Explore the natural wonders of Santiago Oaks Regional Park with OC Parks! Join us on the first Wednesday of each month for a variety of kid friendly hikes and talks.

This program will begin outside the Nature Center and includes a small craft done indoors. Program content is tailored for ages 2 to 6, but all are welcome to attend. Water, comfortable attire and closed-toe shoes are recommended. Strollers are permitted on this walk.

Inclement weather may cancel the program.

The program is free and parking is $3 per vehicle.

Advance registration is required.

For questions, please contact Resource Specialist Shelly Marshall at shelly.marshall@ocparks.com.

Leave the weekday chaos behind and dive into the peaceful beauty of Irvine Natural Landmarks with our energizing after-work cardio hike. Forget about the day’s worries as we trek through stunning landscapes, breathing in the fresh air and taking in the scenic views. Come along for a journey through winding paths and picturesque vistas, where we can recharge and refresh ourselves in the tranquility of nature.

Join us every Wednesday night in OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space for a fitness-focused hike on the paved Hicks Haul Road. During the spring, summer and fall, hikers will enjoy wonderful sunset views and a panoramic overview of Orange County. This hike travels about 3.5 miles, up to the top of Loma Ridge and back down. The hike is conducted at an average of 3-3.5 miles per hour, but you may travel a bit faster or slower, at a walk, run, or jog depending on your comfort level. Most participants finish the route in about 1 hour. Because of the paved surface of the road, you may wear regular running or walking shoes. Trail shoes are fine, but not required. Please bring adequate water.

Join us for a challenging and beautiful adventure as we hike to the Hangman’s Tree Monument on Loma Ridge. Hike distance is 6 miles and affords fantastic views along the way, spanning the Pacific coastline, San Gabriel peaks and the Santa Ana Mountains. Several very steep climbs and descents are part of this route. We’ll accumulate almost 1800 feet of climbing elevation along this route. Portions of the hike will take us around an avocado orchard that borders on the natural open space. Far-reaching views from the highest point reward your effort.

Please be aware this is a Fitness Hike and not for beginners; the pace is approximately a 19-minute mile. Join Laguna Canyon Foundation Volunteers to raise your heart rate and your spirits on this strenuous, fast-paced, 7.2-mile hike over steep and uneven terrain with a 1,050-ft. elevation gain.

Age: 16 or older. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Location: Nix Nature Center, Laguna Coast Wilderness Park (18751 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach 92651, East side of Laguna Canyon Rd/SR-133).

Parking: $3/car at Nix Nature Center parking lot. Parking is limited, carpooling is encouraged.

Difficulty Rating: 4/5

Materials: Participants must bring plenty of water, closed-toed hiking shoes, and sun protection. Hiking poles are recommended.

Safety precautions and protocols:

Advanced registration required. Every individual, including children, must be registered. Register here.
Group sizes are minimized for safety purposes. For group registrations or questions please email volunteer@lagunacanyon.org
Participants must individually sign a waiver at the beginning of the program. For participants under 18, a parent or guardian must sign the waiver.
To protect all employees, volunteers, and participants, please do not attend if you are not feeling well, have symptoms of illness or have been in contact with someone who was ill.
Contact volunteer@lagunacanyon.org with any questions.

Weather, including high temperatures and wet or muddy trail conditions, may lead to cancellation of this event.

Hiking is a great way to connect to nature and stay healthy and active. If you are new to the outdoors, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Come out to Limestone Canyon, part of Orange County Park’s Irvine Open Space Preserve, and start your hiking journey, or continue your existing one, on the right foot. Hiking 101 will help you understand gear, build your knowledge and skills, and provide tips to assist you out on the trails. We will lead you through the basics of hiking: defining your hiking goals, packing appropriately, understanding and minimizing risks, and practicing proper trail etiquette. The activity will include a packing demonstration and a hike through our wildlands. No experience is necessary for this activity. 

Think you would enjoy a challenging but relaxing evening biking in the wilderness on empty trails with both a sunset and a nice view of city lights? Then join us on this ride to Mini Moab in Fremont Canyon, a part of OCParks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space. Mini Moab is located at the top of Coal Canyon above the 91 Freeway; this spot provides views of the Fremont Canyon Wilderness as well as Orange and surrounding counties. This ride is for experienced off-road riders, in excellent cardio shape, that have some experience with evening/night riding.

