You know, if we hadn't gotten stuck in the wrong lane on our way back to our hotel, we might not have ever discovered the San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary. Without knowing what it is, I would've guessed this was just an open green space in the middle of Irvine. Little did I know, this place is a whole lot more interesting than that...and a beautiful gem, too! While there are multiples ways in and out of the sanctuary, the main entrance and parking lot is on Riparian right off of Campus Drive (there is a second, smaller lot on the Michelson end of the same street, but the stretch in between is gated off). Regardless of which way you get in, though, among the first things you'll probably notice is how big this place is and how peaceful and tranquil it feels. Walking along the dirt paths through their 300+ acres of foliage and ponds/marshes, it doesn't take long before you start to feel far removed from all of the nearby office complexes, strip malls, and housing communities. As much as we thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon walking around, it could've been so much better if we had been better prepared. For one, we parked and entered by that smaller lot, so we missed out on checking out the learning center, Audubon house, visitor center, and the Duck Club. What's more, we also missed out on the butterfly garden and didn't see many birds or wildlife. Part of that could've just been due to the time of year we were here, but it probably would've helped if we had gotten ourselves informed as to what to keep an eye out for! As awesome as the San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary obviously is, perhaps the most impressive thing about it is how it was actually built to act as a water filter, but disguised as a nature preserve. Quite an accomplishment to build something to serve an infrastructural, urban need while still benefiting nature! Even more of a reason to come back on my next trip to spend more time exploring the rest of the preserve, learning center, birds, and butterflies! read more

San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

I took my children to the wildlife sanctuary yesterday and saw a big sign in front of the welcome center about a kids summer camp. The welcome center had a large sign out front advertising it and a big sign saying "open! Visitors welcome"... I was "welcomed", and I use this term loosely, by Barbara. I asked for information about the summer camp and she was very rude to me from the start and very unhelpful. She pointed to a wall with pamphlets and said "maybe there's information there", and then after about 30 seconds began making rude comments to my children because one of them asked to hold my hand "and it was much too loud". He was not being loud... he is 4 and spoke at a normal volume. I tried to quickly look for a pamphlet so we could leave since our presence was clearly not welcome... and when he asked if we could go outside I was again met with more rude comments from Barbara about my children. This is the first time an adult has ever spoken to my children in such a rude way - I was honestly so offended I will never go back there. I was in the visitor center less than 2 minutes but it was long enough to make a last impression and keep me away. I guess I'll look for summer camps else where. read more

Beautiful place to spend few hours. They have different ponds in approximately 300 acres. Saw squirrels, lizards, stunning butterflies, and a crazy amount of birds. They do have very nice picnic area with bbqs. If you love bird watching it is a must! read more

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This is a beautiful place to spend a day walking on nice trails and enjoying nature. They have plenty of parking, and restrooms. There's a picnic area if you want to pack a lunch. There's lots of trails that branch apart from each other. It might be easy for some to get lost. If not for the tall buildings in the background you might think you were really out in nature. The place is well kept up. If you want to have a relaxing day walking this is the place to come. read more

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Long time fan of this place, first time reviewer. I never knew this place existed in the middle of Irvine, of all places, until I got into birding. Then I started going all the time. So many birds there to photograph. So many trails to walk. So many shorebirds to count. So many bugs to duck from! No seriously, lots of bugs, so just keep your mouth closed at all times. Haha. This place can become quite a maze if you don't pay attention to where you're going. I really love that there's a clean restroom right by the main house and parking lot. Appreciate the staff maintaining it nicely. Always cool inside, fully stocked at all times. There is overflow gravel parking across from the main house facing a pond. So it's really cool to be able to just pull up, park, get out and immediately see the birds. Well, unless the pond is dried up! read more

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Located right next to UCI Campus, this is a beautiful walking area. Bursting with nature, you can see wildlife, water, foliage, etc. There are even some benches to enjoy the views. It's not a loop or straight line; there are enough ins and outs that will give you variations for your path if you return more than once. read more

San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary encompasses 300 acres of coastal freshwater wetlands in the middle of Irvine. There are hundreds of bird species to look for and because of that, bikes and animals are not allowed. To get here, go down Riparian View and enter the small parking lot. There are some ponds and grassy areas throughout. The walking paths extend out to the exterior on the adjacent streets so you can enter and exit from multiple locations. I didn't see any wildlife but it was a peaceful stroll. read more

