Activity Cards

Enjoy an afternoon family hike in Agua Chinon, part of OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space. We hike a gradual climb of 500 ft elevation as we watch for red-tailed hawks and mule deer.  This activity originates in the City of Irvine and travels into Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve. The hike will average 3 miles round trip at an easy pace with a medium level of interpretation. This program is for participants who would enjoy a slower-paced gradual climb hike. Hikers should be in good health able to do a beginning hike over a variety of terrains. Wear comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes and bring water for the hike. Be ready to enjoy the sounds and smells of early evening.

In collaboration with United States Geological Survey, IRC staff and volunteers will be monitoring vernal pools located at Shoestring and Irvine Mesa. They will survey for activity in the pools and note down the status and conditions of the pools. The goal is to give periodic updates on the pools to USGS and notify them when any spadefoot toads have reached the metamorph stage.

This activity is for the Mesa pools and we will be meeting in Building D at the IRC office. Staff or volunteer driver will drive volunteers to the Mesa gate and up to the ponds if trails conditions allow. If transportation is unavailable, volunteers will be asked to park and hike in from the Mesa gate or to park at the library of the canyons and use the library trail. Volunteers will be notified if this is the case.

There is one slot for a volunteer driver. If you happen to be a driver and the slot is filled but you still wish to help with the survey, you can still sign up as a normal volunteer participant.

Please sanitize your boots and any of your own equipment after visiting the pools, especially if you signed up to go to both shoestring and the mesa pools in the same week. USGS recommends a 16:1 bleach solution but alcohol and other cleaning agents will do. We will sanitize equipment that we provide such as waders, thermometers, and secchi disks.

In collaboration with United States Geological Survey, IRC staff and volunteers will be monitoring vernal pools located at Shoestring and Irvine Mesa. They will survey for activity in the pools and note down the status and conditions of the pools. The goal to give periodic updates on the pools to USGS and notify them when any spadefoot toads have reached the metamorph stage.

This activity is for the Shoestring pools and we will be meeting in Building D at the IRC office. Staff or volunteer driver will drive volunteers to the shoestring gate and up to the ponds if trails conditions allow. If transportation is unavailable, volunteers will be asked to hike in from Augustine staging or the Shoestring gate. Volunteers will be notified if this is the case.

There is one slot for a volunteer driver. If you happen to be a driver and the slot is filled but you still wish to help with the survey, you can still sign up as a normal volunteer participant.

Please sanitize your boots and any of your own equipment after visiting the pools, especially if you signed up to go to both shoestring and the mesa pools in the same week. USGS recommends a 16:1 bleach solution but alcohol and other cleaning agents will do. We will sanitize equipment that we provide such as waders, thermometers, and secchi disks.