Fairview Park trails pass through protected vernal-pool habitat

Fairview Park is mostly natural open space, not a regular lawn park. Of its 208 acres, about 195 acres are natural and 13 acres are manicured. Visitors have about seven miles of walking and biking trails, but the land beside those routes may be protected habitat.

The park has seven vernal pools. These shallow pools may hold water during the winter and spring, then look dry in summer and fall. Dry does not mean empty or open for crossing. Plants and small animals still depend on the pool bed, and walking or riding through it can damage the habitat.

Use the mapped trails and honor fences, closure signs, and restored areas. Do not follow an old shortcut through a pool just because the ground looks firm. The park includes several ecosystems, so conditions can change over a short walk.

Costa Mesa’s 2026 master-plan update is a planning and environmental-review document. It describes proposed long-term work; it does not mean every trail, restoration project, or public feature shown in the plan is finished. Check the park page and map before choosing a route.