Category: Quail Hill

Explore Quail Hill

1/24/2019

Young Quail Hill hikers

Families, fitness enthusiasts, and dog lovers can all experience this unique trail daily, from dawn to dusk

The 2.8 acre Quail Hill Trailhead opened to the public in June of 2007 and is conveniently located near the 405 freeway on Shady Canyon Drive. Despite the trail’s close proximity to the freeway, the loop is removed enough to provide a peaceful outdoor experience for bikers, hikers, and your four-legged friends. The Landmarks feature many special places unlike anywhere else and among them, the Quail Hill Preserve is a distinctive and ideal location for outdoor enthusiasts of all levels. Quail Hill hosts stewardship activities and docent-led hikes monthly and is open for self-guided access daily, from dawn to dusk.

Unlike other wilderness trails within the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, Quail Hill is the only trail open to dogs, as long as they are on a leash and stay on the trail. Quail Hill also hosts the first trailside cell phone audio tour in Orange County where you can dial in for free to hear natural resource interpreters and researchers explain important features along the trail. The audio tour can be enjoyed while on the trail or from anywhere with a phone or any other portable device. Visit www.letsgooutside.org/quail-hill for more information on how to dial in to listen to the tour.

Enjoy Nature at Your Own Pace with Self-Guided Access Trails

1/12/2018

Visit the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks and start the New Year Outdoors

January represents a fresh start as a new year arrives, and can be a time to re-set and focus on goals to achieve in the New Year. While half the country is greeted with cold temperatures and snow in the winter months, Southern California residents have an opportunity to get outside in the sunshine and start the New Year off on the right foot. Grab a pair of hiking boots and enjoy favorable temperatures and fresh air on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. Hikers and bikers can take advantage of the warm weather and hit the trails daily for self-guided access on several of Orange County’s vast open spaces and preserves.

Join a Stewardship Program in Honor of Earth Day

4/13/2017

Volunteers pull invasive weeds at Quail Hill in the City of Irvine.

Connect with nature and give back to the environment by joining a stewardship program on the Irvine Ranch Landmarks.

Earth Day is quickly approaching and nature lovers can find many opportunities to give back to the environment on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. The Landmarks are a wonderful representation of the natural heritage of Orange County, and the community is invited to register for a free stewardship program in honor of Earth Day. Celebrate this national holiday throughout the month of April and beyond, and enjoy fresh air and breathtaking scenery while caring for the local lands.

Earth Day is a special occasion on the open spaces, and doubles as an anniversary. The Irvine Natural Landmarks were designated as a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior in 2006, when protected land on the former Irvine Ranch was recognized for its rare biological and geological features. Then in 2008, nearly 40,000 acres were named the first California Natural Landmark on Earth Day. The inaugural title was earned under a new state program that recognized and encouraged the stewardship of extraordinary examples of natural resources, and the Landmarks continue to welcome the public to participate in stewardships.

Celebrate National Take a Walk in the Park Day on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks

3/23/2017

Enjoy Take a Walk in the Park Day at locations including the City of Irvine's Quail Hill trails.

Hit the trails and connect with nature on Thursday, March 30 in recognition of National Take A Walk in the Park Day.

“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” – John Muir

Looking for a reason to enjoy the great outdoors? National Take a Walk in the Park Day on Thursday, March 30 is the perfect catalyst to enjoy fresh air and exercise on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. The Mediterranean climate that occurs on the Landmarks in Southern California is found in only five locations across the globe, but contains nearly 20 percent of the world’s known plant species. With a vibrant wildflower season in bloom, there’s never been a better time to visit the lands. Register for a program or explore designated trails for self-guided access in celebration of National Take a Walk in the Park Day.

Trade TV for the Trails

4/21/2016

Embrace Screen-Free Week and explore the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks.

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.

Seeing "Green" Around the Landmarks

3/11/2016

Visitors can see how green the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks currently are on a variety of upcoming programs.

From the dark leaves of coastal scrub oak and black sage, to the bright hues of coyote brush and coastal prickly pear cactus, St. Patrick’s Day green is a common color around the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks this time of year. Recent rains and the winter season – when native plants come out of dormancy – have made the green shades even more prominent.

