Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks

If you are comfortable riding your mountain bike in various terrain and would like to extend your opportunities to riding after dark, this Introduction to Night Riding is for you! This short cross country-style ride in the Saddleback Wilderness park will be slow paced and include a mix of single track with some brief punchy fire road climbs. With a total of 3-4 miles and approximately 350 feet of climbing, this short ride will reach a summit with panoramic views stretching from the mountains to the sea. Primary focus will be the unique aspects of night riding and is not intended as a fitness challenge. Daytime experience with the Saddleback Wilderness trails is recommended but not required. Specifically, we will start by discussing lighting options from budget to premium, helmet and bar mounts, night riding etiquette (don’t blind other riders!), and additional safety concerns. This is a great opportunity for experienced trail riders to try out their lighting systems at night in an area free of cars. It can serve as a good prerequisite to other IRC events which require previous night riding experience. Participants must provide their own mountain bike and light system appropriate for off-road riding in order to participate.

Reviewing the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-3 activity on the land. Please visit our FAQ page for answers to activity specific questions you may have prior to registering.

For the safety of all participants, this activity has an age requirement of 16 years old and above.

Please note that you will be asked to adhere to the following measures in order to participate:

• Be registered in advance, no walk-up registration is permitted.
• Arrive with all necessary equipment to keep you safe on the trail, including water, proper attire, and closed-toe footwear, first aid, health needs etc.
• Restrooms will be available, but facilities will not be sanitized for each individual.
• All participants are required to sign a liability waiver upon arrival at the staging area and before beginning the activity. The waiver can be previewed here: IRC Liability Waiver
• You may be prevented from participating if you do not adhere to the above protocols.

Additionally, in an effort to respect and protect all employees, volunteers, and participants, please do not sign up or attend if you are not feeling well, exhibiting any symptoms of illness or have been in recent contact with someone who was ill.