Spend your morning helping to water and weed within the new butterfly habitat islands in Limestone. With your help we will be able to maintain “islands” of host and nectar plants for butterflies in decline in Limestone Canyon. You will be transported from via a safari style truck from butterfly island to butterfly island through a beautiful oak woodland.

Join us on an equestrian ride up Agua Chinon Canyon in OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space. We will make our way to see the wonders of the Sinks, Orange County’s mini Grand Canyon. Most of the ride is flat with one good climb and descent as we head towards the sinks.

Equestrians must have their own horse, trail riding experience, and the ability to transport their horse to the staging area. Horses must be fit, able to comfortably ride the distance as described, and be well-behaved in a group. This walking equestrian ride travels on single-track and wide fire roads. It may include a moderate, steady climb. Owners of unshod horses, please note that the footing may include areas of gravel and pavement.

Please join OC Parks staff and volunteers for our annual OC Parks Volunteer Information Night! This is the perfect opportunity to learn about the various volunteer opportunities available in many of the OC Parks facilities. Travel around to park booths to meet park staff, ask questions, and learn what a “day in the life” of a typical volunteer would be like. Please feel free to bring along family and friends and enjoy a self-guided hike through the beautiful trails of Upper Newport Bay before or after your visit to the event!

This event is for everyone — whether you are interested in joining the OC Parks Volunteer Program or are an existing volunteer and would like to expand your volunteer role in OC Parks and get connected with a park facility to complete facility certification training. Visit as many or as few park booths as you are interested in — there’s truly something for everyone!

This is an open house style event so drop by anytime between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided, and parking is free. Please feel free to reach out to OC Parks Volunteer Services at volunteer@ocparks.com with any questions, and we look forward to meeting you then!

Representatives from the following park facilities and organizations will be in attendance:

• Orange County Fire Watch
• OC Zoo
• Cooper Center (Archaeo/Paleo Lab)
• Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve
• Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park
• Caspers Wilderness Park 
• Riley Wilderness Park 
• Santiago Oaks Regional Park 
• Irvine Regional Park 
• Peters Canyon Regional Park
• Clark Regional Park 
• Carbon Canyon Regional Park 
• Heritage Hill Historical Park 
• Arden: Helena Modjeska Historic House & Gardens 
• Old Orange County Courthouse
• Newport Bay Conservancy 
• Laguna Canyon Foundation 
• Caspers Park Foundation

Enjoy an evening hike through stunning rock formations and fragrant native plants as you listen to the sounds of nature. This hike in the Irvine Open Space Preserve is done at an easy walking pace. This out-and-back program travels 3.5 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.

Enjoy self-guided access in the southern portion of Irvine’s Open Space Preserve. The entire southern Open Space Preserve trail network will be open for self-guided hiking and biking from 8 am to 1 pm. This includes the single tracks in Shady Canyon and Bommer Canyon that are reserved for guided activities only. Registration is required for this event. The Bommer Canyon Cattle Camp will be available for parking, but please take note that your vehicle must be removed from the Cattle Camp area by 1 pm.

Looking for a way to give back to Nature this Spring? 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 for an intermediate-level ride on OC Parks’ newest trails in the recently opened Gypsum Canyon Wilderness!

This ride will be moderately paced and include a mix of sustained singletrack climbs and fun twisty descents. The ride will reach a summit with panoramic views of Gypsum Canyon and surrounding areas. Periodic breaks and trailside interpretation will be sprinkled in along the way. This ride will cover between six and seven miles with 900 feet of elevation gain.

Reviewing the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this Level 3 activity on the land. Motorized recreation vehicles of any class or type are not permitted for use in the park and participants must provide their own mountain bikes to participate.

Participants should come prepared with water, snacks, sun protection and any other gear needed for a ride in a remote area. Minors must be experienced and capable riders, wear helmets and be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times to participate. Rain or adverse weather conditions will cancel the program.

Advance registration required.

Enjoy a five mile out and back hike to warm up your legs before experiencing a gentle flow yoga practice in nature. The hike is highlighted with a short but steep climb at a medium pace and takes us to a 360-degree view of the Quail Hill neighborhood. The yoga is suitable for those with little or no experience, slower in pace and gentle in practice. 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, your own yoga mat plus a large beach towel, and wear shoes appropriate for hiking on trails.

The heavy rains of winter have lifted and revealed a beautiful bouquet of California wildflowers. Join us for a casual stroll as we follow the flow of Santiago Creek through Irvine Park. Along the way, we will peruse the petals of some of our favorite blooms currently sprouting this spring season along with some of the year-round favorites.

The walk will begin at the Irvine Regional Park Nature Center and travel approximately 2 miles along paved walkways. This program is accessible for those with wheelchairs or other mobility devices.

Walk-ins are welcome, but registration is recommended.

Children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian during the program and strollers are permitted. Sun protection, wearing sturdy footwear, and bringing water are strongly encouraged.

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

Inclement weather will cancel the program.

For questions, please contact Resource Specialist, Shelly Marshall at (714) 973-6625 or shelly.marshall@ocparks.com.

