NOW OPEN: Red Rock Wilderness. Access through scheduled programs only.
Hike atop 20 to 40-million-year-old red rocks and enjoy breathtaking views of the Santa Ana Mountains and beyond at Red Rock Wilderness. Located within OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space, the 1,500-acre area features more than 8 miles of new trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding along with a scenic overlook that offers 360-degree views of the surrounding landscape. The area is accessible through scheduled programs with advance registration only. Available activities include Wilderness Access Days which allow for self-guided exploration at your own pace, or docent-led guided programs which take place in small groups with interpretation along the way. Parking is free and dogs are not permitted.
Parking for Red Rock Wilderness is located at the Augustine Staging Area, 5524 Santiago Canyon Road, Silverado, CA.
Gypsum Canyon Wilderness
OC Parks opened Gypsum Canyon Wilderness within the Irvine Ranch Open Space in November 2023. The area features 6 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding along with two lookout points that offer sweeping views of the surrounding canyons. The area is accessible through scheduled activities including monthly self-guided Wilderness Access Days or docent-led guided programs. Parking is free and dogs are not permitted.
Gypsum Canyon Wilderness is located at 390 South Gypsum Canyon Road, Anaheim, CA.
Saddleback Wilderness
OC Parks opened Saddleback Wilderness within the Irvine Ranch Open Space in March 2023. The area includes 3.3 miles of new trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Enjoy 360-degree panoramic views from the mountains to the sea during monthly self-guided Wilderness Access Days or scheduled programs. Parking is free and dogs are not permitted.
Saddleback Wilderness is located at 3081 Santiago Canyon Road, Orange, CA.
Irvine Ranch Open Space
The Irvine Ranch Open Space spans nearly 25,000 acres in the Eastern Foothills of Orange County and consists of protected wildlands, including six nature preserves. Named a State and National Natural Landmark, OC Parks stewards these special lands in close coordination with the Irvine Ranch Conservancy as a land management contractor and The Nature Conservancy, a conservation organization. Various educational and recreational opportunities are available through regularly scheduled programs only. When the County received the property, it did so with strict environmental protections already in place to safeguard its rare and precious natural resources. OC Parks continues to uphold the conservation obligations inherited with the property and balances environmental stewardship efforts with robust scheduled access opportunities.
Hiking, biking and equestrian activities within Irvine Ranch Open Space are accessible through monthly self-guided Wilderness Access Days or scheduled programs. Wilderness Access allows for self-guided exploration at your own pace. Docent-led guided access takes place in small group tours with engaging interpretation of site features.
Parking is free and dogs are not permitted, except on Black Star Canyon Road.
Location | Access Information | Activities/Programs |
Black Star Canyon (OC Parks Trail System) |
| Black Star Canyon Wilderness Park programs |
Black Star Canyon (County Road) | Black Star Canyon Road is always open for public use and access to Cleveland National Forest. | Contact U.S. Forest Service for information on Cleveland National Forest. |
| Gypsum Canyon Wilderness |
| Gypsum Canyon Wilderness programs |
| Fremont Canyon Nature Preserve | Access through scheduled programs with advance registration only. | Fremont Canyon Nature Preserve programs |
| Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve | Access through scheduled programs with advance registration only. | Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve programs |
| Red Rock Wilderness | Access through scheduled programs with advance registration only. | Red Rock Wilderness programs |
| Saddleback Wilderness |
| Saddleback Wilderness programs |
| Weir Canyon Nature Preserve | Access through scheduled programs with advance registration only. | Weir Canyon Nature Preserve programs |
A variety of volunteer opportunities are available within Irvine Ranch Open Space. Click here to learn more and get involved.
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Related Files
| File | Size | Last Modified |
|---|---|---|
| Irvine Ranch Open Space Map.pdf | 5.77 MB | |
| Saddleback Wilderness Map.pdf | 6.3 MB | |
| Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve Map.pdf | 3.25 MB | |
| Gypsum Canyon Wilderness Map.pdf | 2.38 MB | |
| Red Rock Wilderness Map.pdf | 4.34 MB |
