Activity Cards

Join us every Wednesday night for a fitness-focused hike on the paved Hicks Haul Road. During the summer, 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 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!

Please review the Difficulty Ratings on the banner above before registering. Understanding the 1-through-5 ratings system will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-3 activity on the land.

“Be prepared to soak in the beauty and wonder of Weir Canyon, steeped in history and lore. The ride will travel through the floor of Weir Canyon, where the trail weaves its way through a beautiful oak woodland inhabited by deer, coyote, bobcat, and many different birds. You will travel the route of the Butterfield Stage and see a monument dedicated to the Mexican ox cart drivers. If time permits, we will climb to the Two Tower vista point to look at distant views. Staging area policy dictates that we clean up after our horses. Please be prepared to haul your manure out.

Please bring water on the ride.

This ride travels on wide trails with several easy to moderate climbs. Equestrians are welcome, who have trail riding experience and their own horse, which is fit and able. You will need to transport your horse to the staging area. Owners of unshod horses, please note that footing will include areas of gravel and distances over asphalt pavement.”

Join us on a backcountry wilderness tour filled with great sightseeing, photographic, and sketching opportunities. Our Journey begins in the afternoon, at the foot of Santiago Dam and Irvine Lake, where you will board 4-wheel drive vehicles for an 11-to-17 mile tour of the hills surrounding Fremont Canyon.
We will stop frequently for 15-30 minutes or so to admire the views, take photos, sketch landscapes, and answer questions. From various vantage points (2,400 ft. elevation), you will view Lake Irvine, Orange County, Catalina Island (on a clear day), Los Angeles, Chino Hills and the San Bernardino Mountains.
 When not admiring the vistas, enjoy interesting rock formations, the wilderness setting, and rare Tecate Cypress. Depending on the season, fields of wildflowers will also present themselves. At some of the stops, there will be opportunities for short walks and an option to enhance your experience with a hike (2 miles R/T, 300 ft. elevation gain) to the rock summit with views of four counties. 
Bring your camera equipment, sketchbook, or just enjoy the ride. Be prepared, as an observer, to accompany the IRC docents on narrow, winding, bumpy (dusty) dirt roads with steep hills and slick rock surfaces. 
The number of spaces is strictly limited to 12.  Do not register unless you will attend.

Please review the Difficulty Ratings on the brown banner above before registering. Understanding the 1-through-5 ratings system will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-2 activity on the land.