Orange County Blog

Was your New Year Resolution to spend more time with your family?  How about to get more exercise? Maybe you want to get out of the house and see more of Orange County?  Here are 5 easy hikes to accomplish all 3 goals:

San Juan Capistrano: El Cariso Nature Trail, a self guided loop trail, is a 1.5 miles with an elevation gain of only 100 feet.  It begins at the Forest Service Station at El Cariso off the Ortega Highway.
“From the parking lot, head up the stairs and begin your climb on the self-guided nature trail. Interpretive signs will describe the plant and tree life you are seeing, which include Manzanitas, Coulter pines and more. As you climb, you get nice, wide-ranging views of the Los Pinos complex to the north, Decker Canyon to the south and the southern Santa Anas into San Diego County in the east. Over your shoulder, you can see San Gorgoino Mountain on clear days.” http://nobodyhikesinla.com/tag/el-cariso-nature-trail/

Lake Forest: Borrego Canyon to Red Rock Canyon, a four mile hike with an elevation gain of 500 feet.  It begins at the Borrego Canyon trailhead (Whiting Ranch) off Portola Parkway in Foothill Ranch.
“Borrego Canyon Trail is a dirt path lined on both sides by housing tracts on top of steep canyon walls. Despite the nearby homes, the trail feels quite secluded, and is very popular with hikers and mountain bikers (mountain bikers may only ride the trail one-way, into the park). The trail roughly follows a small creek and is dotted with shrub and chaparral, which is broken up by occasional shady groves of like oaks.” http://www.greeneadventures.com/2011/01/30/hiking-whiting-ranch-wilderness-park-borrego-canyon-to-red-rock-canyon/

Trabuco Canyon: Holy Jim Falls Trail is a 2.8 mile roundtrip with a 625 foot elevation gain.  It requires a drive back into Holy Jim Canyon to access it.
“Heavy winter rains are essential to a pleasant journey. Along the way, you will see many small cascades and cross the stream several times before you reach the split where the main trail ascends to the Main Divide Road to the left and the trail to the waterfall shoots off to the right. Watch for poison oak as you scramble over the last quarter of a mile to the twenty foot falls.” http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/HolyJimFalls_4472.asp

Orange: Peters Canyon Lake Loop, a 2.5 easy loop trail with an elevation gain of 250 feet.  It is part of Peters Canyon Regional Park.
“This trail circles the 55-acre Upper Peters Canyon Reservoir, which provides valuable habitat to migrating waterfowl. The rolling terrain takes you from marsh edge to open hillsides looking east over the lake toward the crest of the northern Santa Ana Mountains.” http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=XFA020-011

Newport Beach: North Shore Trail Upper Newport Bay, is a 3.12 mile round trip with an elevation gain of only 50 feet. There is a parking area on University Drive near the interpretive center.
“Pickleweed and eel grass fill the low flats. Willows, sycamores, and invasive Brazillian Pepper (do not touch!) cover the ground between the dry coastal sage habitat (distinguished by its grasses, buckwheat, and, in some places, cholla cactus) and the salt marsh. Bring binoculars or spotting scopes for a good look at the rare California least tern, skimmers, Great Blue Herons, white pelicans, snowy egrets, and savannah sparrows.” http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/IrvineCoast_4472.asp

And for other great family outings be sure to check out the Beaches and Parks Link on the home page of this Orange County Resource Guide.

Did you know Orange County is home to 14 Regional Parks, 7 Wilderness Parks, and 7 Historical Parks? And besides miles and miles of hiking trails, most of the parks offer amazing community programs.  Today let’s focus on Riley Wilderness Park…

“As a wildlife sanctuary, Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park is home to an abundant number of native plants and animal life. Old groves of Western Sycamores and Coast Live Oaks border the park's two seasonally flowing creeks. The remaining land features rolling hills and canyons of Coastal Sage Scrub and grasslands.”  http://www.ocparks.com/wildernessparks/

Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park
30952 Oso Parkway
Coto de Caza, CA 92679
(949)923-2265 or (949)923-2266

Astronomy Night - Star Program
October 1st  - 6:45 pm (Sunset) to 9:30 pm
Have you ever been curious about the stars and planets that are visible in the night sky? Have you wondered what they would look like through a telescope? If so, come participate in our Astronomy Night program led by our Volunteer Astronomers for an evening under the stars!
Event Fee: Free
Parking Fee: $3.00 per vehicle
Special Instructions: Dress for the night weather; Bring beach chairs and maybe a picnic dinner. Please note: Overcast or cloudy conditions cancels event.

Sunset Hike
October 15th - 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Experience Riley Wilderness Park at Sunset by joining a Ranger for a leisurely 1 hour hike through Oak Woodland, Coastal Sage Scrub and Grassland communities. Enjoy the wide variety of plants and animals that make their home here.
Event Fee: Free
Parking Fee: $3.00 per vehicle
Special Instructions: Be sure to wear comfortable weather appropriate clothing and hiking shoes. Bring water and insect repellent. Please - No stroller or Baby Joggers.

Be sure to visit http://www.orangecountyresourceguide.com/beaches-parks.html to explore all the offerings that OC brings to its residents!

Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteer naturalists partner with Orange County Parks’ staff to bring amazing outdoor activities each month designed to educate OC residents about local flora, fauna, geology, and history of this 20,000 acre wilderness area.  Take a look at just some of Orange County weekend events as well as week day events during the month of September: 

September 19, Sun., 8-10 a.m., Recreational Mountain Bike Ride: Catch beautiful coastal canyon views on this 10-mile ride over steep and uneven terrain (1,000-ft. elevation gain) with OC Parks Ranger Ed Bridges and Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteer mountain bike trail assistants. Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Ranger Headquarters, Gate 1, 28373 Alicia Pkwy (from southbound Aliso Creek Rd, turn right on Alicia, first right AWMA, left into parking lot). Reservations required: 949-923-2235. Parking: $3. Program: $2/person.

