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.

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 trek

of three, four or six hours over Serrano Ridge. The 9 a.m. shuttle

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

two-and-a-half-hour hike. Another group will meet at 8 a.m. at the

Willow Canyon trailer for a three-and-a-half 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 for

hikers, bikers, riders

The 6,400-acre Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, at 20101 Laguna

Canyon Road, 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. Meet at Willow Canyon

staging area. There’s a nominal $2 donation per hiker. For

reservations, call (949) 923-2235.

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

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

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 infor- mation,

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. On

May 11 Steve Boyd will discuss Southern California wildflowers. For

information, call (800) 422-8886.

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