Wilderness park backcountry can be closed for...

Wilderness park backcountry can be closed for two or more days after

significant rainfall. Call to check accessibility.

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park celebration 2005

Hundreds of nature lovers will get to see Laguna Canyon in full

bloom at Celebrate Laguna Coast Wilderness Park 2005 from 8 a.m. to 4

p.m. May 7.

Hikers may explore on their own or go on special guided hikes,

reservations required. Free shuttles will leave the Willow Canyon

staging area, 20101 Laguna Canyon Road, at 8 and 9 a.m. for two

guided, panoramic-view hikes ending back at Willow Canyon. The 8 a.m.

shuttle will take hikers to Irvine Ranch Land Reserve to begin a

three-, four- or six-hour trek over Serrano Ridge. The 9 a.m. shuttle

will take hikers to Ridge Park to begin a less strenuous, four-mile,

2.5-hour hike. Another group will meet at 8 a.m. at the Willow Canyon

trailer for a 3.5-mile, three-hour loop through Laurel Canyon.

At a 10:30 a.m. ceremony in Willow Canyon, Orange County 5th

District Supervisor Thomas Wilson, Laguna Canyon Foundation President

Michael Pinto and Irvine Ranch Land Reserve Trust Executive Director

Michael O’Connell will address the event’s theme, “Looking Ahead: The

Nix Nature Center and the Interpretive Loop Trail.” Visitors can view

and discuss plans for the center and the handicapped accessible

trail, which are scheduled to open in early 2006.

Celebrate Laguna Coast Wilderness Park is sponsored by Laguna

Canyon Foundation; Laguna Greenbelt Inc.;The Nature Conservancy; and

the Orange County harbors, beaches and parks division. For

guided-hike reservations, call (949) 923-2235. For information, call

(949) 855-7275 or go to https://www.laguna canyon.org. Rain will

cancel this event.

SHARE Poker Ride at Crystal Cove May 7

The SHARE Mountain Bike Club, in collaboration with the Arthritis

Foundation, will have its Poker Ride at Crystal Cove State Park, El

Moro Canyon, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 7.

This event seeks to raise awareness and funds to fight arthritis.

Proceeds also help underwrite SHARE club programs, including trail

maintenance and responsible mountain biking projects.

More than 200 riders are expected to participate. The rider(s) who

collect the winning poker hand will compete for a grand prize of a

weekend for two in Las Vegas at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino.

Second- through fourth-place prizes will be offered along with

opportunity drawings, complimentary breakfast and music. A ride

workshop for kids 5 to 11 will be available for $5.

Cost is $55 or $100 for teams of two. To register, or for

information, go online to https://www.sharemtb.com, e-mail

[email protected] or call (714) 963-4922.

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park at 20101 Laguna Canyon Road is 6,400

acres.

The wilderness is accessed on designated trails from Willow Canyon

staging area, which is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and

Sundays for hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers on specified

trails.

Laguna Heights, the trailhead for West Ridge trail and other

routes into Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, is open 7 a.m. to

sunset daily all year.

Laguna Greenbelt Inc. docent tour volunteers lead hikes at 8 a.m.

each second and fourth Saturday of the month, including April 23.

Meet at Willow Canyon staging area. There’s a nominal $2 donation per

hiker. For reservations, call (949) 923-2235.

Special activities: Help with restoration projects from 8 to 11

a.m. Saturday. All volunteers receive a free “Keep It Wild” t-shirt

provided by the Laguna Canyon Foundation.

Docent-led hikes, mountain bike rides and equestrian tours are

also available. Parking is $3. Call (949) 923-2235 for directions.

Irvine Ranch

Land Reserve

Participants interested in a free tour meet at Laguna Coast

Wilderness Park, 20101 Laguna Canyon Road.

Tours require a reservation; call the Nature Conservancy at (714)

832-7478.

Special Activities: Meet at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park’s Willow

Canyon staging area for mountain bike rides at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, 9

a.m. April 21 and 7:30 a.m. April 23. Challenge yourself with an

eight-mile, four- to five-hour, fast-paced hike through Emerald

Canyon at 8 a.m. Saturday or take an easier three-mile, three-hour

wildflower hike in Laurel Canyon at 8 a.m. Sunday. Tours also

available by special request. Reservations required. Call or e-mail

for details.

Crystal Cove

State Park

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. Due to recent rains, the

backcountry is open only for hiking until further notice.

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.

Meet a guide at El Moro Visitor Center for a 3- to 5-mile

backcountry hike at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sunday and April 24. Celebrate

Earth Day from 9 to 12 p.m. April 23 by helping to replace old

fencing and remove exotic plants along the coastal bluffs surrounding

Pelican Point. For more information, call the El Moro Visitors Center

(949) 640-5220.

Dogs are allowed on paved areas only. Wilderness campsites are

available. Parking is $8. For interpretive programs, call (949)

497-7647. For park conditions, call (949) 494-3539.

Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness

Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, 28373 Alicia Parkway,

Laguna Niguel. The 4,000-acre coastal canyon park is open from 7 a.m.

to sunset daily for hikers, horseback riding and mountain biking.

Parking is $3.

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

suitable for all ages the second and fourth Saturday. Meet at noon at

the park entrance.

Located at the park entrance is the Orange County Natural History

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

information, call (949) 831-3287.

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

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

For information, call (800) 422-8886.

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