Activity Cards

IRC Volunteers are needed to support OC Parks’ managed Wilderness Access Day, a special event that provides the public with a rare opportunity to explore designated wilderness areas through a self-guided experience. Volunteer support is essential to ensure visitors enjoy safe, positive, and informative access to the land, while helping OC Parks maintain responsible use of these sensitive open spaces.

IRC Volunteers may register for either the first and or second shift. Upon arrival, OC Parks staff will assign each IRC Volunteer to a specific duty based on event needs. Possible assignments include:

• • Registration: Assist at the staging area to answer public questions, hand out maps, set up/take down equipment.
  • Gate Monitoring: Great folks as they enter the trail system, providing maps, answering questions, and most importantly, counting attendance via a clicker. The attendance numbers are critical for our reporting purposes.
  • Interpretive Booth: Provide interpretive/educational information at a booth to interested public participants.
  • Foot Patrol and Bike Patrol: Travel the trails as our eyes and ears as an IRC representative, make sure participants are staying on trail, answering questions, and keeping us updated on any emergencies. We will have radios for you to check out.

• First Shift: 7:30 – 11:30 AM; First shift volunteers will assist with event setup before heading out to their field assignments.
• Second Shift: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM; Second shift volunteers will return from the field approximately 30 minutes before the event ends to help with breakdown and wrap-up.

All IRC Volunteers must wear their official IRC Volunteer uniform, including the OC Parks landowner patch.

Your support helps make Wilderness Access Day possible!

Please note: Preregistration is required due to limited parking capacity.

Start your weekend off by exploring the Agua Chinon wash and the Sinks through this self-guided opportunity. Designated trails will be open for self-guided trail use in OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space. Trail routes vary in distance and level of difficulty with choices ranging from easy one-hour walks to a strenuous 9.5-mile trek. Whether traveling by feet or on two wheels, this exploration day is a treasure waiting to be discovered by hikers and mountain bikers alike. Visitors to the Open Space during this activity are able to hike or bike to the West and East Sinks viewing areas.

Please review our Trail Tips page and FAQ page to prepare for this challenging hiking and biking opportunity.

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 2 pm. This includes the single-tracks in Shady Canyon and Bommer Canyon that are reserved for guided activities only. Registration is not required for this event, though it is shown on the website. If you need driving directions, please use the online registration to receive a map and instructions for getting to Bommer. The Bommer Canyon Cattle Camp will be available for parking.