October and Fall are here, along with all kinds of fun family activities going on throughout Orange County Parks. Be sure to mark your calendar for these special family events!
Now through – October 31 – Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Weekdays; 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Weekends
Irvine Park Railroad’s ninth annual pumpkin patch is fun for the entire family! Activities include train rides, hay rides, a child-friendly haunted house, a hay maze, a moon bounce, face painting, picture stands, John Deere tractor races and a lot more.
Admission to the pumpkin patch is free. Prices for all other activities vary. School and group discounts available. For additional information and costs, please visit www.irvineparkrailroad.com.
Location: Irvine Regional Park. 1 Irvine Park Road, Orange, CA 92869 Website: www.ocparks.com/irvinepark/
Cost: Free Parking: $3 per vehicle weekdays, $5 per vehicle weekends
Contact: (714) 997-3968
October 1 – Wilderness Access Day: Limestone Canyon
8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Enjoy self-guided hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian access to designated trails in Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve.
Location: Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve
Website: www.ocparks.com/irvineranch
Cost: Free
Parking: Free
Special Instructions: All ages welcome. Registration is required, sign-up online: www.letsgooutside.org/wildernessaccessday. Directions will be provided after registration.
October 1, 16 – Nursery Plant Propagation and Care Day
8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Join us at our native plant nursery as we care for native plants from their seed stage to their mature, ready-to-be planted stage. Volunteers may collect seeds, sow seeds in flats, bump plants up, plant at restoration sites, sterilize plant containers, and/or help maintain the facilities for the plants. Gain hands-on experience with habitat restoration while working alongside other zany and interesting plant lovers!
Location: Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. 18751 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Website: www.ocparks.com/lagunacoast
Cost: Free
Parking: Free passes will be provided at the nursery
Contact: (949) 923-2235
Special Instructions: Registration is required, sign-up online: www.eventbrite.com/plantpropagation. Wear closed-toed shoes, layered clothing and sun protection (hat, sunscreen) and bring water. Meet at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Willow Canyon Staging Area (west side of Laguna Canyon Rd/SR-133, just south of El Toro Road). Park and walk up the gravel trail 100 yards to get to the small native plant nursery, just before the trailers.
October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – Walk with a Naturalist
9 – 10:30 a.m.
Join O’Neill Regional Park naturalists and learn about the animals and nature of Trabuco Canyon. This will be a light to moderate walk on mostly paved roads.
Location: O’Neill Regional Park. 30892 Trabuco Canyon Road
Trabuco Canyon, CA 92678
Website: www.ocparks.com/oneill
Cost: Free
Parking: $5 per vehicle
Contact: (949) 923-2260
Special Instructions: All ages welcome. Meet at the Nature Center just inside the main entrance of O’Neill Regional Park. Event is conditional on weather.
October 1 – Acorn Day
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Come celebrate Acorn Day under the oaks at O’Neill Regional Park. It’s a free, family-friendly day of excitement and learning with activities for every age: a very special storytelling session with painting on water, free crafts for kids, a live butterfly enclosure, games, face painting, live music, nature and animal exhibits, a book signing with the author of “How to draw 60 Native CA Plants and Animals, a field guide”, acorn and oak tree planting and much more for the entire family!
Location: O’Neill Regional Park. 30892 Trabuco Canyon Road
Trabuco Canyon, CA 92678
Website: www.ocparks.com/oneill
Cost: Free
Parking: Parking is free for event
Contact: (949) 923-2260
Special Instructions: All ages welcome. Guided nature hikes to the Water Tower will be offered at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Food will be available for a nominal fee. For more information visit: www.ocparks.com/acornday.
October 1 – Family Hike
3 – 5 p.m.
Come and enjoy an easy, 2.5-mile family hike over moderate but uneven terrain (45-ft. elevation gain). Starting at the James Dilley Preserve we will hike one of the most diverse areas of the park to Barbara’s Lake and back. Hike is led by Laguna Canyon Foundation naturalist volunteers.
Location: Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. 18751 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Website: www.ocparks.com/lagunacoast
Cost: Free
Parking: $3 per vehicle
Contact: (949) 923-2235
Special Instructions: Registration is required, sign-up online: www.eventbrite.com/familyhike. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, James Dilley Preserve (I-5 or 405 south to 133 south to stoplight at 73 toll road; make a U-turn, go 1 block. Dilley is on the right).
