Notes on your surroundingsHappy Campers--Visitors will once...

Notes on your surroundings

Happy Campers--Visitors will once again be able to enjoy the scenic views offered at the Crystal Cove State Park environmental campsites, which were destroyed by the 1993 Laguna Beach fire. The 32 campsites, located in the hilly back country of Crystal Cove, can be reached in a 3- to 4-mile hike, horseback ride or mountain bike ride from the park’s headquarters. Picnic tables, composting toilets and hitching rails in the horse campsites are available, but there is no shade or water and fires are prohibited. The campgrounds are open all year, with fees ranging from $7 to $11. Up to four people are allowed at each site. Reservations are not required but may be made by calling Destinet at (800) 444-7275.

Crystal Cove State Park is located between Laguna Beach and Corona del Mar on Pacific Coast Highway. For information, call the park at (714) 494-3539.

Shore Thing: Saturday is the annual coastal cleanup day throughout the state, as volunteers scour the sand and sea for trash. At Upper Newport Bay, more than 40,000 pounds are collected and removed each year. The event there takes place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., starting out from the Newport Dunes Resort, 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach. People will be shuttled to one of five locations, where they will be given bags, gloves and recycling data sheets. Volunteers are needed for both land and water cleanup by boat. Old shoes, long-sleeve shirts and pants should be worn. Free refreshments will be provided and educational exhibits will be displayed around cleanup headquarters. Information: (714) 640-6746.

In San Clemente, the local chapter of the Surfrider Foundation will provide trash bags and other supplies needed to clean up the area. The 8 a.m. meeting spot is at the Trestles parking lot on El Camino Real, next to the Carl’s Jr., in San Clemente. The collected garbage will be quantified so that any direct or indirect cause can be identified and eliminated. Information: (714) 492-8248.