(Orange, Calif.) – Enjoy sweeping, 360-degree views from the mountains to the sea along a newly developed trail system at Saddleback Wilderness.

Located within OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space, Saddleback Wilderness features 3.3 miles of new trails for hiking, biking and equestrian use, along with a scenic overlook that offers panoramic views of Orange County and the Pacific Ocean.

“The scenic, new trails at Saddleback Wilderness are something everyone can enjoy,” said Chairman Donald P. Wagner, Orange County Board of Supervisors. “It’s great our residents can now access more outdoor rec opportunities – hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding – in a protected and preserved native habitat. I look forward to checking out its panoramic views and enjoying all the benefits that these trails offer.”

The trails are situated at the site of America’s first off-road motorsports park, known as Saddleback Park, which was established in 1967 and concluded in 1984. Today, Saddleback Wilderness’ natural habitat has been restored and offers five trails ranging from easy to moderate in difficulty. Picnic tables, portable toilets and parking for horse trailers are also available for public use.

Saddleback Wilderness is home to many unique and protected plant and animal species, including the California gnatcatcher. The area is only accessible through scheduled self-guided and docent-led public programs with advance reservation. Public access opportunities begin Saturday, April 1. 

April 2023 Activities and Programs at Saddleback Wilderness

Advance registration required for all activities and programs. Visit OCParks.com/irvine-ranch-open-space for more information and to sign up.

April 1, 8, 22 and 29 – Wilderness Access: Morning Session

8 – 10:30 a.m.

April 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 – Wilderness Access: Afternoon Session

1 – 3:30 p.m.  

April 5, 12, 19 and 26 – Plants Among Us

9 – 11 a.m.

April 7 – Morning Hike

8 – 10 a.m.

April 12 – Intro to Cardio Hiking

5:30 – 7 p.m.

April 14 – Morning Mountain Bike Ride

8 – 10 a.m.

April 16 – Hiking 101

9 – 11:30 a.m.

April 19 – Afternoon Hike

2 – 4 p.m.

April 23 – Nature Hike

9 – 11:30 a.m.

April 28 – Afternoon Mountain Bike Ride

4 – 6 p.m.

April 28 – Night Sky Exploration

7:30 – 9 p.m.

April 30 – Nature Challenge

8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

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Dates shown are week of stocking. Schedule is subject to change and will be updated as available.

California Fishing License required age 16+ at all parks besides Irvine Lake.

Week of  March 13-17, 2023                

• Irvine Lake
• Mile Square Regional Park
• Tri-City Regional Park   
• Yorba Regional Park       

Week of April 24-28, 2023          

• Clark Regional Park        
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park

Week of May 8-12, 2023              

• Clark Regional Park     
• Irvine Lake
• Mile Square Regional Park   

Week of June 12-16, 2023                             

• Carbon Canyon Regional Park
• Irvine Regional Park 
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park
• Clark Regional Park

Week of July 10-14, 2023         

• Laguna Niguel Regional Park
• Mile Square Regional Park
• Tri-City Regional Park
• Carbon Canyon Regional Park

Week of Aug. 14-18, 2023 

• Yorba Regional Park
• Clark Regional Park
• Irvine Lake
• Irvine Regional Park

Week of Sept. 11-15, 2023 

• Laguna Niguel Regional Park
• Mile Square Regional Park
• Tri-City Regional Park

Week of Oct. 16-20, 2023 

• Carbon Canyon Regional Park
• Clark Regional Park
• Yorba Regional Park

Trout season is estimated to start at the end of November. View the trout stocking schedule. 

The clocks spring forward early March 12, marking the beginning of daylight saving time and OC Parks’ spring-summer operating schedule. Most regional parks close at 9 p.m. for the spring and summer. Wilderness parks close at sunset year-round.

Spring-summer hours for the following regional parks are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.:

• Carbon Canyon Regional Park
• Clark Regional Park
• Craig Regional Park
• Irvine Regional Park (opens at 6 a.m.)
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park
• Mason Regional Park
• Mile Square Regional Park
• Tri-City Regional Park
• Yorba Regional Park

Wilderness parks and the following regional parks are open at 7 a.m. and close at sunset year-round:

• O’Neill Regional Park
• Peters Canyon Regional Park 
• Santiago Oaks Regional Park
• Talbert Regional Park
• Wieder Regional Park
• Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve
• Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park
• Caspers Wilderness Park
• Laguna Coast Wilderness Park (parking lots open at 8 a.m.)
• Riley Wilderness Park
• Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park

Irvine Lake will continue to operate Friday-Sunday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hours for OC Parks’ beaches vary but are generally between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Salt Creek Beach opens at 5 a.m. and will close at 12 a.m.

OC Parks facilities will remain on these operating hours until daylight saving time ends Nov. 5, 2023.