October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 – Guided Nature Hike
8 – 9:15 a.m.
Join the Park Ranger for a 1-mile nature hike in the beautiful Bell Canyon area of Caspers Wilderness Park.
Location: Caspers Wilderness Park. 33401 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
Website: www.ocparks.com/caspers
Cost: Free
Parking: $5 per vehicle (day use free)
Contact: (949) 923-2210
Specil Instructions: Hike lasts approximately one hour and is suitable for all ages. Meet at the Old Corral Day Use Area. Contact park office for hike updates.
October 5, 11, 13, 19, 21 – Halloween Animal Art Preschool Program
10:15 – 11:15 a.m.
Come learn about creatures that are associated with Halloween! Class includes hands-on learning, fun crafts, and meeting zoo animals up close! Location: OC Zoo. 1 Irvine Park Road Orange, CA 92869
Website: www.ocparks.com/zoo
Cost: $5 per child (includes one adult)
Parking: $3 per vehicle
Contact: Marcy Crede-Booth at (714) 973-6846
Special Instructions: Registration is required! Call (714) 973-6846 to register. Ages 3-4 years old only. Parent must accompany child for duration of program.
October 8– Whiting Ranch Poker Ride 2016
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
OC Parks invites you to ride the trails and test your luck at the Whiting Ranch Poker Ride! Participants will ride their mountain bikes through an adventurous course of trails, navigating their way through checkpoints along the way. After hitting all the checkpoints, riders will be dealt a poker hand to compete for awesome Oakley and Cygolite prizes and a complete Jax Bicycles MTB awarded for the best hand!
Location: Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park (Glenn Ranch). 27901 Glenn Ranch Rd., Trabuco Canyon, CA 92679
Website: www.ocparks.com/whiting
Cost: Free
Parking: Park at Oakley Headquarters, 1 Icon, Foothill Ranch, CA 92610
Contact: (949) 923-2245
Special Instructions: Ages 12 and up. Registration is required, sign-up online: www.letsgooutside.org/pokerride. The course distance is approximately 6.5 miles with a 700-ft. elevation change. Food will be available for purchase.
October 8 – Maps and Compasses Navigation: Part 1
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Tap into topographical map-reading and compass skills while viewing the Santiago Canyon vistas in Black Star Canyon Wilderness Park.
Location: Black Star Canyon Wilderness Park
Website: www.ocparks.com/irvineranch
Cost: Free
Parking: Free
Special Instructions: Ages 8 and up. Registration required, sign-up online: www.letsgooutside.org/mapscompasses. Driving directions will be provided after registration.
October 8 – Autumn Harvest Festival
4 – 9 p.m.
Heritage Hill Historical Park welcomes back the annual Autumn Harvest Festival. Bring the family to a fun-filled adventure and experience the park transformed into a spooky Halloween festival. Enjoy the Indiana Jones Trick or Treat Stations, experience the Under the Sea Adventure Maze, and dare to visit the Haunted School House. Children of all ages can participate in ghoulish games, costume contests and the pumpkin decorating zone. Costumes and trick-or-treat bags are recommended.
Location: Heritage Hill Historical Park. 25151 Serrano Road
Lake Forest, CA 92630-2534
Website: www.ocparks.com/heritage
Cost: $5 per person ages 3 and up.
Parking: Free
Contact: (949) 923-2230
October 8 – Astronomy Night
6 – 9 p.m.
Join Orange County Astronomers for a view of the fall night sky. OC Astronomer Chris Butler will provide a presentation about the Moon. Enjoy the opportunity to look through telescopes at stars, planets, and other celestial objects. Saturn will be visible!
Location: Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. 18751 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Website: www.ocparks.com/lagunacoast
Cost: Free
Parking: $3 per vehicle
Contact: (949) 497-8324
Special Instructions: Ages 9 and up. Registration is required, sign-up online: www.eventbrite.com/astronomynight. Come prepared with layers of clothing to keep warm. You may also bring warm drinks and snacks. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Little Sycamore Canyon Staging Area/Nix Nature Center (west side of Laguna Canyon Rd/SR-133, approximately 3.5 miles south of I-5/405).
October 9 – The Mysterious World of O’Neill Regional Park
9 – 10:30 a.m.
