Whew - the View Series LbNA #45291

Whew – the View! Series
*From the #405 take Mac Arthur Blvd. toward Newport Beach about 5 or six miles, to turn Left on San Joaquin Hills Road (away from Fashion Island).
OR
* From PCH turn up the hill at MacArthur Blvd to turn at the third right onto San Joaquin Hills road (away from Fashion Island.

In about 1 ½ miles, on San Joaquin Hills Road, you will turn right into a view point parking lot. Park and walk toward the gazebo. Across Buck Gully you can see the exclusive Pelican Hills area, Catalina Island is to the right, 25 miles out. San Clemente Island is straight ahead about 45 miles out. It’s quite a view.

***The Gazebo***
From Corona del Mar,
“The Crown of the Sea”,
You can see Catalina Island
Where the bison run free.

Box #1 – The Gazebo
To find the Gazebo Box, follow the path, on the right, going around the outside of the gazebo. About 7 or 8 steps east of the gazebo you will see a large, artificial boulder with a condenser inside. On the ground to the right of the boulder you will see a large flat rock (about 20 to 24 inches across). The box hides just under the inside edge of that rock. Be careful not to get too close to cactus on the trail. They stick! And, warn the children not to go racing through the brush because it is full of sticker-stuff. No hide a seek at this park.

Next... ***The Park***
From the pretty little park
Where children love to play,
Look out across Orange County
To the mountains far away.

Box # 2 – The Park
From the view point parking lot, turn right onto San Joaquin Hills Road, and go 8/10 of a mile to turn Left on Newport Ridge Drive East. Turn right into the parking lot.

Park the car and go to the walkway heading east between the soccer fields and the tennis courts. There is a sign that says it is a private park because they do not want groups using the ball fields or the tennis courts. There is no locked gate, so by California law the public does have free access to the park
.
Take about 200 steps toward a small knoll with 6 sycamore trees. When you get there you find a small "island" with 1 tree and 3 benches. There are 2 bushes behind the 3 benches. In the first bush you come to, hidden in a blue sack and down inside the branches, you will find The Park Box.

Ah ha! A viewpoint. Looking north across the Santa Ana Valley. On a clear day you can see the San Bernardino Mountains.

You may want to bring a picnic to this park because there is an ivy covered patio area with picnic tables and a great playground nearby.

***The Panorama***
Top of the world to you!
You’ll arrive at the best for the day.
Enjoy the panorama
And soak up the sights each way.

Box #3 – The Panorama
From the parking lot at the park, turn right and go about 1 block to make a legal U-turn to head back and turn Left on San Joaquin Hills Road. Get in the right lane in order to make a Right turn at the light, turning onto Newport Coast Road. At the 2nd light, turn Left on Vista Ridge, and go up the hill 4/10 of a mile to a grassy, viewpoint park, and park on the street. (No parking lot here). Follow either walkway up the hill toward the highest point, where you will see a bench. Wow! Look at THAT view. You can not only see Catalina and San Clemente Islands, but you can see from the Orange County Riviera, to Palos Verdes and beyond.

Across the walk from the bench you will see a post that says “Penstemon Heterophyllus”. (It must be the tree nearby???) Walking from the post in the direction of the distant telephone pole, take 6 steps to the box. It is at the left side of a large rock, hidden by smaller rocks. Take it to the bench to log in and then carefully replant.

This is a fun place for the kids to run, climb, and NOW they can play hide-and-seek, as long as they don’t get too close to the edge.