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.

Come take a tour of the night sky, while hiking in the Saddleback Wilderness, part of OCParks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space. We will explore the importance of dark skies and the use of stars for navigation, by wildlife and our ancestors. Please dress in layers, bring water, and come prepared with a pack, sturdy closed-toed hiking shoes or boots, first aid, and all other supplies to keep you safe and healthy on the trail. Each participant should carry their own pack and water. Under-prepared participants may be denied access to this activity. All flashlights must have a red lens or red tinting.

The Open spaces are home to a wide variety of birds. Their songs and calls fill the air and enhance our experience in nature. Come and learn how to identify birds by their vocalization. We will have a short orientation to listening for pitch, tone, and pattern of bird sounds, then we will take a short walk and practice. No experience is necessary. Bring your binoculars, wear comfortable shoes, and enjoy listening and looking for our feathered friends.

Join OC Park Naturalists in exploring how different animals stay warm in the winter! We will be looking at animal pelts, testing our own ability to withstand cold water, and playing with fake snow!

Age: 7 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: 1/5

Materials: Participants must bring plenty of water, closed-toed shoes, and sun protection.

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.

Take pleasure in a midweek hike, spanning 3.5 to 4 miles, through the urban wilderness of OC Parks’ Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park. The hike features an easy to moderate pace with a slight elevation gain of just over 300 feet. Along the way, we’ll discuss the native plants and the diverse wildlife that depends on them. Remember to wear comfortable footwear and carry water.

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.

Come out and join us on a breathtaking hike from the Irvine Open Space Preserve into OC Parks’ Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve. This week’s docent-led hike begins in the Agua Chinon wash, continues to The Sinks, and may include a side trip to Box Springs, a natural year-round source of fresh water.

Maximum distance is just short of 8 miles, with some sustained climbing in one section. Participants must wear sturdy, closed-toe hiking shoes. Remember to pack plenty of water, sunscreen, a hat, and all other necessary equipment to keep you safe on the trail. This activity originates in the City of Irvine and travels into OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space.

Visitors to IRC’s Native Seed Farm are first greeted by our Demonstration Garden, providing inspiration for regionally suitable plant gardens. Our garden hosts a variety of native plant species which support a healthy local ecosystem!

IRC Volunteers are invited to help at our monthly Garden Maintenance Day! Our tasks each day are to be determined, but we’ll be tackling whatever jobs are a top priority to keep our Garden teeming with native plant life. Weeding, clearing, cutting, digging, watering, whatever it takes! Activities may include bending, stooping, crouching, squatting, long periods of standing, reaching, pulling, grabbing, and pushing.

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, moderately paced, 5.5-mile hike over steep and uneven terrain with a 750-ft. elevation gain.

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

Location: Willow Staging Area, Laguna Coast Wilderness Park (West side of Laguna Canyon Rd/SR-133, just south of El Toro Road).

Parking: $3/car at Willow Staging Area 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.

Please join IRC staff and volunteers as we enhance the Quail Hill Loop trail by planting and watering native shrubs and milkweed along the loop. Your work will help restore habitat that will benefit wildlife and make the trail enjoyable to explore.

Take a leisurely equestrian ride through beautiful Red Rock Wilderness, part of OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space, home of oak woodlands, grasslands, and coastal sage scrub.  View beautiful geological formations and see plants that are native to our area.  You will be touring the beautiful Natural Landmarks. Equestrians must have their own horse, trail riding experience, and the ability to transport their horse to the staging area.

Join us at our beautiful Native Seed Farm for an all-levels Vinyasa yoga class. This one-hour outdoor yoga class will incorporate both static posture holds and a dynamic sequence of asanas, flowing from one pose to the next, while connecting breath with movement. The practice will include options for modifications, proper alignments and breathing techniques. Increase balance, flexibility, strength, and mental clarity while reducing tension and stress.

Please bring water, a yoga mat, a large towel (optional) to place under your mat, wear athletic clothing, and bring appropriate clothing layers for the temperature.

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.

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.

Enjoy a five mile out and back moderate fitness hike (averaging about 3 mph) before experiencing yoga outdoors at the Community Center. The hike is highlighted with a short but steep climb which provides great views of the Quail Hill neighborhood and beyond. The yoga is suitable for those with little or no experience, focused on hips, legs and core. 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.

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! 

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.

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 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.

If you use the Wilderness Parks for hiking, biking, photography or just relaxing, Trail Work might be right up your alley! Get up close and personal with the trails you use; you’ll see them in a whole new way. No experience necessary. This is FUN hard work. Whatever your skill level is, there is a job to do: clearing drains to get the water off the trail, pruning vegetation back to keep users on the trail, moving dirt to rebuild eroded tread, and restoring impacted areas are just some of the tasks we will accomplish. We will be using tools such as loppers, picks, shovels, and McLeod’s to improve the user experience, protect the fragile habitat and increase the sustainability of our trails. Expect to hike up to 4 miles while carrying tools.

Age: 16 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: Free parking for Trail Stewardship volunteers at James Dilley Preserve parking lot. Parking is limited, carpooling is encouraged.

Difficulty Rating: 3/5

Materials: Participants must bring at least 3 liters of water, closed-toed shoes, long pants, and sun protection. Gloves and tools are provided. Feel free to bring your own gloves if you prefer!

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 nicholas@lagunacanyon.org with any questions.

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