When the rain lets up for a...

When the rain lets up for a bit and it’s time to get out of the

house, take the time to visit one of Laguna’s many parks including:

Long before open space was a popular cause, Laguna

environmentalists preached its value and took practical measure to

preserve it. The city bought some of it. Civic minded people donated

some of it. It was the seedbed for the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park.

The park offers hiking, biking and horseback riding in specified

areas. No motorized vehicles. No dogs. No off-road or off-trail

activities. No smoking. Rules enforced by Orange County Park Rangers.

Laguna Greenbelt Inc. docents lead guided hikes of Laurel Canyon

at 8 a.m., every Saturday. A $2 is requested. Reservations required.

The Jim Dilley Preserve is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekends.

No guides. No restroom. No fountain. No dogs. Hikers only on

specified trails including the loop to Barbara’s Lake, the largest of

Laguna Lakes, the only natural ones on Orange County.

There are several access points to the wilderness park within the

Laguna Beach city limits.

Pedestrian trails lead into the park from the Canyon Tennis Courts

adjacent to the Festival of Arts, 650 Laguna Canyon Road and from

Dartmoor Street in North Laguna. Both are signed. For Dartmoor, take

N. Coast Highway, turn up hill at San Joaquin Street, bend right to

Dartmoor Street.

For world class views of the city, Santa Catalina Island and

Saddleback Valley and Mountain, you can’t beat the Top of the World

access point to the wilderness park and to Aliso and Wood Canyons

Regional Park. The Carolyn Wood Knoll just inside the park is the

highest point in Laguna Beach. Trail head is never closed.

Take Park Avenue as far as it goes. Turn left at Alta Laguna

Boulevard and go to the end of the street. Parking is limited, but

free.

For $2, the park-goers can park at the Willow Canyon Staging Area,

Laguna Canyon Road, just south of El Toro Road or at the Dilley

Preserve Staging Area, Laguna Canyon Road, north of the Laguna Beach

exit of the San Joaquin Hills Corridor. Both lots open from 8 a.m. to

4 p.m., weekends.

Parking for equestrians is located on the ocean-side of Big Bend

on Laguna Canyon Road. Parking is $2.

Willing hands welcomed for numerous maintenance projects or to

meet and greet visitors to the park as wilderness access volunteers.

For stewardship information, call (949) 494-8190 or

www.lagunagreenbelt.org. To make reservations for guided hikes, visit

web site www.lagunacanyon.org or call (949) 923-2235. Visit the same

web site for information about the Laguna Canyon Foundation, a

non-profit corporation dedicated to preservation of the park and

adjacent coastal canyon parks or call (949) 855-7275. +

CITY PARKS

The city’s 9.1 square miles contains 19 parks, not to mention the

access points to the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park.

Some are pockets parks, tucked away in neighborhoods, off the

paths beaten by the tourist. Some are sited along one of the most

beautiful expanses of coastline in California.

Alcohol is permitted in the parks with evidence of meals. Dogs

permitted, unless posted. View parks have no restrooms.

Alta Laguna Park: Top of the World. Baseball diamond, six

unlighted tennis courts, a half-basketball court, picnic tables,

children’s play area, walking trails. The views are worth the trip.

Take Park Avenue as far as it goes. Turn left at Alta Laguna

Boulevard and go to the end of the end of the street.

Bark Park: Laguna Canyon Road, south of El Toro Road. Considered

the granddoggy of off-leash canine parks in Orange County. Open dawn

to dusk, except Wednesdays. Dogs are allowed on most Laguna beaches,

but only at specified times: before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m., June

1-Sept. 16; public hours from Sept.17 to May 31.

Bluebird Park: Cress Street between Temple Terrace and Bluebird

Canyon Drive. The children’s playground was the former and possibly

future home of the Rocket Ship. A fund-raiser is underway to replace

the one taken down for park refurbishing. A delightful turtle

sculpture was dedicated this spring. Half-basketball court, barbecues

and picnic tables. South Coast Highway to Cress Street. Turn left and

look for the chain link fence on the right side of the road.