Please review the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings to help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this program. This program has the distance/elevation of a level 5 program, but the ride time can accommodate a slower pace. Motorized recreation vehicles of any class or type are not permitted for recreational use. Please visit our FAQ page for answers to activity specific questions you may have prior to registering.

Enjoy an evening hike through stunning rock formations and fragrant native plants as you listen to the sounds of nature. During this hike in the Irvine Open Space Preserve, you may travel at various hiking speeds based on your comfort level.  This out-and-back program travels 3.5 miles round trip up to scenic Loma Ridge and back down. Please bring a red-tinted flashlight as the return portion of the hike may be after sunset.

Looking for a way to give back to Nature this Summer? Come help us behind the scenes at the Irvine Ranch Conservancy’s one-of-a-kind Native Seed Farm in Irvine! Every day at the farm is different; depending on the needs of the farm we will be harvesting seeds from beautiful native plants, planting new seeds in the annual plots, working in our native plant demo garden, or tending to younger seedlings in our nursery.

Working with us at the Native Seed Farm is a great way to grow your community and cultivate knowledge about local plant and wildlife! Absolutely no experience or special equipment required! 

After a brief walk from the Community Center, enjoy a 4-mile fitness hike on the Buck Gully Trail to warm up your legs before relaxing into yoga. The yoga is suitable for those with little or no experience and features basic poses centered on the muscles used for hiking, biking and other sports. Our focus on breath calms the nervous system and has positive effects on mental, emotional and physical health. If you have never done a yoga hike before you will be surprised how connected you feel to nature. Please bring water, a yoga mat plus a large beach towel and wear shoes appropriate for hiking.

Join us on this moderate-paced hike over the ridge and the through beautiful Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve, part of OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space. We will enjoy short breaks at the East and West Sinks viewing platforms before hiking back through the canyon. We will enjoy a view of wonderful vistas in addition to a spectacular view of The Sinks. This hike involves hiking on both double and single-track trails with an elevation gain of 1000 ft.

Come out and assist OC Park Rangers assigned to the Irvine Ranch Open Space (IROS) during this special access event. The event takes place in Black Star Canyon among beautiful oak woodlands and rolling hills, with spectacular views of Orange County that only few get to see. Job duties include event set up, traffic control, visitor service/ check in, post assignments, and trail patrol. Must be a current Ranger Reserve with OC Parks to sign up. No past area experience is needed but welcomed.

Come and learn how to be a scientist by joining OC Parks Naturalists in a BioBlitz! Did you know California is a biodiversity hotspot! Help scientists and OC Parks Staff with documenting the species found in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. You will learn about California’s unique biodiverse flora and fauna and how to use iNaturalist. Then you will go out and hike on your own while documenting the species you find along the way!

Download the iNaturalist app on your phone and create an account before arriving to the program! You will choose the trail you want to hike, whether that be easy, medium, or hard.

Age: 7 or older. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Location: James Dilley Preserve, Laguna Coast Wilderness Park (I-5 or 405 south to 133 south to stoplight at 73 toll road; and make a U-turn, go 1 block. Dilley is on the right.).

Parking: $3/car at James Dilley Preserve parking lot. Parking is limited, carpooling is encouraged.

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

Materials: Participants must bring plenty of water, closed-toed shoes, and sun protection. Download the iNaturalist app on your phone and create an account before arriving to the program!

Safety precautions and protocols:

Advanced registration required. Every individual, including children, must be registered. Register here.
Group sizes are minimized for safety purposes. For group registrations or questions please email volunteer@lagunacanyon.org
Participants must individually sign a waiver at the beginning of the program. For participants under 18, a parent or guardian must sign the waiver.
To protect all employees, volunteers, and participants, please do not attend if you are not feeling well, have symptoms of illness or have been in contact with someone who was ill.
Contact volunteer@lagunacanyon.org or shelbi.richardson@ocparks.com with any questions.

Weather, including high temperatures and wet or muddy trail conditions, may lead to cancellation of this event.

Looking for a way to give back to Nature this Summer? Come help us behind the scenes at the Irvine Ranch Conservancy’s one-of-a-kind Native Seed Farm in Irvine! Every day at the farm is different; depending on the needs of the farm we will be harvesting seeds from beautiful native plants, planting new seeds in the annual plots, working in our native plant demo garden, or tending to younger seedlings in our nursery.

Working with us at the Native Seed Farm is a great way to grow your community and cultivate knowledge about local plant and wildlife! Absolutely no experience or special equipment required! 