There are a variety of activities out on the Landmarks the week of St. Patrick’s Day to spot green in full force, whether during a fast-paced hike, an interactive outdoor adventure or volunteer opportunities giving back.

Not Too Late for New Year’s Resolutions

1/22/2016

Limestone Canyon photo courtesy of Irvine Ranch Conservancy volunteer Alex Gurrola.

Whether it’s staying fit, giving back to community or spending time with the family, give your New Year’s resolution a second wind at the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks.

Already slipping on your New Year’s resolutions? You may find the solution out on the trails.

A study by Franklin Covey showed that 35 percent of people will have already broken those commendable promises by the end of January. If you’re at risk for joining that group, let the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks give your New Year’s resolution a second wind. Year after year, the most popular resolutions include getting healthy, trying something new, giving back to the community, and spending more time with the family; whichever of these resonate with you most, there’s an activity outdoors that can help you still make 2016 your best year yet.

Spreading Weeding Success

1/15/2016

An Irvine Ranch Conservancy volunteer weeds artichoke thistle.

Volunteers help native plants and wildlife return to Quail Hill Loop.

Though artichoke thistle may look attractive with its bright purple flower, there is no questioning this weed’s destructive nature to the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. Its aggressive root system and rapid leaf growth steals light, water and nutrients from native plants. Each plant can also produce tens of thousands of seeds per year that are blown by wind or hitchhike on animals. If left unchecked, artichoke thistle can quickly spread across a landscape, displacing native plant diversity in its path. The artichoke thistle is one of the worst threats to natural habitat within the City of Irvine Open Space Preserve’s Quail Hill.

Giving Thanks for the Land

11/20/2015

Serve, study and sweat your way through Thanksgiving week in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks.

There is much for those of us in Orange County to be thankful for, not the least of which are the stunning views of both mountains and sea within the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. This Thanksgiving, take the time to experience and appreciate some of these stunning lands in person. From fitness hikes and outdoor yoga, to mountain biking and habitat restoration opportunities, organizations such as OC Parks and City of Irvine are offering a variety of public programs this Thanksgiving holiday week suitable for all ages, interests and skill levels.

Challenging Yet Rewarding Activities in Quail Hill

9/11/2015

Quail Hill weed removal benefits local wildlife. Photo courtesy of Irvine Ranch Conservancy volunteer Bill Braly.

Quail Hill is a choice location for family hiking, with the wide, flat loop trail offering an easy nature walk. However, more challenging adventures await for those who want a longer trek or who want to help restore wildlife habitat in this Irvine nature preserve area.

The Quail Hill Trailhead is conveniently located right off of the 405 freeway Sand Canyon exit. While it is freeway-close, a trip into the Irvine Open Space Preserve quickly helps you forget any freeway hustle and noise. At the trailhead, you can park and then choose your adventure: either straight ahead to the Quail Hill Loop, or to the left along the Shady Canyon Bikeway to the Quail Trail.

Hitting the Trails in Summer

6/5/2015

Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks locations offer a variety of outdoor activities for adventurous families.

Sunday, June 21, is the official start of summer. As schools begin to let out, and as kids look for ways to fill their days, you can help steer them away from the television remote or video game controller and toward some healthy outdoor adventures. While there are plenty of scheduled, docent-led activities for families, it may not always be easy to plan ahead. For busy families, there are also plenty of fun destinations open daily within the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks that can help create lasting family memories.

Restoring Habitat Across the Landmarks

4/3/2015

Landowners and partner groups are restoring hundreds of acres of open space wildlife habitat.

There are hundreds of acres of habitat restoration projects currently underway across the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. Restoring native habitat at a large scale is a challenge but is the most effective means of improving long-term habitat health in areas overrun by weeds. Many different landowners and partner groups perform habitat restoration projects, and there are many opportunities for the public to get involved. On behalf of landowners such as OC Parks, City of Irvine and City of Newport Beach, as well as agencies such as Orange County Transportation Authority, Irvine Ranch Conservancy currently manages nearly 200 acres of active habitat restoration, ranging in intensity from sites that need two years of site preparation, seeding, transplanting and site maintenance to sites with some existing native vegetation that just need weed control. Here are details for some of those projects:

To Bring Your Dog or Not to Bring Your Dog

12/5/2014

Learn where you can and cannot bring your furry friends, and why.

