Riley Wilderness Park is as rich in local history as it is in native wildlife. The first Spanish presence occurred in 1769 when Captain Gaspar de Portola and his entourage of 63 soldiers and 2 priests made their way into the area in search of suitable mission sites along the...
The history of the ranch began with James Irvine. He joined two others owning the property before becoming the sole owner of it in 1878. After his death in 1886, his son James Irvine II (J.I.) became the successor of his father’s ranch. The ranch grew significantly and transformed into...
Consumption of intoxicants prohibited. Park only in designated areas. All fires are prohibited. Fire prevention must be the first concern of every visitor. No pets. (horses exempt) Park Subject to closure during rainy weather. A speed limit of 10 MPH enforced at all times. No Hunting allowed. No feeding the...
Fall - Winter Hours, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. PDT Spring - Summer Hours, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. PST Office Hours: Every other Monday 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Tuesday – Friday 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Please call ahead for staff availability. Park Brochure Park Map Parking fees...
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The County of Orange Paleontology and Archaeology (COPA) collection contains more than six million artifacts and fossils collected since the 1970s from within the County and throughout our parks. As stewards of the collection, OC Parks is dedicated to preserving these artifacts and fossils in perpetuity for the benefit of...
Paleontology The paleontology collection includes local Orange County fossils dating as far back as the Jurassic period 180 million years ago, including notable type specimens. Orange County has particularly excellent records of Eocene terrestrial mammals, late Oligocene-early Miocene terrestrial mammals, and Miocene-Pliocene marine mammals. The collection contains ancient mammals including...
The first recorded archaeological excavation in Orange County was conducted by the American Museum of Natural History in 1912 around Newport Bay. After a hiatus because of World War II, efforts picked up in 1961 when local citizens formed an advocacy group, the Pacific Coast Archaeological Society, with the goal...
Interns and volunteers are an important part of the scientific discovery, education, and outreach activities of the County of Orange Paleontology and Archaeology (COPA) collection. Please click here for more information on how to sign up and become an OC Parks volunteer. For more information on OC Parks' internship program...
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