Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park Visitor Center

About the Program

Category: Parks and Recreation (Best in Category)

Year: 2022

OC Parks manages nearly 60,000 acres of parks, beaches, historic sites and open space in the County of Orange, California. Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park includes approximately 4,500 acres of wilderness and natural open space land surrounded by urban development. The park first opened in 1990, and its trails have seen a steady and significant increase in use over the past decade. In May of 2021, the park opened a new visitor center at its main entrance that was designed to have minimal impact on the surrounding landscape. The center and its exhibit focus on educating visitors about the role the park plays in preserving habitat and natural spaces in a highly urbanized County, encouraging them to feel a connection with the land. The new center also provides meeting space, restrooms and park offices where only temporary structures previously served the purpose.