Dogs are often called “man’s best friend,” and many of us have canine companions who have wiggled their way into our hearts and lives, but when looking for a chance to hit the trails with your dog, it is important to remember where dogs are allowed, or not, within the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, and important to understand why.

It is a common question: “Where can I go hiking with my dog?” Dogs are not permitted in nature preserve or wilderness areas that are managed for the benefit of local wildlife. However, there are plenty of park trails where dogs are allowed (on leashes, of course), including the Quail Hill Loop Trail in the City of Irvine.

Thwarting Thistle in Quail Hill

1/3/2014

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You can help bring back native plants – and wildlife – to this nature preserve.

The rolling pastures peppered with shrubs and rock outcroppings along the 405 between Sand Canyon and University are a stark contrast to the usual freeway scenery. This not-so-hidden spot is Quail Hill, a 733-acre area of permanently protected open space that is part of the City of Irvine Open Space Preserve.

Like much of the historic Irvine Ranch, cattle grazed Quail Hill for decades in the twentieth century. Grazing likely transformed the original plant community from one composed of native perennial flowers, grasses, and shrubs to one dominated by annual grasses and other invasive plants. After the cattle left the hills, the invasive artichoke thistle(Cynara cardunculus) has thrived, blanketing the hills around the Quail Hill Loop trail. Originally from Spain, this plant is a wild ancestor of the globe artichoke found in the supermarket.

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Portion of Quail Trail Closed for Improvements

7/12/2013

Irvine Ranch Conservancy will improve drainage of Irvine trail.

The single-track portion of the Quail Trail in the City of Irvine Open Space Preserve will be closed temporarily for drainage improvements. The Irvine Ranch Conservancy project will create a drainage ditch to funnel water off the trail to a catch basin at the bottom of the hill, which will make the trail more sustainable.

Many of the trails within the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks were once dirt roads used by ranchers traversing the open space. As those roads were converted into trails, Irvine Ranch Conservancy found that some may have been good roads, but did not make for such good trails. In those situations, the Conservancy Field Operations team will recommend that the City either reroute or redesign portions of the trail to better resist erosion caused by regular use and heavy rain. This particular trail portion could not be rerouted, so the Conservancy will redesign it.

Conservancy Connects People to the Land Through Environmental Education

4/13/2012

Training for teachers and conservation crews spreads stewardship message beyond Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks.

Nearly every day of the week, Irvine Ranch Conservancy staff and docents lead interpretive hikes in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks and teach participants about the natural world around them. Now the Conservancy is expanding its reach with environmental education programs that will take its stewardship message outside of the bounds of the Irvine Ranch.

Conservancy Teams with California Conservation Corps for Restoration and Training

4/6/2012

Work will focus on Quail Hill area; community is invited to participate.

The Irvine Ranch Conservancy has partnered with the California Conservation Corps to advance an invasive plant species removal project in Irvine’s Quail Hill area. The Corpsmembers will receive training from the Conservancy in plant identification, safe use of tools and sensitive plant species, then undertake a massive removal of artichoke thistle over four days.

On April 12, the last day of the project, the public is invited to participate in the removal of artichoke thistle -- an invasive, non-native plant that threatens local native plants and wildlife. The plant flowers from April through July, so cutting the plants down now is critical to preventing the plants from setting seed. This project in Quail Hill builds on the Corps’ long history of working outdoors to improve California’s natural resources. Since 1976, Corpsmembers have provided more than 65 million hours of natural resources work statewide.

Cool Outdoor Activities for Cool Spring Evenings

3/23/2012

Enjoy local open space and great weather with free programs in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks.

It’s officially spring, and the later daylight hours combined with mild weather are an invitation to get outside in the evening. To help you take your workout outside, www.LetsGoOutside.org is your source for a variety of convenient day and evening programs in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks.

From easy family walks to challenging fitness hikes, it’s easy to find an activity that will let you enjoy the outdoors while taking in a spring sunset. The last week of March alone offers a different activity nearly every evening, and is indicative of the many activities offered every week by the Conservancy and its partners.