Irvine Ranch Conservancy
  • Home
    • Landmarks Blog
  • What We Do
    • Programs >
      • Habitat Restoration and Enhancement
      • Wildfire Prevention
      • Community Engagement and Education
      • Invasive Species Control
      • Plant Materials
      • Monitoring and Research
      • Planning and Infrastructure
      • Volunteer Management
    • Where We Work
    • About Us >
      • Meet the Team
      • Our Partners
      • Careers
      • Contact Us
  • Volunteer
  • Donate

Catch 'em All at Quail Hill Loop

8/5/2016

 
PictureQuail Hill is shown in the Pokémon Go app from the base of the loop trail. The Irvine Open Space Preserve Quail Hill trail map is a Pokémon Gym, seen in the foreground of the phone, as is the Vista Point, in the background of the app along the left side.
Explore the Irvine Open Space Preserve’s expansive beauty in a new way with friends, family and fellow Pokémon Go enthusiasts.

There are many things about the City of Irvine Open Space Preserve’s Quail Hill that make it an ideal place for all levels of outdoor enthusiasts to explore. It is an active restoration area, rich in native grassland habitat and home to a variety of wildlife including native birds, snakes, and – a newcomer to the area – Bellsprout, a plant-based Pokémon known for its stem-like body and poisonous defenses.
​
Pokémon Go is a location-based augmented reality game that allows iOS and Android users to locate, capture, train and battle virtual creatures known as Pokémon. The mobile app's popularity has skyrocketed with children and adults alike since its release in July. In the game, different Pokémon species reside in different locations that are often based on distinguishing geographical features. For example, the greater roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) and gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer) are native animals who call Quail Hill home; now, people playing Pokémon Go along Quail Hill Loop could spot these species’ Pokémon counterparts: Pidgey, a tiny bird with a sharp sense of direction, and Ekans, a purple snake. Whether you’re a skilled Pokémon Trainer, or can’t tell a Diglett from a Doduo, consider gathering your kids, family and friends to enjoy the open space’s expansive beauty in a new way.

Quail Hill Loop includes at least four Poké Stops, locations that players can visit to collect useful items such as Poké Balls. Poké Stops at Quail Hill include the tile sign near the trailhead’s restrooms, a monument near the trail entrance, a trail regulations sign and an audio tour stop alongside the loop. Quail Hill is part of the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, a National Natural Landmark – a special designation that the Pokémon Go game notes in the app. The trailhead map and a vista point about a quarter of a way through the loop are also Pokémon Gyms, places where players can sharpen their battling skills and train Pokémon.

It’s important to stay safe and be aware of your surrounding when playing Pokémon Go anywhere, but especially within local wilderness. Wildlife such as toads and snakes live in grasslands throughout Quail Hill, so always stay on-trail to ensure your own safety and help protect native habitat. Also remember to only enter parks when they are open for use. New signs have recently been installed at the Quail Hill Loop trailhead to teach people about the open space preserve’s flora and fauna, so make sure to check them out the next time you visit! Quail Hill Loop is open daily from dawn to dusk for self-guided hiking and mountain biking. For directions and more information on how to visit Quail Hill, click here.

Quail Hill Loop Trail is wide, fairly flat, and just 2 miles long, making it an ideal place for families to explore local wilderness together. Take advantage of Quail Hill’s convenient location and enjoy the fresh air while your kids catch Pokémon from the trail. Prefer to catch ’em all on your own? Despite being located right off the 405 freeway, Quail Hill Loop is removed enough to also provide a quiet escape for those seeking solace in the outdoors. It is also the only nature preserve trail that allows dogs on leashes. Quail Hill can be enjoyed on your own, with friends and family, or during scheduled guided activities led by Irvine Ranch Conservancy staff and volunteers on behalf of the City of Irvine. Click here for a map of the Irvine Open Space Preserve, which notes trails that are open daily such as Quail Hill Loop, and trails that are open for docent-led programs, listed here.

