Kind of out there but surprisingly big park with a decent amount of things to do. Despite its name…read moreits not really in irvine i think, rather like 15 minute from northwood? On the outskirts. Went to browse and didn't see any fish, lots of parking around and decently fast entry. Parking free on Tuesday for farmers market, just let them know at the gate. The farmers market is small but they have a lot of food options, the fruit stand in the front is more expensive than the other irvine markets but super sweet fruits. The food stalls here are a lot more hospitable and small business/making connections. The park itself has quite a few equestrian places, a small booth near the pony area that takes cash for pony rides and sells tickets for a small train, bathrooms in that area too. Lots of nice grass around for picnics. Overall it was a nice place to walk with a variety of activities to do.

*Be aware of Rattle snakes out on the deeper walking trails during this season*…read moreThis is a fantastic park for families, parties, and individuals who love walking their dogs. Heads up, entrance fee/parking is $3 on weekdays and $5 on weekends. There is so much to see and do here! Snack Bar, Pony rides, a train that travels around the inner part of the park, horseback riding lessons (3rd party company), picnic areas, bike rentals, and giant wheel floating tricycles on the pond! To walk their inner perimeter pathways, where all the trees are, it's about a mile out and a mile back. If you have kids, they will love looking for the ground squirrels or wild peacocks, the train, ponies and more! There is so much wide open grassy space close to parking. There are several parking lots scattered all throughout the park. So you are always close to your care and nature. This last week, I walked a dog every day there and 3 outs of the 5 days, i encountered a rattle snake, not a big deal and it is after all...nature! Theirs was out on the more extensive hiking and walking trails beyond the main area. During spring and summer, it is good to carry a stick to help deter the snakes. I also would not use headphones out on the trails for this reason. Stay alert, and you will stay safe. If you have any concerns, always check in with a park ranger! It can get crowded on the weekends, specifically afternoons when a lot of parties and family gatherings are happening.

One of the most peaceful spots in OC. The creek is special. Support the gift shop. Enjoy the…read morehummingbirds.

Came here today on a whim after visiting the Modjeska House just down the street from this place…read more The gift shop was open and we ended up buying some soap, 2 finger puppets for the kids, and a ENC tucker magnet. The gift shop was a museum too and had lots of interactive exhibits for the kids. We saw live snakes and frogs on display as well. Across the street from the gift shop was the actual sanctuary which is a 0.25 mile loop - you can finish it within 10-15 minutes if you want fast. An amphitheater and bird viewing area is in there as well. The creek was dry when we went but did see a small pond with lots of tadpoles. Also be aware of rattlesnakes as we heard they come out in the summer time. Trail was 80% shaded so was not so hot. Found out that TUCKER was acquired by ENC of Newport Beach in 2022 so you'll see lots of ENC gear in the gift shop. There are essentially 2 ENC locations now - one here and one in Newport Beach. Pretty interesting!

Love it! It's a lot of climbing over rocks but it's great exercise. The best part of everything is…read morereaching the falls and eating a good sandwich. I do notice that many people leave their trash behind in this particular trail. PLEASE TAKE YOUR TRASH! You'll definitely get a good nap after getting home.

First time visiting Black Star Canyon Wilderness Park to check out the "falls" and it was just as…read moreexpected. By doing a little bit of research, we learned it was best to go early - my husband and I got there at 7:45am in October on a Saturday and the lot was already starting to fill up. When we left at 11:30, the lot was very full. There is technically plenty of parking but the busier it is, the farther you would have to go just to get to the trailhead. We had a very good weather for hiking. It was overcast for the first hour or so, and there is shade when hiking along the creek, and it was partly cloudy on our way out. If hiking during the afternoon, I would recommend bringing twice as much water as you think you would need. Overall, the trail was long but not too difficult. The first 3 miles are fairly easy/moderate and only the very end being somewhat difficult because it is steep. We think the total hike was about 7-8 miles round-trip and took 3.5-4 hours at a moderate pace. In October 2025, the falls and creek were dried out after a hot summer and only one storm in months. It made crossing the creek a non-event (only a little mud and puddles in a few areas), but it also meant the waterfalls were non-existent. The trail was still very scenic and a fun hike. The end of the trail is still very beautiful when dry. Note, there are lots of mountain bikers so be alert and stay to the right side of the trail. No bathrooms, trash cans, or water fountains but still very clean; thanks to the regular hikers who help to clean up the trails. Please be kind to others and respectful to nature. Pack it on, pack it out.

This is such a gorgeous pocket of nature to get away from life for a while! There's so many places…read moreto go explore, people are really respectful for the most part so there's not trash on the trails, even people who bring their kids don't let them run around screaming like in some places. Nature is very much respected. It's also absolutely gorgeous! There's little Creeks, tiny waterfalls, the nature preserve itself is stunning, they have an area set up just for little birds to come visit that is beyond adorable, the birds you can come up to you! Well at least they did with us. I've also been to several weddings here, it's a really nice venue. Especially if people put lights up and have a dusk wedding OMG Parking is free, cheaper than therapy, wonderful break from the rat race. This is by far my favorite place in Orange County to just unplug.

Such a beautiful hike. It's one of my favorites, you can make it as easy or as hard as you…read morephysically are able to go.