Project Summary: OC Parks is partnering with OC Public Works to restore the Stone House on the grounds of Arden: Helena Modjeska Historic House and Gardens. The Stone House is expected to be closed until Winter 2023. All construction activities will occur on weekdays.

What: This project consists of repairing the upper floor of the existing 2-story historic Stone House building. The work consists of reconstructing the original historic deck and constructing new exterior stairs to the second floor. The goal of the project is to sensitively restore and update the structural Architecture of the building, and to prepare for docent-led tours of the historic buildings. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and all work must comply with the Secretary of Interior’s standards for the treatment of historic properties and guidelines for preserving, rehabilitating, restoring and reconstructing historic buildings. 

When:

Anticipated Construction Duration:
January 2023 to Winter 2023 
Working Days/Hours:
Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Contact Information:

Phone Number: (949) 923-2230
Email: heritagehill@ocparks.com 

(Modjeska Canyon, Calif.) – Restoration will begin this month on the oldest building on the grounds of OC Parks’ National Historic Landmark Arden: Helena Modjeska Historic House and Gardens in Modjeska Canyon.

Congress, through the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service, selected the project to receive a “Save America’s Treasures” grant. The grant will provide $150,000 to help fund repairs to the stone building that original resident Joseph Pleasants built in the 1870s while running a successful beekeeping business in the canyon. The cottage was also used by later resident Helena Modjeska, a famous Shakespearean actress of the time.

The National Park Service, in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts, provided $4.8 million in grants awarded to 16 projects in 12 states, supporting the preservation of nationally significant historic properties and collections throughout the country.

"The historic cottage and gardens are worth preserving, as they display Modjeska Canyon's tranquil canyon life, with a nod towards Shakespeare's heavily-wooded 'Forest of Arden,'" said Chairman Donald P. Wagner, Orange County Board of Supervisors. "We are glad the funds will help save a remnant of Orange County's rural history, offering visitors a tranquil place to learn, explore and relax."

Pleasants introduced Modjeska and her husband, Count Karol Bozenta, to Orange County’s rustic canyons, and the couple purchased the property from him in 1888. Renowned New York architect Stanford White later designed a substantial addition to the Pleasants’ modest cabin. The stone cottage being restored was used by Modjeska for cold storage, with a small living space for workers on the second floor.

Theodore Payne, a pioneer of California native plant propagation also lived in the cottage in the 1890s while serving as Modjeska’s gardener.

The grant-funded work will include restoration of the second floor of the stone building interior and exterior with careful attention to preserving the existing, character-defining features. OC Parks repaired and restored the first-floor stone cellar in 2007. Restoration of the second floor will complete the Pleasants stone cottage project, making the upper portion of the structure available to the public for the first time in its history.

The preservation work under the grant is being supported by the Save America’s Treasure program, which is funded through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). Because the site is listed as a National Historic Landmark, which are designated for their “exceptional significance in American history,” the grant-funded preservation must follow the strictest guidelines in the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.

Park patrons are welcome to enjoy the self-guided grounds Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Docent-led tours of the historic house and gardens are currently offered 10 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays, by advance reservation.

Portions of the grounds may be closed to visitors during the restoration project. Construction is expected to begin in January 2023 and continue through fall 2023.

For information about Arden: Helena Modjeska Historic House and Gardens, please visit the OC Parks website at: ocparks.com/modjeska.

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About OC Parks

OC Parks manages nearly 60,000 acres of parks, historical and coastal facilities and open space for the County of Orange as part of OC Community Resources. http://www.ocparks.com

(Lake Forest, Calif.) – Celebrate the holidays at OC Parks’ Heritage Hill Historical Park this December with Candlelight Walk and Holiday Lights.

The 36th annual Candlelight Walk will take place over three festive evenings, December 9-11 from 5 to 9 p.m. Take a stroll through the merry grounds, enjoying historical buildings adorned with décor from the past. Join the jubilation and enjoy live musical performances, holiday crafts for kids and a visit with Santa Claus! Refreshments will be available for cash purchase.  

The merriment continues December 16-18 from 5 to 9 p.m. with OC Parks’ Holiday Lights. Gather friends and family to wander through twinkling lights, and don’t forget your camera for various holiday-themed photo opportunities. Pets are welcome outdoors on leashes no longer than six feet. Please note that additional entertainment and refreshments will not be provided.

“We are excited to see friends, families, and neighbors come together for this year’s Candlelight Walk and Holiday Lights at Historic Heritage Hill,” said Vice Chairman Donald P. Wagner, Orange County Board of Supervisors. “It is a wonderful way to celebrate Orange County’s vibrant history and create new and joyful memories this holiday season.”

Both holiday events are free to attend with free parking. Inclement weather may cancel the events.