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This is such a hidden gem. I had the pleasure of coming here with my little ones and enjoyed the wildlife and trail very much. It is not very crowded at all. Perfect for a peaceful nature walk on flat road. It feels like it's secluded yet very peaceful. I can't wait to go back and jog around the complete trail. read more

San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

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Beautiful, picturesque scenery. Came here for photography and there were many different types of birds! We parked a little less than a mile away from the main marsh and walked along the stream until we reached the marsh. Lots of ducks and geese, and there were many little goslings next to geese and they were so cute! There was an island in the middle of the huge lake and there were pelicans and ducks resting there. Very clean and well maintained. Not much shade when walking around so I recommend bring a hat and sunscreen. read more

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What a fun loop of trails that encircle the marsh lands. There is so much to see, nice flat trails, bathrooms available, and a butterfly area. Lots of picture spots and a peaceful atmosphere. You can go as little or as much as you want. A true hidden gem! read more

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I enjoyed all the butterflies that were flying around at the beginning of the trail! It gets pretty hot as there is little to no shade coverage, so I would avoid this place on a hot day. But I imagine it would be lovely to walk around in the fall or spring. The birds and butterflies were the highlight of this trail. read more

Do you want an escape from all of the storm trooper white tesla clones all around Irvine? Well, me too! I had a nice little quiet urban hike while enjoying the beautiful foliage, trees, berries, bunnies and birds everywhere. Your experience might be different depending on the time of day you choose to go but I chose right before dusk and it was perf! read more

San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary - Jacaranda w sun setting - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

Since a great day for a retreat. When I arrived its was such a peaceful place. I left Los Angeles and arrived in a corner of wilderness. There were walking trails and plenty of areas to set or read about the plants and animals. There cabins like space to host meetings with a full kitchen, bathroom and air. I really enjoyed the day! read more

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Amazing experience. Got to see a lot of the birds and scenery. A great hike with the family! read more

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amazing place to take a walk in if you love birds! I took some pretty nice shots there and it is very relaxing read more

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This place is a MUST for birders - especially during migration seasons. The website boasts over 200 species of birds at any given time - and I definitely think they're right. I saw over 40 species and 10 lifers in less than 3 hours (early-mid May)!! Birder's paradise!! There are about 12 miles of trails around numerous ponds - a lot of trees and habitat for wildlife surrounding the ponds as well. But the actual trails themselves have scarce shade so I recommend sun protection. The trails are virtually all flat and are well maintained, gravel trails. They aren't paved and can be uneven but I'd definitely say they're handicap accessible with the right equipment and a companion. Aside from birds, I saw squirrels, bunnies, tons of fish and turtles, wildflowers, native bees, all sorts of other insects, and I heard a rattle snake (but luckily didn't see it lol)! For birders - during spring migration 2023 I saw an Ash-throated Flycatcher and had a fantastic chance encounter with a Greater Roadrunner. I saw literally hundreds of Caspian Terns and Black Skimmers on ponds 1 and 2, as well as Least Terns, Canada Geese, and Clark's AND Western Grebes! There were also numerous Ruddy Ducks and Black-necked Stilts on Pond C. The sanctuary is over 300 acres of freshwater coastal wetland habitat - IRWD did a beautiful job restoring the habitat and maintaining what didn't need restoring. It was created as a very successful experiment natural water treatment - the urban runoff is filtered through the ponds and cleaned before hitting Newport Bay! I wish more cities would do this! These waterways are so important to the migrating birds. Win win!! Before you hit the trails, you'll walk through their educational complex - full of interesting information signs, native gardens, little museums and education buildings - and there's a whole house for the local Audubon society with an excellent gift shop and even a library! They also do seasonal birding walks and other events and educational talks. PRO TIP: The Audubon building has a bird species list for the month so be sure to check off all the species you saw on your walk!! And they also post "unusual wildlife sightings" on their board as well - and on my visit it had a warning about rattlesnake sightings and their location so that is super helpful! There are large, very well kept bathrooms at the entrance with drinking fountains and a large outdoor covered area with lots of picnic tables and even a couple of grills! They also have some portapotties scattered around the trails but the one I encountered was pretty dirty lol. This is definitely a wonderful place for a day outdoors - you'd never know you're in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of busy Irvine. That being said - you can definitely still hear the traffic and the nearby John Wayne airport at times in certain parts of the sanctuary. There are two parking lots - the main one is paved and the "overflow" right across the street is gravel. I visited in a Wednesday and Saturday. Early in the mornings before 830am, both lots were practically empty. On Saturday when I was leaving around 11am both lots were completely packed so on weekends you'll need to get there early. read more

