Activity Cards

Before Irvine became a city, cattle roamed the land, tended by cowboys. During this activity, elementary school aged children will explore the old Irvine Ranch Bommer Canyon Cattle Camp and learn what it was like to be a cowboy 100 years ago.

This activity is perfect for children ages 5-8. We will spend the first part of our time together learning about the native animals cowboys would have encountered. Then we will enjoy a storybook together followed by a short walk through the Bommer Canyon Nature Garden to look at historic ranching remnants. Then we will finish our morning with an arts and crafts activity.

Please note: Parents/guardians must register along with their child(ren).

Non-native and invasive plant species are invading our native habitat and open spaces. They aggressively compete with our native plants for resources and spreads rapidly once established. Monitoring, management, and removal of these plant species is an important aspect of land management and habitat restoration.

Help us to manage populations of invasive plants and remove them from the habitat. No previous experience is necessary, just a desire to work outside and get dirty! Snake chaps, gloves, and tools will be provided but please feel free to bring your own if you have them. Please wear long pants, long sleeved shirts, close toed shoes, and protective sun protection. Note: This is a wilderness area, there are natural hazards. Snakes, including rattlesnakes, are occasionally seen here.

Join us for a fitness-focused hike on the paved Hicks Haul Road in the Irvine Open Space Preserve. 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 about 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 and a red-tinted flashlight as the return portion of the hike may be after sunset.