Horses are not available for rent but horse owners may ride in the park on designated trails. Equestrian parking is at the Big Bend staging area
Are weddings permitted?
The park has no wedding facilities and weddings are not permitted at this time.
Is camping permitted?
Camping is not permitted in the park. The County operates two camping parks, Caspers and O'Neill, reservations can be made here . Nearest Laguna Coast Wilderness Park are three remote (walk-in) campgrounds at Crystal Cove State Park. State Park reservations can be made here .
Are dogs permitted?
Dogs are not permitted in wilderness parks operated by the County of Orange.
The lake has a funny smell and appears cloudy. Why is that?
This occurs during what is called the "fall lake turnover." During summer, lake surfaces heat up, while the lower water remains cooler. This is called stratification. The lower layer tends to become anoxic (without oxygen) because the layers do not mix. As the temperature decreases in the fall, the top layer becomes denser and tends to sink to the bottom and, with the assistance of some wind action, mixing occurs. The clarity of the lake usually decreases because mixing brings up nutrient-rich water from the bottom of the lake and causes the lake to look cloudy. Sometimes there is a distinct odor as decomposing plants, algae and other matter comes to the surface. The timing and duration of fall turnover depends on the size and depth of the lake. Sometimes it can occur in a few days, sometimes it takes a week or longer until the water becomes thoroughly mixed, oxygen mixes throughout the water, and the temperature becomes uniform from top to bottom.
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