Outdoor Fun Events at the OC Parks | Various Regional Parks Throughout OC | Full September Schedule

SEPTEMBER 2024 FEATURED EVENTS

September 4 – Adaptation Spotlight: Bees and Honey

3 – 4:30 p.m. | Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

Join OC Parks naturalists and learn about bees! We will search for bees during a

short hike and discuss their role in nature, how they function and how they make

honey! This program is for ages 7 and older. Please wear closed-toe shoes, sun

protection and bring water. Advance registration required. The program is free

and parking is $3 per vehicle.

Registration: ocparks.com/events

September 6, 13, 20 & 27 – Wild Tales

10 – 11 a.m. | Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve

Spending time outside is one of the best ways to nurture curiosity and instill a

love of the natural world. Bring your young ones and join OC Parks staff to learn

all about Upper Newport Bay. Wild Tales is offered every Friday from 10-11 a.m.

and includes a story time, age-appropriate hike and themed craft. Each week will

focus on a different topic that encourages young ones to learn about the

outdoors. The program begins at the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center.

Program content is tailored for ages 2-5, but all are welcome to attend. Please

wear comfortable attire and closed-toe shoes. The program and parking are free.

Advance registration is recommended.

Registration: letsgooutside.org/activities

September 7 – BioBlitz!

8 – 11 a.m. | Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

Learn how to be a scientist and join OC Parks in celebrating Biodiversity Day! Did

you know California is a biodiversity hotspot? Help scientists and OC Parks staff

document the species found in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. You will learn

about California’s unique biodiverse flora and fauna and how to use iNaturalist, a

smartphone app that allows people to share biodiversity information to help each

other learn about nature. The program will also include a self-guided hike so you

can document the species you find along the way! Advance registration required.

The program is free and parking is $3 per vehicle.

Registration: ocparks.com/events

September 7 – Wilderness Access Day: Black Star Canyon

8 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Black Star Canyon

Black Star Canyon, part of OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space, offers pleasant

introductory trails for beginner hikers and families as well as challenging

experiences for seasoned trail users. Designated trails are available for self-

guided hiking, biking and equestrian use. Parking is limited on Black Star Canyon

Road and carpooling is strongly recommended. Advance registration is only

required for equestrian use.

More information: letsgooutside.org/activities

September 7 – Adapted California Sagebrush

9 – 10 a.m. | Mile Square Regional Park

Join us at Mile Square Regional Park to learn how California Sagebrush is built to

survive Southern California’s harsh climate! Our program includes a short walk

within Mile Square’s Nature Area where we'll discuss how California Sagebrush

has adapted to the region and a creative drawing exercise using watercolor paint

and colored pencils. Advance registration is recommended. The program is free

and parking is $5 per vehicle.

Registration: letsgooutside.org/activities

September 12 – Little Explorers - Stars!

9:30 – 10:30 a.m. | Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

This program is for ages 3-6. Join OC Parks naturalists for story time and a short

hike with your little ones as we explore the Willow Staging Area. Our theme of the

month is stars! Advance registration is required for all participants, including

children. The program is free and parking is $3 per vehicle.

Registration: ocparks.com/events

September 13 – Native Garden Stewardship

7:30 – 9:30 a.m. | Ralph B. Clark Regional Park

Join us as we work towards restoring healthy habitat areas at Clark Regional

Park. We will come together to maintain the native garden by removing invasive

plants and expand the garden as conditions permit. We will meet in parking lot H

and the activity will take place within a quarter mile of the parking lot. No

experience is necessary and all tools will be provided. Advance registration is

recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. The program is free and parking is $3

per vehicle.

Registration: letsgooutside.org/activities

September 13 & 14 – Chess and Checkers in the Nature Area

9 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Mile Square Regional Park

Drop by Mile Square Regional Park's Nature Area for chess, checkers, art and

fun! A limited amount of chess and checkers sets will be available for free play as

well as an array of art supplies including colored pencils, coloring pages, paper

and watercolors. Feel free to bring your own materials! The program will take

place on the south side of the Nature Area at the picnic tables. No registration

required. The program is free and parking is $3 per vehicle.

More information: letsgooutside.org/activities

September 14 – Wilderness Access Day: Gypsum Canyon Wilderness

8 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Gypsum Canyon Wilderness

Come explore six miles of new trails at Gypsum Canyon Wilderness through this

self-guided opportunity. Located within OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space,

Gypsum Canyon Wilderness features seven new trails for hiking, mountain biking

and horseback riding. Two lookout points offer sweeping views of the surrounding

canyons and unique prehistoric rock formations. Multiple loop options that vary in

distance and range from easy to moderate in difficulty are available for self-

guided exploration. Access is first come, first served until parking capacity is

reached. No registration required.

More information: letsgooutside.org/activities

September 14 – Backyard Bugs

9 – 10:30 a.m. | Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park

Insects are the most diverse group of animals on Earth and make up 80% of all

known species. There are more varieties of bugs than all other types of animals

combined! Join us on a family-friendly trek around Aliso and Wood Canyons

Wilderness Park to learn all about these amazing animals who have perfected

the art of ecological specialization. Insects may have a reputation for being icky,

but they're essential pollinators needed to sustain life on our planet. Advance

registration required. The program is free and parking is $3 per vehicle.

Registration: ocparks.com/events

September 18 – Critter Investigation: Big-Hearted Bats

10 – 11 a.m. | Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve

Come and learn more about a rarely spotted critter that flies around at night: big-

hearted bats! We’ll learn about the behaviors and habits of bats and how they

have the largest heart to body ratio out of all mammals! This program includes a

story time, age-appropriate hike and themed craft. Activities will begin at the

Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center. Program content is tailored for the

preschool and kindergarten level (ages 2-6), but all are welcome to attend.

