Research and Monitoring permits are required for those activities conducted on OC Parks facilities and open space lands. To assist you, refer to the accompanying instructions and guidelines. If you have questions regarding the type of permit to use, please contact (949) 585-6429. Business Hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m...
Project Update On September 24, 2019, the Board of Supervisors approved the General Development Plan (GDP) and Resource Management Plan (RMP) for Peters Canyon Regional Park. The GDP and RMP addresses current and future park programming needs, including parking, trail access, regional connectivity, and long-term management plans for ecological and...
Beach Access Drinking Fountain Hand Canoe/Kayak lunching Picnic Area Guest Dock Restrooms Showers Swimming Tables Volleyball Courts
Riley Wilderness Park is as rich in local history as it is in native wildlife. The first Spanish presence occurred in 1769 when Captain Gaspar de Portola and his entourage of 63 soldiers and 2 priests made their way into the area in search of suitable mission sites along the...
The history of the ranch began with James Irvine. He joined two others owning the property before becoming the sole owner of it in 1878. After his death in 1886, his son James Irvine II (J.I.) became the successor of his father’s ranch. The ranch grew significantly and transformed into...
Consumption of intoxicants prohibited. Park only in designated areas. All fires are prohibited. Fire prevention must be the first concern of every visitor. No pets. (horses exempt) Park Subject to closure during rainy weather. A speed limit of 10 MPH enforced at all times. No Hunting allowed. No feeding the...
Capistrano Beach Dana Point Harbor Newport Harbor Salt Creek Beach Sunset Harbour
The County of Orange Paleontology and Archaeology (COPA) collection contains more than six million artifacts and fossils collected since the 1970s from within the County and throughout our parks. As stewards of the collection, OC Parks is dedicated to preserving these artifacts and fossils in perpetuity for the benefit of...
Paleontology The paleontology collection includes local Orange County fossils dating as far back as the Jurassic period 180 million years ago, including notable type specimens. Orange County has particularly excellent records of Eocene terrestrial mammals, late Oligocene-early Miocene terrestrial mammals, and Miocene-Pliocene marine mammals. The collection contains ancient mammals including...
The first recorded archaeological excavation in Orange County was conducted by the American Museum of Natural History in 1912 around Newport Bay. After a hiatus because of World War II, efforts picked up in 1961 when local citizens formed an advocacy group, the Pacific Coast Archaeological Society, with the goal...