If you are someone who loves nature and enjoys your surroundings, then you will never run out of things to do in Laguna Beach. Maintaining as much open space and surrounding wilderness as possible, Laguna Beach has practiced conservation before it became a fad. For this reason, people flock to the area to enjoy its natural beauty.
If you are visiting Laguna Beach and want to see its natural side here are a few places you should put on your list:
1. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park – This wilderness park lies within some of the last remaining coastal canyons in Southern California. The park is made up of 6,500 acres and is part of the South Coast Wilderness area, comprised of Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Crystal Cove State Park, The City of Irvine Open Space and Irvine Ranch Land Reserve, and Laguna Coast (about 18,000 acres). The park has natural riparian areas and the only natural lakes in Orange County. There are many protected and endangered species living in the park that include the California Gnatcatcher, Cactus Wren, and Orange-Throated Whiptail.
Many plein air artists gravitate to this park as the views and subjects are plentiful. But don’t despair if you aren’t an artist, there are plenty of other things to do while in the park, they include hiking, mountain bicycling, trail running, and horse-back riding. There are also regularly scheduled guided tours (by foot, bicycle, or horse-back) available. Volunteer naturalists who know the land, animals and plants inside and out, guide many of the tours, making your excursion a wonderful way to experience the park. Additional tours such as Sunset hikes, Full Moon hikes, etc. are irregularly scheduled or can be arranged for groups.
For more information on the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, it is located at 18751 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651. For more information, call (949) 923-2235.
2. Willow and Laurel Canyons – These canyons can be accessed from the Willow Canyon Staging Area located on Laguna Canyon Road, on the west side of the road just south of the El Toro Road intersection. This areas history dates back to the arrival of the Spanish. Prior, Laurel Canyon was inhabited by the local Tongva tribe of Native Californians. A spring-fed stream that flowed year-round provided water attracting Mexican ranchers who established sheep grazing on the hillsides in the late 1700s and early 1800s. After the Mexican government was ejected, the area caught the attention of Anglo settlers interested in water rights. Laurel Canyon later became famous due to becoming the home of musicians such as Frank Zappa, Jim Morrison of The Doors, The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and Love. Joni Mitchell, living in the home in the Canyon that was immortalized in the song, “Our House”, written by her then-lover, Graham Nash, would use the area and inspiration for her third album, Ladies of the Canyon. The bohemian spirit from that time period endures to this day, and every year residents gather for a group photograph at the country market.
3. James Dilley Preserve – This piece of land that is owned by the city and managed by the county’s parks department, was established in 1978 and is the oldest portion of Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. The preserve is bordered by Laguna Canyon Road on the west, El Toro Road and Leisure World on the east and the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor (toll road) on the south. The Laguna Lakes form the preserve’s north boundary. James Dilley Preserve’s “islandness” is apparent from looking at the map and even more obvious when contemplating the landscape from atop the preserve’s ridges. James Dilley Preserve is also the oldest section of the Wilderness Park and is named in honor of bookseller James Dilley, who first dreamt of a greenbelt surrounding the town.
The best way to see the park is to hike the loop around the preserve; it is numbered with wooden markers keyed to an interpretive pamphlet.
James Dilley Preserve is on Laguna Canyon Road, just north of the 73 Toll Road.
4. Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park – This park is a designated wildlife sanctuary and once was part of Juaneno tribal land. With its wildflowers, elderberry, oak and sycamore trees, it offers more than 30 miles of multi-use trails for hikers, bikers and horseback riders. Aliso and Wood Park is located between Laguna Beach and Laguna Hills. It includes more than 5,000 acres of high ridges and beautiful sweeping views of the beach.
Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park is located at 28373 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677.
There is always something to do when you visit Laguna Beach, especially if you love nature and being outdoors. Bring your hiking shoes and your sense of adventure and you will be set.
About the Author: Pamela Ravenwood is a marketing associate of http://www.bestlagunavacations.com, a company that provides the best and highest quality Laguna rentals, Laguna vacations, beach villas and cottages in Laguna Beach, California.
