With a wide range of recreational activities among Orange County's vast and varied regional parks, there is truly Something for everyone. Miles of paths and nature trails for the hiker provide the perfect opportunity to exercise at your own pace while enjoying the scenery. If pedaling gently wind through all the parks. Mountain bike enthusiasts is your pleasure, discover miles of bike paths which can set out on seemingly endless trails of beautiful yet rugged terrain. Horses are welcome in several of the natural parks.
Equestrian trails lead over gentle hills, through shade trees and chaparral. Caspers Wilderness Park and O'Neill Regional Park offer campgrounds for equestrians. In the mood for fishing? A number of park lakes are stocked with freshwater fish, and most harbor and beach facilities offer great saltwater fishing. Small boat enthusiasts can take to the water at Irvine Regional Park, Laguna Niguel Park, Newport Harbor, Newport Dunes Aquatics, Dana Point Harbor and Sunset Marina Park. From frisbees to horseshoes, baseball to jogging and walking, there's plenty of action for the athletically inclined, too.
Some facilities offer tennis volleyball, basketball and handball. The overnight outdoor experience is available just around the corner at Caspers Wilderness Park, Newport Dunes Resort, Featherly Regional Park, and O'Neill Regional Park camping facilities, where sites are rustic, yet equipped with modern amenities. For traditional family fun, every facility is equipped with picnic tables, barbecues, sheltered picnic areas and playground equipment for young and older children. Plus, there's an opportunity to learn more about native plants and wildlife, as well as the area's natural and cultural history, through one of our many interpretive programs. Throughout the year, watch for special events at our harbors, beaches and parks facilities, including the Irvine Park Anniversary Celebration, Dana Point Harbor Christmas Boat Parade, Adventure Day at rotating sites, and the Victorian Christmas and Candlelight Tour at Heritage Hill Historical Park.
Adventure, fun and relaxation just around the corner. from sand to sandstone, meadows to mountains, kelp to cottonwoods, boardwalks to bike paths, Orange County's regional parks and recreational facilities offer local residents and visitors countless choices and variety in quality outdoor experiences. Thanks to a wealth of natural resources and visionary land management, millions of people have and will continue to have year-round access to over 30,000 acres of spectacular land and water where they can experience a number of activities and attractions. The County of Orange has taken particular care to preserve and maintain the natural beauty and allure of these distinct areas and facilities, while striving to maximize your enjoyment. As one of the county's largest land owners, we invite you to discover the natural and cultural heritage of this unique and diverse area through use of your park and recreation facilities. Use this guide to assist you in your choices as you embark on your exploration of Orange County's true wonder and beauty.
The proud tradition of Orange County's regional recreation system, presently administered by EMA/Harbors, Beaches and Parks, had its roots firmly planted by urban visionaries dating back more than two centuries, and in more recent times by progressive Orange County leaders of the 1930s and l940s.
Public parks and recreation areas are an essential element of the urban environment. Just as necessary to a city as civic centers, industrial, and residential areas, so also are public: parks and open spaces. This is taken so much for granted that we may forget that the inclusion of parks in urban design is a deliberate decision and not the natural order of things. Prior to the 19th century parks were the royal preserve or seigniorial domain' meant to provide for the leisure and aesthetic pleasure of the upper classes.
The current concept of what an urban park should be was imported from England in the mid 1800s. Although American communities prior to this period frequently incorporated a village square or community open space area in their town plans, our more sophisticated concept of an urban park was influenced by the theories Edwin Chadwick who designed parks for new suburbs which would provide for urban ventilation as- well as for the recreation and relaxation of the urban masses. The prototype for this concept, which was constructed in Birkenhead' included a couple of artificial ponds of irregular form, a leafy and wooded border area, lawns, areas for walking, and active sports and games all interconnected by two independent circulatory systems one for pedestrians and one for carriages and horses. This concept- was introduced to the United Statesby Frederick Law Olmstead when he designed Central Park in New York City, setting a standard for American park development. He also designed Balboa Park in San Diego and Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
The development of our own County park system reflects concepts and philosophies of park and recreation development which first developed at a national level. In the late 19th century, the United States saw the development of several social and cultural movements which shaped our modern concept of what a park is, and promoted public funding for many kinds of parks. The Playground Movement, The Outdoor Recreation League, The City Beautiful Movement, The National City Planning Conference, all were encouraged and nurtured by the social populism of the day. The federal government began to develop the concept of preserving national treasures in national parks and by 1919 the National Park Service was created in the Department of the Interior.
During the 1920s almost half the states passed legislation to allow local agencies to establish public recreation programs, and to collect and spend tax dollars for that purpose. It was not, however, widely considered one of the basic functions of counties to provide parks. This was to begin changing in 1924 when the National Conference of Outdoor Recreation was convened to assist in the development of a national policy for public parks, coordinate the independent activities of public and private agencies, and lay the foundation fora comprehensive survey of municipal and county parks.
By the 1930s the depression found families unable to afford commercial recreation, or the gas and cars to visit national parks. People to seek out and demand local recreation. The federal government responded by allocating millions of dollars for public works projects, many of which involved construction and development of specialized locally oriented recreation facilities. National thrust to relieve economic and social problems brought organized recreation into wide acceptance as a governmental service. 10% of WPA jobs were devoted to parks and playgrounds.
Echoes of all these national developments had their effect on Orange County's Park system. Our first park, Irvine Park' was a gift of the largest landowner in the County, James Irvine. It is a legacy of the large landholdings of the Rancho era (a Southern California seigniorial domain), and of the leadership and public good will of Mr. Irvine. Given to the citizens of Orange County in 1897, in a period when Counties did not consider park development as one of the duties of County government, it stood as the only County park for fifty years. In 1948 another large land holding family, the O'Neills, donated 254 acres of wooded land (now part of O'Neill Regional Park) in Trabuco Canyon to the citizens of Orange County.
