Difficulty Ratings

Choose Your Adventure!

There are a variety of trails, speeds, activities, environments and locations within the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. To help you make the right choice when it comes to your outdoor adventure, Irvine Ranch Conservancy Interpretive Specialists and Naturalists have developed a simple numeric Difficulty Rating System that applies to all programs led by IRC-Certified Volunteers.

These categories are provided as rough guidelines, and visitors should evaluate their own capabilities based on their previous experience and current fitness level to plan and prepare appropriately. The ratings are based on average fitness level, combined with route characteristics such as elevation, shade, activity pace and number of stops.

Hiking and Fitness Difficulty Ratings

Mountain Biking Difficulty Ratings

Stewardship and Habitat Restoration Difficulty Ratings