Have you ever wondered, “where are all the wild animals in the park?” Visit a Show and Share Exhibit located next to the O’Neill Park Nature Center and discover the mysterious clues animals leave behind. Enjoy nature crafts and games, like making a wild animal track mold!
Location: O’Neill Regional Park. 30892 Trabuco Canyon Road
Trabuco Canyon, CA 92678
Website: www.ocparks.com/oneill
Cost: Free
Parking: $5 per vehicle
Contact: (949) 923-2260
October 14, 15 – Haunt at Heritage Hill
6 – 10 p.m.
OC Parks and the City of Lake Forest welcomes trick-or-treaters ages 12 and older back to Heritage Hill Historical Park for the 9th Annual Haunt at Heritage Hill. The park will once again transform into a haunted adventure with scream zones, including The Joker’s Side Show Maze, the Zombie Apocalypse, and Riding Hood’s Revenge, featuring more monsters than ever before. Visit the Haunted School House and hit the dance floor with ghouls and goblins at the extreme DJ and light show. Join in the fun and come dressed in costume (no masks) to enter the haunted Teen Dance & Costume Contest! Visit www.facebook.com/LFhaunt for more information and a chance to win prizes.
Location: Heritage Hill Historical Park. 25151 Serrano Road
Lake Forest, CA 92630-2534
Website: www.ocparks.com/heritage
Cost: $8 per person.
Parking: Free
Contact: (949) 923-2230
Special Instructions: 12 years and up.
October 15 – Keep It Wild Volunteer Day
8 – 11 a.m.
Come on out and help restore the wild lands we so enjoy! There’s no better way to start a Saturday morning than by joining OC Parks and the Laguna Canyon Foundation in an invigorating project of non-native plant removal and/or planting native plants. Help us make a healthier environment for the native wildlife and for ourselves.
Location: Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. 18751 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Website: www.ocparks.com/lagunacoast
Cost: Free
Parking: Free for Keep It Wild volunteers
Contact: (949) 923-2235
Special Instructions: Registration is required, sign-up online: www.eventbrite.com/keepitwild. Little Sycamore Canyon Staging Area/Nix Nature Center (west side of Laguna Canyon Rd/SR-133, approximately 3.5 miles south of I-5/405).
October 15 – Keep It Wild Volunteer Day
8 – 11 a.m.
Come on out and help restore the wild lands we so enjoy! There’s no better way to start a Saturday morning than by joining OC Parks and the Laguna Canyon Foundation in an invigorating project of non-native plant removal and/or planting native plants. Help us make a healthier environment for the native wildlife and for ourselves.
Location: Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park. 28373 Alicia Parkway
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
Website: www.ocparks.com/aliso
Cost: Free
Parking: Free for Keep It Wild volunteers (see staff for pass)
Contact: (949) 923-2200
Special Instructions: Registration is required, sign-up online: www.eventbrite.com/keepitwild. Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Ranger Headquarters, 28373 Alicia Pkwy (from southbound Aliso Creek Rd, turn right on Alicia Parkway, first right on Awma Road, then left into parking lot).
October 15 – Prehistoric OC
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Join OC Parks and the Dr. John D. Cooper Archaeological and Paleontological Center at Prehistoric OC. This free, family-friendly event presents Orange County’s rich heritage of natural history, prehistoric animals and plants, and Native American culture to the community. Prehistoric OC has something for everyone. Come see volcano demonstrations, Native American storytelling and a special visit from Rocky the T-Rex! There will be a number of activities including archaeological and paleontological demonstrations and exhibits, as well as a Junior Scientist Camp featuring educational crafts and hands-on activities. Ralph B. Clark Regional Park is home to the Clark Paleontology Museum. The museum will host guided tours to showcase its extensive fossil collection from Orange County and its working laboratory where visitors can see paleontologists and archaeologists in action!
Location: Clark Regional Park. 8800 Rosecrans Ave. Buena Park, CA 90621
Website: www.ocparks.com/clark
Cost: Free
Parking: $5 per vehicle
Contact: (714) 973-3170
October 21 – Tot Walk
9 – 11:30 a.m.
Join Ranger Zak along with Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteers and bring your young ones (infant to age three) to explore Aliso’s wild backyard. We will see bugs, animal tracks, plants, birds and have all kinds of outdoor fun!
