This week in the Irvine Open Space, we’ll be in Bommer Canyon, once part of the historic Irvine cattle ranch where corrals and ranch equipment still stand. The hike is a seven-mile loop with some climbing but rewards you with fantastic views overlooking the ocean and many Irvine locales. Please bring water, a trail snack, sunscreen, a hat, and any other necessary equipment to keep you safe on the trail.   Get your boots out and register to hike the loop through the Laguna Coast Wilderness and back to Cattle Camp.

Reviewing the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-3 activity on the land.

Enjoy an evening hike through stunning rock formations and fragrant native plants as you listen to the sounds of nature. This hike is done at an easy walking pace. This out-and-back program travels 2.5 miles round trip to scenic Loma Ridge and back down. Please bring a red-tinted flashlight as the return portion of the hike may be after sunset.

Experience the serenity of Bommer Canyon during this moderate-paced hike in the Irvine Open Space. We’ll experience mature coastal sage scrub and fantastic views overlooking the city of Irvine and the hillsides to the north. This hike is just over 3 miles and includes 700 feet of total climbing elevation with several very steep inclines. The steepest section ascends 300 feet in a quarter-mile. Participants must be in good physical condition.

Be inspired by both the natural beauty and recent history of Buck Gully as we explore the public reserve and the collaboration that made it possible. Buck Gully is a natural coastal canyon that opened to the public in 2012 with the installation of four bridges to provide safe public access. The bridges allow exploration of the entire Buck Gully Reserve, and also provide unique vantages and viewing platforms from which to pause and observe the abundant life in and around the stream that runs through the gully year-round. Our guided program starts with a short walk from the Oasis Senior Center to the beginning of the Buck Gully trail, with a visually dramatic entrance into this special canyon. We’ll cross two bridges on the first section of our walk, and then enter the canopied singletrack portion of the trail as we pass by the third bridge. At the fourth and last bridge, we will pause to enjoy the shaded beauty of this hidden refuge, and then retrace our route back to the Oasis.

From September 2021 through March 2022, Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve will host monthly migratory bird surveys open to public participation. We will be tracking the abundance and diversity of the amazing variety of migratory birds who overwinter on the Bay.

This activity is open to birders at all levels and no experience is necessary. A limited number of loaner binoculars are available upon request.

Participants can expect to walk 2-3 miles over uneven terrain.

Minors aged 16 and younger must have legal guardian present at all times.

Walk-ins are welcome, but space is limited, so registration is suggested.

The world comes alive at night with the most diverse group of organisms, insects! Explore biodiversity at the local level as we slow down to scope out arthropods using blacklights. Most insects are hypersensitive to UV light, which is highly visible to them. Using this specialized source of light, we will examine them up close, noting different types that stop by. Bring your camera to snap some amazing close ups of these bugs and a camping chair to rest in as we sit by the wilderness edge to see creatures that are normally around but not typically seen.

Program is free though there is a Park Entrance Fee per entry vehicle.

For questions, please contact Resource Specialist, Kelley Brugmann at 714-973-6625 or Kelley.Brugmann@ocparks.com