The next mayor development in recreational services in Orange County occurred in the 1930s when the Federal government agreed to fund harbor improvements sponsored by local agencies. In the 1920s a strong local contingent of small boat owners had worked toward involving County government in the development of a small craft harbor in Newport Beach. But the costs for such a development were beyond the means of both private parties and local government. The for the project was the involvement of the Federal government.
Prior to this time the stance of the Federal government had been that its mandate was to develop commercial harbors, and that harbors specifically for pleasure craft were beyond their authority. However, by 1932 there had been enough change in the thinking and attitudes of the electorate that Congress amended the River and Harbor Act to allow for Federal involvement in the development of pleasure craft harbors. In 1933 the National Industrial Recovery Act was passed which was intended to relieve unemployment in the depression era. Thus Federal participation in the construction of small craft harbors could be authorized as a means of resolving the severe economic crisis. Newport Harbor was one of the first such harbors in the nation to be developed. The work was approved by the Public Works Administration in June of 1934 as a joint City, County and Federal project. On the part of the County, residents voted in 1934 to create a Harbor District, and approved a Bond issue to raise the local share of expenses. Hence forth Orange County government had a direct role in the creation of recreational facilities for its citizenry.
Within a-decade the Harbor District's responsibilities began to expand to include public beaches. Again this reflected an ability to develop large scale public recreation facilities with joint city-county-federal and private funds. The County's ocean beaches were formally transferred to the Harbor District in 1964, setting the stage for a planned approach to beach recreational areas for the decades to follow. Funding for acquisition and development came from property taxes, fees levied on off shore oil drilling, and federal funds funneled through flood control projects.
By the 1960s, the County of Orange, reflecting growing net national concerns about urban development and urban blight, took action to plan growth and land development in such ways as to enhance healthy social development. One element in this planning was to develop a long range regional parks program. It only seemed natural to attach the parks program to the already existing Harbor District.
In 1960 the Board of Supervisors created a Regional Parks Advisory Committee to study and develop a plan to acquire regional park land. In 1963 the first Master Plan was approved by the Board. This plan reflected the prevailing philosophy that had worked for Newport Harbor and for shoreline development' namely that large recreational projects could be developed with a coalition of County, Federal and private funds. State Parks Bond acts, local property taxes, private donations and developer fees could support development of recreation on lands reserved from commercial development because of their value as watersheds, shorelands, estuaries, flood plains, and federal lands held for military uses. The plan proposed as priority one in the first Master Plan of Parks included such projects as Sycamore Flat (Featherly Regional Park) in the Santa Ana Flood plain; Villa Park Dam (now a part of Irvine Regional Park) in the Santiago Creek flood plain; Laguna Miguel Regional Park, a part of the Moulton-Niguel Sanitation system; Upper Newport Bay, a natural estuary; Fullerton Dam (now Craig Regional Park); and Mile Square Regional Park, at a surplus military base. Through the talents and diligence of Harbors, Beaches, and Parks management and staff, much of the original Master Plan of Parks has seen realization.
Centralization of responsibility for the planning and development of all types of recreational facilities in Orange County took place early in the 1970s, with the transformation of the original "Harbor District" to the "Harbors, Beaches and Parks District by legislative and Board action. A coordinated approach to planning for both coastal and inland recreational opportunities was developed, providing equal access to residents of different areas within the County.
In the 1970s, reflecting growing concern for preserving natural areas and concern for protection of the environment, Orange County Harbors, Beaches and Parks began to acquire large tracts of land for preservation as natural and wilderness areas. Over 5,000 acres of land adjacent to the Cleveland National Forest which was to become Caspers Wilderness Park was the first such acquisition in 1974.
In the 1980s as Orange County saw growth and development at an enormous rate in south county, the Harbors Beaches and Parks District in coordination with the Planning Department developed a program which required large land developers to dedicate portions of planned community developments for regional parks and open space buffers between developed areas. The District benefited from the dedication of several huge areas of prime scenic oaklands, riparian habitat and natural areas such as the Aliso and Wood Canyon in south County, additions to O'Neill Park and the acquisition of Whiting Ranch in the Santiago foothills.
As we enter the 1990s Orange County Harbors Beaches and Parks looks back on its origins almost a hundred years ago in the creation of the County's first regional park. Through the efforts and vision of thousands of dedicated employees, volunteers and involved citizens, both past and present Orange
The County's regional recreation system is one of the finest in the nation. Eighteen urban, wilderness and historical parks, three recreational harbors, 9 miles of beaches, and 15,000 acres of open apace serve the citizens of Orange County by providing spaces for recreation and leisure as well as providing scenic and rustic spaces for gatherings of family, friends, and community. What follows is-the story of the growth and development of orange County's Harbors, Beaches, and Parks District.
| Common Rules and Regulations | Park specific rules: |
Minors Must Be Under Direct Adult Supervision At All Times. Warning: You are entering a wilderness area characterized by certain inherent dangers. These dangers include mountain lions, rattlesnakes, poison oak and rugged terrain. Mountain lions are unpredictable and dangerous. Minors have been attacked without warning. |
Aliso and Wood Canyons Regional Park |
| Arroyo Trabuco Addition to O'Neill Park | |
| Ronald Caspers Wilderness Park | |
| Featherly Regional Park | |
| Laguna Coast Wilderness Park | |
| O'Neill Regional Park | |
| Peters Canyon Regional Park | |
| Santiago Oaks Regional Park | |
| Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park |
Campers must be over 18 years of age or accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Minors have been attacked without warning.
Warning: Mountain lions are in the area. They are unpredictable and dangerous. Stay alert and follow all park rules.