September 20, Mon., 8:30-10:30 a.m., Baby and Me Hike: Explore Mother Nature on your way to fitness. This brisk, 2-mile hike (400-ft. elevation gain) is for expectant women and mothers with babies in arms, packs or slings. No toddlers. (Trails not accessible for strollers.) Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Canyon View Staging Area, Gate 7 (from southbound Aliso Creek Road, turn right on Glenwood [turns into Pacific Park] and right on Canyon Vistas to Canyon View Park). Reservations required: 949-923-2235. Donation: $2/person

September 25, Sat., 8:30-10 a.m., Family Bike Ride: Catch beautiful canyon views on this easy, family-friendly, 6-mile bike ride with OC Parks Ranger Portia Arutunian. Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Meet at Ranger Headquarters, Gate 1, 28373 Alicia Pkwy (from southbound Aliso Creek Rd, turn right on Alicia, first right AWMA, left into parking lot). Reservations required: 949-923-2235. Parking: $3. Program: $2/person.

September 30, Thurs., 8:30-10:30 a.m., Fitness Hike: Raise your heart rate and your spirits on this strenuous, fast-paced, 3.5-mile hike over steep and uneven terrain (700-ft. elevation gain) with Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteers. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Willow Canyon Staging Area (20101 Laguna Canyon Rd, just south of El Toro Rd intersection). Reservations required: 949-923-2235. Parking: $3. Donation: $2/person.

Laguna Canyon Foundation http://www.lagunacanyon.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting and enhancing the South Coast Wilderness.

And now that you have your hiking boots on, why not take a look at Orange County’s other Regional and Wilderness parks.http://www.orangecountyresourceguide.com/beaches-parks.html

Orange County, with its 42 miles of coastline, is a spectacular place to live. A day at the beach washes away cares and concerns while watching the sun set over the vast ocean offers a new perspective to life.  All in all, there is no such thing as a bad day at the beach.  And Orange County has a multitude of beaches from which to choose to spend a day.

But before heading out to enjoy sea and sand, take a look at these important reminders from the American Academy of Dermatology at www.WelcomeToOC.com

Seriously, it’s time to fill the gas tank again?  Prices are on the rise and there’s not much we can do about it.  Right?  Well, the answer to that is both no and yes.  No, we can’t do much to lower the price of gas, but yes, we can take steps to reduce the number of times we visit the cost consuming gas station.

Here are a few helpful hints to reduce the frequency of the Needle on Empty Syndrome:

1.  Take care of your car!  Besides the issue with gas prices, a car is a huge investment.  Checking the tire pressure and replacing the air filter on a regular basis will do wonders for improving your car’s efficiency and therefore it’s MPG.

2. Remember that when the traffic light turns green, it’s not a green light to jump on the accelerator – settle down Speed Racer.  Accelerate moderately so as not to waste fuel.  A perfect partner to this hint is to take a tip from the truck drivers on crowded freeways.  They keep their speed constant as they know it takes much more fuel to get a vehicle moving than it does to keep it moving.

3. Try roughing it and turn off your air conditioner.  At lower speeds, you will save fuel.  But on the flip side, at higher speeds the A/C will be more efficient than the open windows because of wind resistance.

4. Resist the urge to “pimp your ride”.  If your tires are wider than the stock tires, chances are they'll create more rolling resistance and decrease fuel economy

5. So many of us fall into the category of being cleanliness impaired when it comes to our cars.  It takes little to acquire an extra 40-50 lbs. of stuff in our trunks.  Extra weight equals more fuel to burn to get from point A to point B.

6. One last tip for the carpool parent: Avoid Long Idles - The bottom line is idling burns more gas than restarting an engine. If you wait in line at the kids’ school, you know what a long idle means!

Now that you know how to stretch your tank of gas, stretch your gas dollars by learning where the cheapest gas stations are in your area http://bit.ly/47pekN

OC residents know that reducing their carbon footprint is paramount to the future of their world and are actively researching solar energy businesses. Our environment’s resources are not limitless and we should always be looking for ways to be good caretakers of Mother Earth.  Using the sun to turn your roof into a miniature electrical power plant for your home makes sense on two fronts.  One, solar electricity is a clean power source.  It generates electricity that is free of harmful CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases.  Two, many state and local government programs offer incentives and rebates to subsidize the cost of equipment and installation so it makes good financial sense to go solar.  Solar electricity converts sunlight directly into electricity, which can help reduce your electricity bills by as much as 60 percent. What a great savings!

Don’t delay.  Make a difference today.  Visit www.welcometooc.com to help you plan your conversion to solar energy.

In Orange County, being environmentally aware and reducing our carbon footprint is a big focus in our lives.  But did you ever stop to consider what chemicals you are putting onto your face? Does parabens, harsh chemicals, petroleum, synthetic colors and fragrances, Paraffin, PABA, mineral oil, propylene-glycol, phthalates, genetically modified organic material, DEA and animal ingredients sound like a smart investment in you and in your skin. Today’s savvy women are putting pressure on the cosmetic companies to produce organic products because while we care about our skin, we are not ready to give up the luxury of make-up.  The major focus of “green cosmetics” is the ingredients and the more organic the ingredients the better.

Ready to get started? Ease into going green with these tips...www.welcometooc.com