Editor’s Note: This is part of a monthly feature on notable regional parks in Orange County, which is rich with places to get outside and have fun with the family and explore nature.
If you’re looking for a peaceful park to walk your dog, hike or enjoy wildlife by the lake, William R. Mason Regional Park is a great choice.
Spanning 345 acres, the park features 3 miles of paved biking and hiking trails, a 9-acre lake that attracts a variety of birdlife, playgrounds, a fitness course, and much more. About 123 acres of the park are wilderness with trails for exploring, you’ll often see quail, rabbits and occasionally roadrunners, park officials said.
The park, located adjacent to UC Irvine, was named after the president of the Irvine Company from 1966 until his death in 1973. Mason was instrumental in the donation of 345 acres of land for the park.
A park ranger recommends checking out remote-controlled yacht races by the members of the Orange County Model Sailing Club on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
John Justeson, a resident of the nearby Regents Point community, said what he likes about Mason Park is “being able to walk our dog is No. 1, but it is just idyllic — lakes full of swans and turtles, families meeting and eating together.
“Beauty in an area where people can live alongside a great university.”
Get outside
Location: 18712 University Drive, Irvine
Park hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily during the fall and winter; 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the spring and summer
Parking fees: $3 per vehicle entry weekdays; $5 weekends
Amenities:
• Amphitheater
• Ball Fields
• Bike Trails
• Bird Watching
• Dogs permitted on leashes
• Fitness par course
• Gazebo
• Hiking Trails
• Horseshoe Pits
• Interpretive programs
• Model Boats
• Picnic Areas
• Picnic areas
• Playgrounds for various ages
• Restrooms
• Volleyball courts
For more information, visit ocparks.com/masonpark
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