LAGUNA COAST WILDERNESS PARK The park is...

LAGUNA COAST WILDERNESS PARK

The park is open to hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers from 7

a.m. to sunset, Saturday and Sunday. Parking is available for $3 at

the Willow Canyon Staging Area, 20101 Laguna Canyon Road. Mountain

bikers may ride on specified trails only.

The Dilley Preserve on Laguna Canyon Road, north of the 73 Toll

road, is closed for at least six months due to road construction.

Laguna Heights, the trailhead for West Ridge trail and other

routes into Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, is open daily

from 7 a.m. to sunset.

A training session for Wilderness Access Volunteers will be held

from 9 to 11 a.m. July 17.

A seven to 12-mile strenuous bike ride along Serrano Ridge will

begin at 8 a.m. July 23.

A three-mile, three-hour Laurel Canyon hike will begin at 8:30

a.m. July 24.

Docent-led tours by Laguna Greenbelt Inc. take place at 8 a.m.

every second and fourth Saturday of the month. Call for reservations

and meeting points. Weekday and special group tours are also

available. Information: (949) 923-2235 or www.ocparks.com.

Aliso and Wood

Wilderness hikes

The 4,000-acre Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, at 28373

Alicia Parkway, Laguna Niguel, is open from 7 a.m. to sunset daily

for hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking. Parking is $3.

The ranger gives a free 30- to 45-minute discovery nature hike

suitable for all ages on the second and fourth Saturday of the month.

Meet at noon at the park entrance.

Located at the entrance is the Orange County Natural History

Museum; call before visiting to confirm it’s open.

For information, call (949) 831-3287.

Natural history lectures are held at 7 p.m. the second Wednesday

of each month at Acorn Naturalists, 1255 El Camino Real, Tustin.

No dogs allowed. For information, call (949) 923-2200.

CRYSTAL COVE

Crystal Cove State Park, 8471 Pacific Coast Highway, Laguna Beach,

has 3.5 miles of beach and 2,000 acres of undeveloped woodland.

The park is open 6 a.m. to sunset daily. Docent-led backcountry

hikes are scheduled for most Saturdays and Sundays at 9 a.m. Hikes

are three to five miles and last about two hours.

A plant hike will take place at 9 a.m. July 16. A backcountry hike

will be led at 9 a.m. July 24. All hikes meet at the El Moro Visitor

Center.

For more information, call the El Moro Visitor Center (949)

640-5220.

ASTRONOMY NIGHT

Crystal Cove Interpretive Association and the Orange County

Astronomer’s Association will hold their annual Astronomy Night at 8

p.m. Saturday, July 16. Meet at El Moro Visitor Center (on Coast

Highway, turn inland at stoplight for “School-State Park” and follow

signs to the state park.) Attendees will search the sky for the

“summer triangle,” consisting of three bright stars, as well as a

bright, nearly full moon, several planets (Uranus and Neptune) and

also the Milky Way and several globular clusters. A donation of $5

per person and $10 per family for an interpretive program, viewing

through technologically advanced telescopes, hot chocolate and

cookies. There is no parking fee.

MORNING MEDITATION HIKES

The park is introducing a new program, “Mind, Body, & Spirit

Mornings,” which will include a guided hike through backcountry

intermingled with sessions of deep breathing and stretching. The

first will be held at 8 a.m. Sunday, July 17. Meet at the ranger

station (off of Coast Highway, turn inland at the stoplight for

“School-State Park”). Day-use parking fee $10.

HIKE THROUGH IRVINE

RANCH LAND RESERVE

Tours are led by members of the Nature Conservancy and are also

available by special request. For more information, call Nature

Conservancy: (714) 832-7478.

A past-faced conditioning hike through Irvine open space will be

led from 7 to 9 a.m. July 16. A mountain bike ride for moderate to

advanced riders will be led from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. For meeting

points, call the city of Irvine Open Space Preserve: (949) 724-6610.

The Irvine Ranch Land Reserve Trust is seeking volunteers to help

with open space programs within the land preserve. For information,

please contact Ryan Gragnano: (949) 720-5512 or

rgragnano@irlrtrust.org.