Brown’s Park: Downtown view park on South Coast Highway between El

Paseo and Legion Street. Hotel Laguna and Laguna Village Shops. The

bluff-top park has a view platform overlooking Main Beach and artful

seating. The land was donated by the Brown Family, which used to have

a summer home on the site.

Crescent Bay Park: North Laguna. Favored spot for outdoor weddings

and other parties. Reservations required. Nominal fee. North Coast

Highway to Crescent Bay Drive.

Fernando Street Park: Hillside view park. Picnic Tables and

benches. From South Coast Highway, turn uphill at Nyes Place, left on

Del Mar Avenue to La Mirada.

Heisler Park: Oceanfront park stretches from Divers Cove to Main

Beach on land donated by the Heisler Family, with a little push from

the Jahraus Family. Beach access to marine refuge and coved beaches

below, gardens, picnic tables, memorial and artist-designed benches,

sculptures and grassy areas. Barbecuing allowed at the foot of Myrtle

Street above Picnic Beach. Reservations required for weddings and

parties held at the gazebo and Monument Point.+++ Nominal fee.

Irvine Bowl Park: home of the Pageant of the Masters and the

Festival of Arts, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. Grassy area. Public

restrooms. Two lighted tennis courts. Metered parking on the road.

Parking lots across the street.

Jahraus Park: Bitty, but precious little triangle where Cliff

Drive crosses South Coast Highway, across from the Laguna Art Museum.

Famous locally for the fountain that is equipped for people and dogs.

Lang Park: South Laguna. Grassy playing field, used by Little

League, children’s play equipment, one unlighted tennis court and a

half-basketball court. “Spheres” border the park, an art in public

places project, which originally had mallets to strike the

multi-colored tubing, which resonated with different notes on the

musical scale.

Main Beach Park: Laguna’s Window to the Sea. Purchased by the city

to prevent the construction of highrise hotels. Sand volleyball

courts, two half-basketball courts, children’s play area. Two

showers. Two restrooms. Picnic tables. Mosaic chess table and chairs.

Memorial benches line the Boardwalk. Keep the alcohol on the park

side of the boardwalk and make sure you have food to go with the

booze. Headquarters for the Laguna Beach Lifeguards, where sand

wheelchairs are available for the disabled.

Moulton Meadows Park: Hilltop park in Arch Beach Heights. Grassy

playing field, used by American Youth Soccer Organization, barbecue

and picnic tales, two lighted tennis courts, two half-basketball

courts and children’s play area. Turn left off of South Coast Highway

at Nyes Place. Up the hill to Balboa and Del Mar avenues.

Oak Street Park: View park oceanward of South Coast highway.

Platform.

Pacific Avenue: Mystic Hills hillside view park. One picnic table

and bench. Park Avenue or Legion Street up to Park Avenue, left on

Skyline Drive, left on Pacific Way. Roundabout alternate route to

beat uphill Park Avenue traffic is South Coast Highway, inland on

Thalia Street, right on Temple Hills, left on Alta Laguna Boulevard,

right on Park Avenue, right on Skyline Drive and left on Pacific Way.

Ruby Street Park: Bluff-top view park, oceanward of South Coast

highway. Sitting area.

Thalia Street Park: View park oceanward of South Coast Highway.

Platform.

Treasure Island: South Laguna, adjacent to and below the Montage

Resort and Spa on South Coast Highway across from Wesley Drive.

Treasure Island is the newest park in town. Breathtaking views.

Benches along the pathway that stretches from the parking structure

and view deck encourage viewers to sit a spell and enjoy what nature

and humans have wrought. Water fountains, including one for dogs, two

showers, restrooms, beach access. Public parking is $1 an hour, three hour maximum.

Village Green Park: South Laguna. Picnic tables, benches,

barbecues, play equipment and large grassy area. Turn off of South

Coast Highway inland on West Street.

+ Wilderness Park information courtesy of Laguna Canyon

Foundation.

+ + City Park information courtesy of the Laguna Beach Community

Services Department

+++ Call (949) 497 0716 for reservations, fees or information

about reserving city park areas.