Best National Forest Orange Near Me

4worldlovers: Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Upstream of the Carbon Canyon Dam lies 124-acre Carbon Canyon Regional Park. Sixty acres are developed, offering large, grassy areas for picnicking, sports facilities that include backstops and lighted tennis courts, and a 4-acre lake with two piers for fishing. The undeveloped area features a trail that leads to Orange County's only grove of redwoods; 3 acres of majestic Coastal Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens).

Parking fees: $3 per vehicle entry Monday - Friday; $5 Saturday - Sunday; Higher for some holidays and events (Fee Information)

4worldlovers: 2.5 Miles off Trabuco Canyon Road on Trabuco Creek Road (not paved, dirt road) See map below

The Holy Jim trail provides not only an easy 2.8 miles out and back hike, it also offers beautiful scenery, year round shade (beware of triple digit summer temperatures), and connecting trail options to Santiago Peak, North Main Divide, and Upper Holy Jim, with West Horsethief trail about a half mile away. Holy Jim Falls trailhead is located about 2.5 miles up an unpaved, rocky dirt road where off road or 4 wheel drive vehicles are recommended. This area of the Trabuco provided an initial settlement for early pioneers in the 1800's, when it was home to rugged mountain men who thrived on professional beekeeping and woodcutting operations, remnants of which can still be seen along the trail today. Great for family and beginning hikers, with mountain biking being very popular going up to Santiago Peak. The cooler months are the best times to go to avoid the high temperatures and increase the potential for running water in the creeks (during a wet year).

Adventure Pass Required: To purchase a pass for this location visit a Cleveland National Forest office, find a local Adventure Pass vendor or purchase online at https://www.recreation.gov/.

Directions: The trailhead is the Holy Jim Road fork of Trabuco Canyon Road, which is about six miles up creek from O'Neil Park.

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4worldlovers: Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve represent approximately 1,000 acres of open space. Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve surrounds the Ecological Reserve. The park includes the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center. Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve totals approximately 135 acres. The Nature Preserve is made up of the bluffs surrounding the Bay. Three sensitive species use the bluffs: The California Gnatcatcher, San Diego Cactus Wren, and Burrowing Owl. Two important plant communities are found on the bluffs - grasslands and coastal sage scrub. Upper Newport Ecological Reserve totals 752 acres. This coastal wetland, one of the largest in southern California, is renowned as one of the finest bird watching sites in North America. During winter migration up to 35,000 birds may be using the Bay at one time. It is home to six rare or endangered species: Light Footed Clapper Rail, Brown Pelican, Belding's Savannah Sparrow, Black Rail, Peregrine Falcon and California Least Tern. The Bay is home to one endangered plant species - Saltmarsh Bird's Beak. Considered a "critical estuary" habitat - Upper Newport Bay is one of the most pristine remaining estuaries in Southern California.