Embrace Screen-Free Week and explore the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks.
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With all the technology people have right at their fingertips, it can be easy at times to forget what adventures await outdoors. National Screen-Free Week, May 2-8, is a program by the non-profit Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood encouraging people to put their smartphones away and embrace life beyond digital entertainment. Multiple locations within the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks are close to Orange County residents, so it’s the perfect place to go to grab a breath of fresh air and connect with the outdoors.

This year is a leap year, giving us 366 days in 2016 instead of 365. While the Earth takes some much-needed time to completely orbit around the sun, why not make the most of the extra 24 hours? With our unseasonably warm weather and ample sunshine, take advantage of this year’s bonus day by exploring outdoors with your family and friends.

There are plenty of family-friendly programs happening on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. To help choose the best one for your group, the LetsGoOutside.org site lists a “Difficulty Rating” with each activity.

The difficulty rating is based on factors including the activity’s distance, elevation gain, and trail surface to help visitors determine which program is right for them. Activities assigned a Level 1 or 2 Difficulty Rating are often slower paced and a great option to consider when looking to connect with the land while bonding with your family. All programs listed below are a Level 2 Difficulty Rating, making them an optimal outing for nearly anyone in your group. Each activity has a minimum age limit, so check that out on the website as well.

Give those who matter most to you the gift of quality time together outdoors this Valentine’s Day.

Wildflowers are starting to bloom; the sun is out a bit longer each night; and if you look up in the sky, you just might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of raptors courting – all sure signs Valentine’s Day is nearing in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. Rather than book a reservation at a crowded, overpriced restaurant to celebrate, surprise your loved one this year with an outdoor adventure.

​Whether it’s a romantic night hike, an adventurous outing, or an excursion for the whole family, show the people who matter most to you one of the most special sights in Orange County by exploring the Landmarks together this Valentine’s Day. Read more below to see which activity is right for you.

Monthly nature walk in Baker Canyon offers the chance to listen to the natural sounds of the canyon.

Slowly walking along a meandering trail is a great way to shed away the day’s stresses. On Thursday, you can join a unique nature walk in OC Parks’ Black Star Canyon Wilderness Park that not only takes a slower pace, but also focuses on quiet enjoyment of nature’s noises. Take in the beauty of local wilderness while watching for soaring red-trailed hawks, listening to bird calls and inhaling the fragrance of the trailside sage plants during the “Shhh… Hike, Look and Listen” hike.  This monthly activity is designed to give participants the opportunity to hike quietly and meditatively while taking in the sounds of nature.

Learn about the many ways humans have used native plants throughout history.

On Saturday, April 25, you can celebrate the week of Earth Day by joining Irvine Ranch Conservancy volunteer naturalists for “Celebrate Cultures in Nature: Native American Flora Uses.” This informative and family-friendly hike will take place in the Baker Canyon area of OC Parks’ Black Star Wilderness Park, and visitors will have the chance to sample treats similar to the native plants people have been eating over the centuries.

During a short hike in Baker Canyon, docents will discuss how early settlers of the area survived and thrived on what nature has to offer. The trained naturalists will point out native plants along the trail and discuss how each species has been used in various ways over the years. Before the hike, participants can sample various natural treats that could have been harvested entirely from ingredients provided by local plants. While no actual plant ingredients can or will be taken from the protected wildlands, participants can see how similar ingredients from plants farmed elsewhere are still used in items you may find in your local grocery store.