Location: Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park. 28373 Alicia Parkway
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
Website: www.ocparks.com/aliso
Cost: Free
Parking: $3 per vehicle
Special Instructions: Ages: infant to age 3. Please sign-up online: www.eventbrite.com/totwalk. Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Ranger Headquarters, 28373 Alicia Pkwy (from southbound Aliso Creek Rd, turn right on Alicia Parkway, first right on Awma Road, then left into parking lot).
October 22 – Amazing Raptors: Hawks, Owls, & Falcons
1 – 4 p.m.
Get a close-up look at live hawks, owls, and falcons from the Orange County Bird of Prey Center. Learn to identify raptors in flight. Dissect an owl pellet. Find out how owls fly silently and discover other raptor survival secrets!
Location: Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. 18751 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Website: www.ocparks.com/lagunacoast
Cost: Free
Parking: $3 per vehicle
Contact: (949) 497-8324
Special Instructions: Registration is required, sign-up online: www.eventbrite.com/amazingraptors. Birds will be on display and activities available from 1 to 4 p.m. No hiking involved. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Little Sycamore Canyon Staging Area/Nix Nature Center (west side of Laguna Canyon Rd/SR-133, approximately 3.5 miles south of I-5/405).
October 22 – Pioneer Roundup
2 – 4 p.m.
Early pioneer families of the Saddleback area and their descendants share stories and visit during this SAHS meeting. Everyone is Welcome.
Location: Heritage Hill Historical Park. 25151 Serrano Road
Lake Forest, CA 92630-2534
Website: www.ocparks.com/heritage
Cost: Free
Parking: Free
Contact: (949) 923-2230
October 28 – Twilight Trek on the Mesa
6 – 8 p.m.
Enjoy the Mesa in beautiful Black Star Canyon Wilderness Park as the sun sets below the horizon.
Location: Black Star Canyon Wilderness Park
Website: www.ocparks.com/irvineranch
Cost: Free
Parking: Free
Special Instructions: Ages 10 and up. Registration required, sign-up online: www.letsgooutside.org/twilighttrek. Driving directions will be provided after registration of program.
October 29 – Halloween Zoo-tacular
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Join us for Halloween fun at the OC Zoo! Activities include trick-or-treating, kids crafts, a scavenger hunt, and fun games! First 100 children in costume receive a free gift! Come see the zoo animals receive treat-filled pumpkins throughout the day.
Location: Orange County Zoo. 1 Irvine Park Road Orange, CA 92869
Website: www.ocparks.com/zoo
Cost: Free with paid zoo admissions ($2 per person, ages 2 and under are free)
Parking: $5 per vehicle
Contact: Marcy Crede-Booth at (714) 973-6846
Special Instructions: Reservations are not needed.
October 30– Family Science Sunday
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Free activities in the Muth Interpretive Center classroom once a month, each one with a different educational theme to explore.
Location: Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve. 2301 University Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Website: www.ocparks.com/newport
Cost: Free
Parking: Free
Contact: (949) 923-2290
Special Instructions: Recommended for ages 2 to 10. All activities are self guided. May include crafts, hand-on exhibits, hikes or more!
October 30 – Then and Now: An Interactive Discovery of Animals Living in OC’s Past and Present
1 – 3 p.m.
Come out to Clark Regional Park on the last Sunday of every month to learn about the animals that ruled the land 10,000 years ago and the animals living in Orange County today. Visit the Show and Share activity table for hands-on exhibits and discover the similarities and differences between past and present animals.
Location: Clark Regional Park. 8800 Rosecrans Ave. Buena Park, CA 90621
Website: www.ocparks.com/clark
Cost: Free
Parking: $5 per vehicle
Contact: (714) 973-3170
Special Instructions: This is a free, family-friendly event. Meet at the interpretive center, rain or shine. Pack a lunch and stay for the day at the park following the program.
OC Parks:
The OC Parks system encompasses 26 regional, wilderness and historical facilities, as well as coastal areas throughout the County of Orange in California. Featuring nearly 60,000 acres of parkland, open space and shoreline, Orange County’s award-winning parks and programs are enjoyed by millions of residents and visitors each year, in ways as diverse as the parks themselves.
OC Parks offers wilderness hikes. Campgrounds. World-class mountain biking. Nature centers. Nationally recognized historic sites. Fishing. Surfing. And the list goes on. Whether a visitor comes to jog or camp; whether a family holds a reunion at a park or meets friends at the beach, OC Parks offers everything you need to make every day a great one.
https://www.ocparks.com
