dinner. Visit the Web site for

more information //https:www.crystalcove.net .

Sunday, Sept. 21 continues with the Environmental Fair and Plein

Air Art Sale of the “Cove” before restoration. The free festivities

are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 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!

Special Activities: Saturday at 8 a.m. Frank Weagrant will conduct

a three mile / three hour geology walk through Laurel Canyon. At 8

a.m. on Sunday gear up for the 11-mile/five hour hike through the

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Shady and Serrano ridgelines.

Sept. 18 at 8 a.m. enjoy a six to 10 mile/two hour “Third

Thursday” Mountain Bike Ride.

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

20101 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach

(949) 923-2235 or www.ocparks.com, nonprofit support group Web

sites www.lagunacanyon.org and www.lagunagreenbelt.org

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

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

Wilderness access: Willow Canyon Staging Area every Saturday and

Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 20101 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 Staging Area every Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4

p.m. for hikers only on specified trails without guides. On Laguna

Canyon Road. 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: At 8 a.m. every Saturday join a

guided hike through Laurel Canyon. Sept. 21 at 7:30 a.m. enjoy the

six-mile guided hike through Emerald Canyon. Hikers meet at Willow

Canyon Staging Area. $2 donation per hiker.

Laguna Heights: Open daily year round, 7 a.m. to sunset. 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 www.lagunagreenbelt.org.

* Activities compiled by Guinevare Breeding, 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-PARK (7275).