Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park is a spacious park occupying over 8000 acres of protected wilderness preserve area in the Santa Ana Mountains near San Juan Capistrano.
Overseen by the Orange County Parks Department, Caspers Wilderness Park's most popular features are its multiple campgrounds and access to miles of backcountry trails. In addition to these, the park hosts guided nature walks, nighttime camp programs, and is a site used by schools and scout groups for outdoor educational programs. A central visitor center has interpretive displays, along with elevated platforms for viewing the park, as well as rangers who can answer questions.
Trails vary in length and difficulty, as well as use options, as some permit bicycles and/or horses, while others don't. Trail maps marking distance and difficulty are available at the park entrance station.
Amongst the trails within the park are:
Campgrounds within the park area also vary by use:
A popular area for visitors is the Old Corral area, which has covered picnic benches, historic structures from the land's days as a ranch, and trailheads for a few of the hiking trails and wilderness preserve.
Caspers Wilderness Park is open year round, with day use hours of 7am to Sunset. Current entrance fees are $3 per vehicle Monday-Friday, $5 per vehicle Saturday-Sunday. The park office can be reached at 949/923-2210. Pets are not permitted inside the park.
As of 2022, underground well damage has stopped all potable water flow to the park. All visitors and campers are responsible for bringing their own water as there is none available anywhere inside the park. Current conditions can be found at the park's website.
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