Join us at Laguna Canyon Foundation Headquarters’ native plant nursery as we care for native plants from their seed stage to their mature, ready-to-be planted stage. Volunteers may collect seeds, sow seeds in flats, bump plants up, plant at restoration sites, sterilize plant containers, and generally help maintain the nursery. Gain hands-on experience with habitat restoration while working alongside other zany and interesting plant lovers!

Age: 16 or older. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Location: Laguna Canyon Foundation Headquarters (10 Phillips St. Laguna Beach, CA 92651, West side of highway 133)

Parking: Free for Native Plant Nursery volunteers! Parking is limited, carpooling is encouraged.

Difficulty Rating: 2/5

Materials: Participants must bring plenty of water, closed-toed shoes, long pants, and sun protection. Gloves and tools are provided.

Safety precautions and protocols:

Advanced registration required. Every individual, including children, must be registered. Register here.
Group sizes are minimized for safety purposes. For group registrations or questions please email volunteer@lagunacanyon.org
Participants must individually sign a waiver at the beginning of the program. For participants under 18, a parent or guardian must sign the waiver.
To protect all employees, volunteers, and participants, please do not attend if you are not feeling well, have symptoms of illness or have been in contact with someone who was ill.
Contact volunteer@lagunacanyon.org or dulce@lagunacanyon.org with any questions.

Weather, including high temperatures and wet or muddy trail conditions, may lead to cancellation of this event.

Black Star Canyon, part of OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space, offers pleasant introductory trails for beginner hikers and families as well as challenging experiences for seasoned trail users. Designated trails are available for self-guided hiking, biking and equestrian use. A variety of trail loops offer extended exploration throughout the canyons. Take time to explore the local plant communities and beautiful scenery in easy 30-minute walks or take in 7+ miles in a strong cardio trek.

Pre-registration is not required for this event, though it is available on the website. If you need driving directions, use the online registration to receive a map and instructions for getting to the Baker Canyon Staging Area. Parking is limited on Black Star Canyon Road and carpooling is strongly recommended. You will not be required to sign-in upon arrival, though an information booth with trail maps and suggested routes will be available in the staging area.

Black Star Canyon, part of OCParks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space, offers pleasant introductory trails for beginner hikers and families as well as challenging experiences for seasoned trail users. Designated trails are available for self-guided hiking, biking and equestrian use. A variety of trail loops offer extended exploration throughout the canyons. Take time to explore the local plant communities and beautiful scenery in easy 30-minute walks or take in 7+ miles in a strong cardio trek.

There is limited space for equestrian parking along Black Star Canyon Road, carpooling is strongly encouraged. Riders must also have the ability to transport their horse to the staging area. It is a “first come, first serve” for trailer parking and therefore early arrival is HIGHLY recommended. Major crowds are typically present at the very start of the event. There are not typical equestrian amenities at the event such as hitching posts, steps to mount your horse or water troughs. Please be sure to time your arrival accordingly so you have plenty of time to enjoy the trails with your horse.  

Join us for a leisurely walk through the Native Seed Farm to see our wildflower plots in bloom. We’ll stick to the hard-pack roads around the fields – bring your camera to take photos or simply enjoy the scenery. You’ll learn about the plants we grow and why we grow them, and see pollinators in action. We’ll finish the activity with a walk around the other fields at the farm so that you can see our grasses, woody plants and perennial forbs up close.

Enjoy an afternoon family hike in Agua Chinon, part of OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space. We hike a gradual climb of 500 ft elevation as we watch for red-tailed hawks and mule deer.  This activity originates in the City of Irvine and travels into Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve. The hike will average 3 miles round trip at an easy pace with a medium level of interpretation. This program is for participants who would enjoy a slower-paced gradual climb hike. Hikers should be in good health able to do a beginning hike over a variety of terrains. Wear comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes and bring water for the hike. Be ready to enjoy the sounds and smells of early evening.

We love the nightlife! Explore the landscape of Santiago Oaks Regional Park as we set out to search for the nighttime critters that call this park home. From humble toads to graceful owls, you never know what you’ll see!

The program will begin at the Santiago Oaks nature center. Dressing in layers, wearing sturdy footwear, and bringing water are recommended. Red-tinted flashlights are highly encouraged. This hike is not recommended for very small children or strollers. Children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian during the program.

The program is free and parking is $5 per vehicle.

Advance registration is required.

For questions, please contact resource specialist Shelly Marshall at shelly.marshall@ocparks.com.