Spending time outside is one of the best ways to nurture curiosity and instill a love of the natural world. Bring your young ones and join OC Parks staff to learn all about the Newport Back Bay.

Our Toddler Treks program is offered every Friday from 10:00-11:00am and includes a story time, an age-appropriate hike, and a themed craft. Each week will focus on a different topic that encourages young ones to learn about the outdoors.

The program begins at the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center. Program content is tailored for the preschool level (ages 2-5), but all are welcome to attend. Please wear comfortable attire and closed-toe shoes.

The program and parking are free. Advance registration is required.

Adverse weather conditions may move the program indoors or cancel it.

Experience the serenity of Bommer Canyon during this moderate-paced hike in the Irvine Open Space Preserve. 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 and should be able to hike steep hills.

Join us for an extremely challenging and strenuous hiking adventure in the scenic Fremont Canyon Wilderness Area. This 16-mile loop hike is for experienced, physically fit distance hikers. The hike is on fire/SCE dirt roads with numerous significantly steep, unrelenting climbs and descents. We hike the entire rim of Fremont Canyon, passing by an abandoned coal mine, the Fremont Weather Station and the remnants of a rare stand of Tecate cypress. Along the way we’ll have sweeping views of Orange County, the Santa Ana Mountains and surrounding mountain ranges.

Join us on this fast-paced hike over the ridge and the through beautiful Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve, part of OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space. While this will not be a cardio hike, it will be a steady pace of 3 mph with short breaks at the East and West Sinks viewing platforms. We will enjoy a view of wonderful vistas in addition to spectacular view of The Sinks. This hike involves hiking on both double and single-track trails with an elevation gain of 1000.

Come search for evidence that animals leave behind in nature. Mule deer, bobcats, coyotes and even mountain lions call this hidden canyon home. Gain the basic tracking techniques as we search for evidence such as tracks, fur, bones, homes, and even scat. You never know what you may find! Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes that you do not mind getting a little dusty. This program is focused on older children and adults.

Looking for a way to give back to Nature this Spring? 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! 

Come learn about ecological restoration techniques and help OC Parks Volunteers in restoring native areas within Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park. Local wildlife needs native habitat to survive, and you can help restore native areas. Learn about identifying and controlling non-native plants, active and passive restoration techniques, and how our local birds, insects, and animals flourish with the right habitat.

This activity may take place on up to moderately sloped, off-trail terrain so please dress appropriately (sturdy boots, long sleeve shirts and pants, hats, and sun protection). Tools, training, and gloves will be provided. All work is within Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park.

Minimum age of 14 years accompanied by a parent/guardian. If under 18 years old, a waiver must be signed by a parent/guardian, provided at the start of the event. This is a wilderness park, so please be aware of the potential for hazards such as rattlesnakes and mountain lion activity. For more information contact Mark Bowler (mark@markbowler.us)

If you are new to mountain biking and interested in getting started the right way, or if you are an intermediate rider wanting to broaden your existing bike skills, this is the clinic for you!

Class begins with an overview of rider fundamentals: Balance, Body Position, and Wheel Placement. You will learn which is your “Chocolate Foot,” why the mantra ‘Heavy Feet / Light Hands” is essential, and how to “Fly Your Head Like a Cheetah.” Theory will always be followed by a cycle of demonstration, practice and feedback. Difficulty will be tuned for individual participants with levels for Beginner, Experienced, and Challenge. These riding techniques will be taught and practiced at the Mountain Bike Skills Development area.

Lend a helping hand at maintaining the trails at Santiago Oaks Regional Park.

Partner with an OC Parks volunteer as they guide you through the proper tool use to repair highly used and heavily washed out trails. Tools and safety talk are provided by Volunteers and/or Park Staff.

Bringing gloves, water, and sun protection is highly recommended. Be ready to work up a sweat as we mend our trails for all to enjoy! Be prepared to hike several miles carrying hand tools over uneven terrain.

Program and parking are free. Please let the front entrance booth park attendant know you are registered for this program.

Advance registration required.

For questions, please contact Resource Specialist Shelly Marshall at (714) 973-6625 or shelly.marshall@ocparks.com.

Come explore OC Parks’ newest trails at Gypsum Canyon Wilderness through this self-guided opportunity.

Located within OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space, Gypsum Canyon Wilderness features six miles of new trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Two lookout points offer sweeping views of the surrounding canyons and unique prehistoric rock formations, while seven new trails provide multiple loop options that vary in distance and range from easy to moderate in difficulty.

Gypsum Canyon Wilderness is comprised of protected and preserved native habitats that a variety of wildlife, including mule deer, red-tailed hawks, California gnatcatchers and bobcats, call home. Visitors will have the opportunity to provide voluntary feedback about Gypsum Canyon Wilderness through on-site participation surveys and offer naming suggestions for several unnamed trails.

Advance registration is required.

Enjoy nature with friends and family in Round Canyon. We hike along a fairly flat trail as we watch for red-tailed hawks and mule deer. This activity originates in the City of Irvine and travels into OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space. The hike averages 2-3 miles round trip at an easy pace with a medium level of interpretation. This program is for participants who would like a slower-paced and level hike. Wear comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes and bring water for the hike.