Heritage Hill Historical Park

25151 Serrano Road, Lake Forest, CA 92630

(949) 923-2230                                  

36th Annual Candlelight Walk

Date: December 9, 10 and 11

Time: 5 – 9 p.m.

Cost & Parking: Free

Holiday Lights 

Date: December 16, 17 and 18

Time: 5 – 9 p.m.

Cost & Parking: Free

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OC Parks

OC Parks manages nearly 60,000 acres of parks, historical and coastal facilities and open space for the County of Orange as part of OC Community Resources. http://www.ocparks.com

The clocks fall back early Nov. 6, marking the end of daylight saving time and the beginning of OC Parks’ fall-winter operating schedule. Most regional parks close at 6 p.m. for the fall and winter, and wilderness parks close at sunset year-round.

Fall-winter hours for the following regional parks are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.:

• Carbon Canyon Regional Park
• Clark Regional Park
• Craig Regional Park
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park
• Mason Regional Park
• Mile Square Regional Park
• Tri-City Regional Park
• Yorba Regional Park
• Irvine Regional Park (opens at 6 a.m.)

Wilderness parks and the following regional parks are open at 7 a.m. and close at sunset year-round:

• O’Neill Regional Park
• Peters Canyon Regional Park  
• Santiago Oaks Regional Park
• Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park
• Caspers Wilderness Park
• Laguna Coast Wilderness Park (parking lots open at 8 a.m.)
• Riley Wilderness Park
• Talbert Regional Park
• Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park
• Wieder Regional Park
• Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve

Irvine Lake will continue to operate Friday-Sunday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hours for OC Parks’ beaches vary but are generally between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Salt Creek Beach opens at 5 a.m. and closes at 12 a.m. Thousand Steps Beach opens at 6 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m.

OC Parks facilities will remain on these operating hours until daylight saving time and spring-summer hours return March 12, 2023, running through Nov. 5, 2023.

Dates shown are week of stocking. Schedule is subject to change and will be updated as available.

California Fishing License required age 16+ at all parks besides Irvine Lake.

Week of Nov. 28-Dec. 2, 2022    

• Carbon Canyon Regional Park
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park
• Irvine Lake         

Week of Dec. 5-9, 2022                 

• Clark Regional Park
• Tri-City Regional Park
• Mile Square Regional Park
• Yorba Regional Park
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park

Week of Dec. 19-23, 2022            

• Clark Regional Park
• Carbon Canyon Regional Park
• Yorba Regional Park
• Mile Square Regional Park
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park       

Week of Jan. 9-13, 2023               

• Clark Regional Park
• Irvine Regional Park
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park
• Irvine Lake         

Week of Jan. 16-20, 2023

• Carbon Canyon Regional Park
• Yorba Regional Park
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park
• Irvine Lake

Week of Jan. 23-27, 2023

• Tri-City Regional Park
• Mile Square Regional Park
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park
• Irvine Lake

Week of Jan. 30-Feb. 3, 2023

• Clark Regional Park
• Irvine Regional Park
• Mile Square Regional Park
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park
• Irvine Lake

Week of Feb. 6-10, 2023

• Yorba Regional Park
• Mile Square Regional Park
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park
• Irvine Lake

Week of Feb. 13-17, 2023

• Clark Regional Park
• Carbon Regional Park
• Irvine Regional Park
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park
• Irvine Lake

Week of Feb. 20-24, 2023

• Yorba Regional Park
• Mile Square Regional Park
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park
• Irvine Lake

Week of Feb. 27- March 3, 2023 **stocking has been postponed to the week of March 6-10, 2023

• Clark Regional Park
• Tri-City Regional Park
• Mile Square Regional Park
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park
• Irvine Lake

OC Parks in collaboration with OC Public Works will complete a slurry seal for Phase 1B - Maintenance Road. Work will commence Oct. 17 and is scheduled for completion Oct. 27. During this time, the maintenance road will be closed to public access Oct. 17 through Oct 20.

What:

The maintenance road will be receiving a slurry seal coat.

When:

Anticipated Construction Duration:
Oct. 17 – Oct. 27
(Maintenance Road closure Oct. 17 –Oct. 20)
Working Days/Hours:
Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The construction schedule is tentative and subject to change due to weather and other factors.

Where:

The maintenance service road on the west end of the park.

Contact Information:

Bruce Poma | Supervising Construction Inspector

(714) 448-1672

Come and visit The Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center at Upper Newport Bay where the 2022 California Coastal Commission Art & Poetry Contest winning work is being displayed.  You will enjoy original art and poetry by grade school students. We are sure you will be amazed by their work.  Art and Poetry will be displayed until October 31, 2022.  

The Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center is open Tuesday - Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed Mondays and major holidays.

You may preview Artwork and Poetry at link below:

https://www.coastal.ca.gov/art-poetry/mm22/winners2022.html