Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center (main entrance) - Newport Beach, California

Sumukh S.

Lovely place in orange county. Lots of trails and vista points. The interpretive center is fantastic. Tidy collection of animals, live and also some which are neatly restored via taxidermy.

Lots of literature and a place for lil ones to have some activity as well.

M B.

Great interpretive center with educational boards, an English/Spanish intro movie, information about the park and OC parks, bathrooms, and water fountain. The area surrounding the building has a lot of seating!

beach T.

This used to be a great nature hiking area back 10-15 years ago but not any more. Too many people now and very poorly managed and over loved.

Sort of worthless as an interpretive center now, since they closed ALL water-side wetland trails down by the back bay because ebikes, mtn bikes, and horses keep destroying the narrow soft single track trails. The only people that now get to use the long lower waterside trails are the illegal homeless!(you can see their tents in Google Maps) 🙄.

The first problem, is they wasted ton$ of money on un-naturally cementing the parking lot in due to minor water damage. And yet they are doing NOTHING on building proper over fence access to the lower trails.(see photos) And nothing to keep bikes and horses out. Also, ZERO signage to keep unleashed dogs, bikes, and horses OFF the only walking trails/roads left! The newly added parking lot spaces are now WAY to small and basically only good for the smallest of cars and motorcycles. Hey city fools, try re-painting the car space lines for normal sized cars,🙄 or bring the natural crashed granite lot back. You park in here and you are guaranteed dents in your car from screaming unruly kids throwing car doors open into your nice expensive car. All the smart local people now park on the shaded street if they care about their cars.

Second, for years the management here have spent and wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to grow/add native plants in the fields. The problem is the potted roots would always dry out and EVERY SINGLE PLANT DIED. Basically, you CAN'T GROW TEMPER-MENTAL NATIVE PLANTS right out of the pot into an open hot and windy dry field that bakes in the midday sun. You are better off $pending one hundredth that money and seeding the fields with native annual seed. And seed the fields in the winter and spring months before big week long rain storms hit so the seeds will naturally get wet and germinate on their own! Let nature do her thing!

Luisaelena M.

It's a good chunk of land kept separate from all the artificial masses. There are lots of smells that can either be stinky or fresh and lovely. I'm glad there is a center for visitors to get information about the land and all the animals who live here as well as the history. Hopefully this place will stay in its place for a long time, because when it rains the plants are more vibrant than you've ever seen in your garden.

Ben P.

Very friendly. The swallows are cool as are the displays. The views are amazing as well.

Ellen E.

Stunning view of the Back Bay, great pit stop for a stroll around the bay. Bathrooms and water for people and pups. Coming in July a great Back Bay Art Show and Sale

Allan J. ?. A. G. G.

Great spot to train for the Los Angeles Marathon. Love the friendly atmosphere. Weather is almost perfect all year.

Lisa L.

We LOVE it here. The nature is beautiful and the interpretive center is so fun, lovely, with wonderful staff and activities, free movie, a scavenger hunt for a little prize.