Jan 08 2009
OC Outdoors: Caspers Wilderness Park
After our short-lived stint of fun waves in Orange County, the ocean has once again gone dormant, leaving surfers to ask that ageless flat day question: what do I do now? My advice: take advantage of the sunny, cool-but-not-cold weather we have been having lately by exploring some of the undeveloped backcountry of Orange County!
Today, a friend and I paid our first visit to Caspers Wilderness Park, a cool nature preserve just a few minutes’ drive east of San Juan Capistrano on Ortega Highway. Beginning at the base of the Santa Ana Mountains and extending well into the foothills, Caspers Park has miles of trails, ranging from flat and easy to steep and strenuous, that provide nature lovers with the chance to see native Orange County wildlife up close. Along our six mile trek through Bell Canyon, we were able to see several hawks and osprey, woodpeckers, blue jays, and several other varieties of small birds. Luckily, we were able to avoid the mountain lions that signs posted throughout the park warned of, although the footsteps of fellow hikers never failed to provide a scare! (For advice on what to do in the rare event that you should encounter a mountain lion, check out this website). My favorite trail of the day was Quail Run, a short but steep path that connects the Bell Canyon and East Ridge trails. Winding along rocky hillsides and through thick patches of prickly pear cacti, this narrow trail really allows the hiker to come into close contact with the natural beauties of the park as the tall brush and cacti block out all other distractions. Although we were only a few minutes outside of the hustle and bustle of Orange County’s city centers, during our short trek down Quail Run, we were truly in a different world!
