Wildcat Prints, Vultures, Early-Blooming Wildflowers on Caspers Hike

When I spoke a few weeks ago with Jacky Velasquez, a park ranger at Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park about the , she convinced me within minutes that I needed to visit the spot just up Ortega Highway as soon as the area dried out.

It took me a few weeks, but I can finally attest to its beauty.

Because my parents and their friends are routine hikers (my dad aspires to climb Mt. Whitney this year) and have been recently exploring South Orange County trails, we teamed up for a 3.5-mile "warm-up" Sunday morning.

Having spent the past year-and-a-half in a small town nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, I was spoiled by being surrounded by nature. I grew accustomed to the sight of snowcapped mountains, rolling grassy hills peppered with colorful wildflowers and the sight of horses, cattle and sheep. The entrance to Sequoia National Forest was just a 40-minute drive up the mountain, so I worried that being back in Orange County, I might lose that easy access to nature.

I was pleased to find this escape less than 10 miles from my apartment in the heart of San Juan. Our hike on the Star Rise Trail was an easy one, although we did have to hike up a pretty steep ridge. Once we reached the top, however, we were rewarded with views of the Pacific Ocean, three vultures floating in the bright blue sky, and a lush, green valley.

On our way up, we found some fuzzy caterpillars, early-blooming wildflowers and, fortunately, just the prints of a wildcat that had climbed in the area apparently not too long before us.

There are only a couple of trails that are still closed off to the public because of the rain damage, so don't wait until spring officially arrives to take advantage of all of the hiking opportunities.