Even if Pokémon Go isn’t your thing, bring along your mobile phone when visiting Quail Hill Loop to experience Irvine’s self-guided audio tour. Visitors can listen to natural resource interpreters and researchers explain important features along the trail. This free audio tour can be enjoyed from the trail or listened to from anywhere with a phone. Learn more about how to dial in to the audio tour here.
​
After exploring Quail Hill, consider giving back to the land by volunteering your time to ongoing stewardship efforts to improve wildlife habitat. Volunteers are always needed to remove invasive weeds that steal light, water and nutrients from native habitat. The Quail Hill Native Plant Nursery has many upcoming opportunities to plant seeds and native seedlings that support restoration projects throughout the area. To volunteer at the Native Plant Nursery, click here, or go here to learn more about stewardship opportunities at Quail Hill. All guided activities on the Landmarks are free with required pre-registration, and all tools and training are provided at stewardship programs. Click the titles or locations above to learn more, or visit LetsGoOutside.org/activities.

Picture
Bellsprout – a plant-based Pokémon with a stem-like body – was spotted this week in quite a fitting location: the Quail Hill Native Plant Nursery. Click here for volunteer opportunities at the nursery.
Picture
The greater roadrunner, top left, and gopher snake, bottom left, are native animals who call Quail Hill home; now, people playing Pokémon Go along Quail Hill Loop could spot these species’ Pokémon counterparts: Pidgey, a tiny bird, top right, and Ekans, a purple snake, bottom right. (Greater roadrunner and gopher snake photos courtesy of Natural History of Orange County.)

Comments are closed.

    About

    Welcome to the Irvine Ranch Conservancy "News from the Field" blog. These articles are written by Conservancy staff about activities and projects in and near the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. 

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012

    Categories

    All
    Agua Chinon
    Baker Canyon
    Big Canyon
    Birds
    Black Star Canyon
    Bommer Canyon
    Buck Gully
    City Of Irvine
    City Of Newport Beach
    Crystal Cove
    Dripping Springs
    Equestrian
    Family Friendly
    Fire
    Fire Watch
    Fremont Canyon
    Grasslands
    Habitat Restoration
    Hicks Haul Road
    Hiking & Fitness
    Interpretive
    Invasive Plants
    Irvine Open Space Preserve
    Irvine Ranch Open Space
    Irvine Regional Park
    Laguna Coast
    Limestone Canyon
    Mesa Loop
    Mountain Biking
    Native Plant Nursery
    Native Plants
    Native Seed Farm
    Nighttime
    OC Parks
    OC Zoo
    O'Neill Regional Park
    Orchard Hills
    Peters Canyon Regional Park
    Quail Hill
    Red Rocks
    Round Canyon
    Safety
    San Joaquin
    Santiago Oaks Regional Park
    Stewardship
    The Sinks
    Tracking
    Trails
    Trail Work
    Upper Newport Bay
    Volunteers
    Weir Canyon
    Wilderness Access Day
    Wildflowers
    Wildlife

    RSS Feed

Irvine Ranch Conservancy  •  4727 Portola Pkwy. Irvine, CA 92620  •  714-508-4757  •  info@irconservancy.org

© 2016 Irvine Ranch Conservancy, All Rights Reserved.   Irvine Ranch Conservancy reserves all rights under copyright, including (without limitation) rights to photographs. No permission to copy or publish any portion of this web
site or any material posted on the website is granted without the express written permission of Irvine Ranch Conservancy. 
  • Home
    • Landmarks Blog
  • What We Do
    • Programs >
      • Habitat Restoration and Enhancement
      • Wildfire Prevention
      • Community Engagement and Education
      • Invasive Species Control
      • Plant Materials
      • Monitoring and Research
      • Planning and Infrastructure
      • Volunteer Management
    • Where We Work
    • About Us >
      • Meet the Team
      • Our Partners
      • Careers
      • Contact Us
  • Volunteer
  • Donate