Ahh...! I love Limstone Canyon. It's fairly well-preserved since it's accessible by wilderness…read moreaccess days or organized event only. You can have advanced beginner or intermediate hikes here, based on the trails you take. You can get some good elevation on some of the hills that seem a bit never-ending. Things are still looking green with the rain this winter/spring. Definitely recommend a visit. Look at LetsGoOutside.org for events. 2023: 31/100

Access is very limited. I visited on a Wilderness Access Day; I think this is about once a month…read more I planned on visiting the previous month but like many trails in OC after it rains, they close for couple days after. It was my first time visiting so I am not sure whether this happens on every open Access Day that traffic builds up on Santiago Canyon Rd about a mile from the gate. Parking is at the Augustine Staging Area. The main lot filled up so I was directed to park up the hill on Hicks Haul Rd, a little extra mileage. If I were to estimate how long I was in traffic to get inside, I would say 40 minutes. By the time I parked and got to the trailhead, they were not letting any more cars in. I overhead a hiker saying she had parked somewhere else and took an Uber in. I intended on hiking to "The Sinks"; likely the most scenic view throughout the park. It is referred to as a mini Grand Canyon. They have a platform you view it from and you actually do look down into it. I consider it an easy hike to The Sinks and pretty straight forward, staying on one main trail. I took on some extra mileage by hitting up the small off-shoot trails which actually had some gain, recommended if you're looking for a workout. A second platform exists off Limestone Ridge for the "East Sinks" but the view isn't as great. It's a little more work to get to. They want you in your car and out of the park by 2:00pm so keep that in mind. They also patrol the trails not only on foot but also bike to make sure people get the steppin' when it gets close to closing time. As other reviews mentioned, check the website for other activities. Unlike Wilderness Access Day, they require you to sign up and limit the number of people.

If you enjoy hiking under the blazing sun while carrying coolers, chairs, umbrellas, and all your…read moreother gear for what feels like a mile from your car, then this place might be perfect for you. The biggest downside is the distance from the parking area to the actual destination. By the time we arrived, we were already tired and sweaty. There are staff members who drive around in golf carts and occasionally offer rides, which is appreciated, but whether you get one seems to come down to pure luck. If you happen to see one and there's room available, great. If not, you're on your own. The location itself may be worth visiting for some people, but the long trek back and forth can quickly take the fun out of the experience, especially on hot days or if you're carrying a lot of supplies. Just be prepared and pack light, because there's a good chance you'll be hauling everything yourself.

Beautiful location for long walks, tranquil surroundings covered by wildlife (but please be mindful…read moreas this is the wilderness therefore snakes, coyotes and mountain lions do live in the area) If you are mindful of the wild creatures I do think anyone that enjoys the outdoors will find this location a gem! SIDE NOTE I was there for an event but I did get an opportunity to walk around by the lake

It's one of our favorite parks. It's accessibility friendly, has lots of swings, a fun playground,…read moreamazing climbing equipment, and a fun obstacle course. Theres also a covered sitting area and benches around the park. There are times that the zip line is broken, but otherwise this is a great park to bring kiddos of all ages.

My older kids loved this place. My toddler couldn't do some stuff but still had a good time. Only…read morething I will say is there isn't much shade. And unfortunately there was a mouse running around on the playground. Very clean though.

Red Rock Canyon is located in the City of Lake Forest. Who knew one could view glimpses of red rock…read moreformations and plateaus in Orange County? When we arrived around 8:30 on a Saturday morning, the paid parking lot was already full. There are very few parking spaces overall in the paid $3 lot. We ended up as Ralph's customers that morning and found a couple of last-minute items that we needed before starting our hike. It was a nice and cool morning with a slight breeze, which was perfect to kick off our hike. We opted to take the easy trail, Borrego Canyon Trail. There is a lot of soft sand through out parts of the trail, similar to a beach like sensation for your walking pleasure. It also felt like a magical forest during some areas with trickling streams. We also experienced some parts full of various sized rocks. This is NOT a child- friendly trail for little ones. As we approached parts that were more desert like, we got closer to the red rocks. There was much anticipation to the end and the trail concludes with what feels like a small dead end as you gaze into the view of the towering red rocks. Going downhill was much quicker and fun. It was an easy trail with some sections that forced me to go slower as I didn't want to slip on some small rocks. There was so much positivity coming from other hikers and bicyclists. So many good mornings shared, it was contagious. Bicyclists are one-way so they are only coming from behind you and so many were thankful for us moving out of their way. I've never experienced such polite and friendly trail enthusiasts. I'd love to return to experience this beautiful trail again.

What a great hike! The shade was wonderful, and everyone on the trail was so respectful of space…read more(thank you, bikers). It gets a little narrow as you get closer to the rock formations, but still highly recommend either way.

Hello everybody We really love our local O'Neill Regional…read morePark There are several great hiking trails The park is very clean, and the restrooms are in perfect condition. The facilities are also very well maintained It's such a nice place to relax and spend time outdoors We're so glad to have this park nearby!

The campsite is near a major road that a lot of race cars with loud exhausts race and drive on…read more You'll hear popping noises and loud exhausts every night. Disturbing the peace of sleep. The creek is dried up during the summer. The place has good showers and bathrooms. Really can't get a good nights sleep camping here. Place is beautiful with lots of trees and trails to hike. No store on site. You can DoorDash and meet up at the front.