Activity Cards

Come enjoy and learn about the bounty of the local flora and fauna. We will talk about how the animals and early settlers of the area survived and thrived with what nature has to offer. We will discuss how over-grazing, weather, and seasonal patterns affected the daily availability of food in times when there were no grocery or convenience stores.  Buckwheat graham crackers, prickly pear jam, and lemonade berry drink are a few of the tempting treats that we will taste-test. After a few snacks, we will take a short stroll along Baker Canyon and take in all the bounty of nature.

IRC staff, local butterfly enthusiasts, and experts continue to monitor IRC’s butterflies every month! We will be recording number and types of butterflies encountered along the trails of Limestone Canyon. Our butterfly count will provide a benchmark estimate of diversity and number of these beautiful insects to compare to future local surveys and to larger patterns being compiled nationwide. Be prepared to share your appreciation and knowledge of butterflies. Bring close-focus binoculars and be ready to be out on the trail for the full morning.  Spaces are limited.

We start our ride through OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space on the paved Hicks Haul Road, the extension of Jeffrey Rd north of Portola Pkwy. As we warm up on the climb to the top of the road, we enjoy increasingly beautiful views over Irvine. We then follow Loma Ridge to the East, with fantastic vistas of Orange County, the surrounding wildlands, and even Catalina Island on clear days. From Loma Ridge, we descend on a single track to Box Springs which provides year-round water for wildlife like deer.

After the springs, we continue to the Sinks, Orange County’s own “Grand Canyon,” where we enjoy our snacks during a short break. On our way back, we ride along Limestone Ridge, a fun singletrack that leads us towards the Augustine Staging area, enjoying views of Saddleback and Santiago Canyon. From there we will climb back up to Loma Ridge, and then coast back down on the paved Hicks Haul Road to our starting point. Motorized recreation vehicles of any class or type are not permitted for use in the Nature Preserve.