Advance registration required. The program and parking are free.

Registration: letsgooutside.org/activities

September 19 – Preschool Paleontology: Art & Storytime

10 – 11 a.m. | Ralph B. Clark Regional Park

Enjoy a morning at Clark Regional Park as we learn about fossils and how they

are made! Participants will visit the Interpretive Center, learn about our ancient

Earth and make a craft. Activities are designed for ages 2 to 5, but all are

welcome. The program will meet in front of the Interpretive Center. Advance

registration is required for all participants, including children. This program is free

and parking is $3 per vehicle.

Registration: letsgooutside.org/activities

September 20 – Nature Creativity: Leaf Printing

9:30 – 11:30 a.m. | Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

Nature can inspire the creativity in all of us. In this program, you will learn about

different leaf adaptations and make your own leaf printed (or painted) bandana.

This program is designed for ages 12 and older and participants should wear

closed-toe shoes, sun protection and bring water. Advance registration required.

The program is free and parking is $3 per vehicle.

Registration: ocparks.com/events

September 20 – Phone Photo Friday

2 – 4 p.m. | Santiago Oaks Regional Park

The best camera is the one you have with you, and for most, that camera is also

their cellphone! If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about the camera you carry

with you every day, join us for a beginner’s program to taking better photos with

your cell phone. Each session will cover photography theory basics, phone

camera settings and editing techniques, with time to practice in the park.

Advance registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. The program is

free and parking is $3 per vehicle.

Registration: letsgooutside.org/activities

September 21 – Wilderness Access Day: Red Rock Wilderness

8 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Red Rock Wilderness

Come explore OC Parks’ newest trails at Red Rock Wilderness through this self-

guided opportunity. Located within OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space, Red

Rock Wilderness features more than eight miles of new trails for hiking, mountain

biking and horseback riding along with a scenic overlook that offers 360-degree

views of the nearby iconic red rock, Black Star Canyon Wilderness, Irvine Lake,

Santiago Canyon and beyond. Three miles of multi-use trails within Loma Ridge

Nature Preserve will also be accessible. Advance registration required.

Registration: letsgooutside.org/activities

September 21 – Coastal Cleanup Day at Upper Newport Bay

9 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve

Join OC Parks, Newport Bay Conservancy and volunteers around the world for

Coastal Cleanup Day at Upper Newport Bay on Saturday, September 21! Lend a

helping hand and make a positive impact on our coastlines as we work together

to remove trash and recyclables from the marsh, waterway and beaches. This

year’s goal is to remove more than 10,000 pounds of trash, as waste items can

harm wildlife, pollute waterways and impact public health. Participants are

encouraged to wear old clothes, closed-toe shoes (tall/rubber boots are best) and

bring a refillable water bottle, gloves and a trash bag or bucket. Advance

registration is recommended. The event and parking are free.

Registration: ocparks.com/events

September 21 – Hiking Through History

2 – 4 p.m. | Santiago Oaks Regional Park

Celebrate 50 years of recreation at Santiago Oaks Regional Park by hiking

through its history! Learn about the Windes family that called this park home, the

flood of 1969 and the grassroots effort to preserve Barham Ranch as parkland.

Stops will include the Historic and Villa Park Dams, the Historic Orange Grove,

the Nature Center and more. The walk will begin in front of the Nature Center

located near the parking lot and travel approximately three miles with little

elevation gain. registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. The

program is free and parking is $5 per vehicle.

Registration: letsgooutside.org/activities

September 25 – Wild North America Preschool Program

10:15 – 11:15 a.m. | OC Zoo at Irvine Regional Park

Bring your little ones to this class that includes hands-on learning, fun crafts and

meeting zoo creatures up close! This program is for ages 3-4 only. Cost is $5 per

child (one parent included). Parents must accompany their child for the entire

program. Phone registration is required. Parking fee is $3 per vehicle on

weekdays.

Registration: Call (714) 973-6846

September 26 – Tree Exploration

9:30 – 11 a.m. | Mason Regional Park

Join OC Parks naturalists as we explore the wonder of trees! We will use our

senses to observe trees, learn how trees grow and marvel at their majesty. The

program is for ages 7 and older. We will meet at the trail entrance that leads to

the Native Plant Garden and Butterfly Garden. Advance registration required. The

program is free and parking is $3 per vehicle.

Registration: ocparks.com/events

September 28 – Biking the Bay

7:30 – 10 a.m. | Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve

Join OC Parks for an interpretive bike ride around Upper Newport Bay!

Participants will have the opportunity to get their heart rate up and pedal around

the Bay, all while learning about local ecology and history. This moderately-paced

ride will cover a 10-mile section of the Back Bay Loop Trail over the course of 2.5

hours. The bike ride will remain on the paved portion of the trail and will have

interpretive stops along the way. Advance registration required. The program and

parking are free.

Registration: ocparks.com/events

September 28 – Wilderness Access Day: Saddleback Wilderness

8 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Saddleback Wilderness

Come explore over three miles of new trails at Saddleback Wilderness, part of

OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space, through this self-guided opportunity.

Designated trails will be open for self-guided hiking, biking and equestrian use.

There are multiple trail loop options which vary in distance and level of difficulty.

Choices range from an easy 1-mile loop to multiple figure-8 configurations for

those looking to maximize their mileage. Regardless of distance, nearly all

options feature scenic views including a destination vista point offering 360-

degree perspectives from the mountains to the sea. Access is first come, first

served until parking capacity is reached. No registration required.

More information: letsgooutside.org/activities

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