Fountain Valley is fortunate to be home to one of the great gems of Orange County — Mile Square Regional Park, with its more than 600 acres of recreational opportunities, including baseball and soccer fields, three golf courses, two fishing lakes and lots of picnic shelters.
The park is one of my favorite spots in the city, and its borders — Brookhurst Street, Edinger Avenue, Euclid Street and Warner Avenue — are constantly populated by walkers and runners.
Here are 10 things to know about Mile Square Regional Park.
- The 65 acres of the park along Brookhurst Street are leased to the city of Fountain Valley and are home to numerous city recreational opportunities. Known as the Fountain Valley Sports Park, the land includes the city’s Recreation Center, baseball and softball fields, outdoor basketball courts, handball courts, tennis courts and, more recently, pickleball courts.
- People often mistakenly refer to the Sports Park at Mile Square Park.
- You can rent bicycles and paddleboats at the park.
- There is a very cool 15-acre nature area that offers lots of trails to explore.
- Check out Camp Sycamore, which is designed as a “First Camping Experience” for children ages 6 to 12. The camp has 24-hour restroom facilities, a picnic shelter with tables, barbecues, sinks and a campfire ring. There also is an area where you can set up a tent. And a security fence surrounds the entire camp. For reservations or more information, call 714-973-3197.
- If you’re interested in fishing, a fishing license is required for people 16 and older. The lakes, incidentally, are periodically stocked with catfish.
- The park is home to an archery range, which is free to use on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Prior to becoming the popular recreational area that it is, the park was home to military airfields operated by the U.S. Navy during World War II. Longtime residents will remember the triangular landing fields.
- County parks officials have annually scheduled Monarch Butterfly Day, which is usually held in February in the park’s Camp Sycamore area.
- If you’re a regular visitor to the park, you can purchase an annual parking pass.
Interested in being a park volunteer? There are plenty of opportunities at Mile Square Regional Park and other county parks. Learn more at ocparks.com/about/volunteer/ocparksvolunteer