Fairview Park

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Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Fairview Park is a 208-acre public park located in Costa Mesa, California.


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Summary

The park is a popular destination for nature lovers, bird watchers, and outdoor enthusiasts. It offers a wide range of recreational activities, including hiking, biking, horseback riding, and picnicking.

One of the main attractions of Fairview Park is the Native Plant Garden, which features over 100 species of California native plants. Visitors can also explore the park's wetlands, ponds, and grassy meadows, which are home to a variety of wildlife, including rabbits, squirrels, and coyotes.

Other points of interest in Fairview Park include the Fairview Park Environmental Education Center, which offers educational programs and exhibits on the park's ecosystem, and the Fairview Park BMX Track, which hosts a variety of BMX races and events throughout the year.

Interesting facts about Fairview Park include its history as a former landfill and its designation as a California Natural Landmark in 2009. The park is also home to several historic structures, including the Diego Sepulveda Adobe, which dates back to the early 1800s.

The best time of year to visit Fairview Park is in the spring or fall, when the weather is mild and the park's vegetation is in full bloom. However, the park is open year-round and offers something for visitors to enjoy in every season.

       

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Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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