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Lovely time exploring this area so close to home. Hope to come at a better time to see more birds next time. Should've come here a long time ago since I've lived in Irvine for so long! read more

San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary - Birds checklist - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

For the most part, the place is fine but there are a few trails to seriously avoid. One, a higher trail that goes right next water treatment plant. I was exploring new trails was I was walking past it, then I was hit with a foul order and immediately coughed and my glands swollen up, I wonder what chemicals I just got hit with... The trail on the other side that buds up the creek also has a horrible order that takes a few mins to walk past. Any area is fine, I would suggest the further from the plant, the better for your health. read more

They have these large ponds and plenty of walking trails. You can drop off at the visitor center and see what bird sightings the birders have seen. Take some binoculars for spotting the birds. read more

San Joaquin marsh and wildlife sanctuary is a natural water treatment facility of IRWD, and one of the least known park of South Orange County. I was made aware of this jewel when I lattended a IRWD's tour of their recycle water facilities years ago. It is one of my favorite places for bird watching, listen to birds chirping and frolicking in ponds. You may have trouble trying to find this place the first time. Perhaps the reason it is seldom crowded. The entrance is off Campus Drive, not very well marked. I think of it as a secret garden, enjoyed by those who knows the way. It felt like a cleansing of the heart and soul when I come here. I'll definitely be back, hopefully in the near future. read more

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I love this place so much! Once I found out about this place, I visited 3x in one week:) Yelp map pointer will take you exact where you should be , very accurate. However, if u use Apple map it will take you to the other side which is a planet with gate to pass through. There are two parking lot, one in front of nature center to the left when you enter, the overflow parking is on the right. Parking never seem to be an issue whenever i came. Be sure u use apps such as Alltrails, it makes navigating through the sanctuary effortless. I saw reviews stating some weird guy hanging around so I was a little worried at first. However, I feel pretty safe, security had driven by me couple times during my visit and they were always nice to slow down waiting for people to pass. There's plenty of wildlife, mainly, birds, to observe. I recently started a new hobby, bird watch, by a friend's influence. So this place is like my wonderland:)) I always find some new friends I haven't met every time I visited. And pictures do justice:) read more

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I found out about this place which is surprisingly near one of Irvine's best dining centers (eg. North Italia, Lemonade, Ruth Chris, Lady M, etc.) ! It's an easy walk. It's a huge wildlife sanctuary with plenty of birdlife and not that many humans so it's a great place to connect with nature and get some alone time. The day I was there there were a number of people painting birds and the marshes. There are some historic duck hunter houses and lots of paths to wander about on. Morning is best for viewing the birds. There are volunteers near the parking area who are very friendly and helpful. After taking a long walk I was ready for a meal. The parking is free although it was a bit tight on the Saturday morning that I was there. read more

San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

tl,dr: Super peaceful stroll. Worth a visit, especially for UCI students to de-stress. I saw a rattlesnake! Tips: . Use Strava app during your stroll to avoid getting lost. And print their online map. . If you need to, use their main restroom before it closes at 6pm. Likes: + Free parking. + They have a decent printable map on their website. + Super tranquil and quiet. + Huge! + The main restrooms are clean and well-equipped. + Open til 8pm. Non-likes: - Only one narrow way in and out of each parking lot. - The annex parking ground is gravel. Bad for the tires. - Their online map is not quite updated [see screenshot]. - Though the preserve closes at 8pm, the main restroom closes at 6pm. yike. - And the 2 remaining Porta-potties don't have sinks or hand sanitizers. - The grounds have a lot of small rocks. So if your shoes have deep grooves, prepare to get a lot of rocks lodged. - A few of the Observation Areas are closed. read more

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My son and I had a beautiful morning walk at the San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife sanctuary ... it was beautiful and peaceful and had a really cute shop. The bathrooms are also very big & clean and I appreciate the ramp as well, it was easy to get the stroller up and into the bathrooms. We'll definitely be returning often. He loved our beautiful nature walk. read more

San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

Awesome place to see a diverse variety of wildlife wildlife. There are many migratory birds and many trails that you can go for a nice walk.

Beautiful and very well made!! I love the nature and all the wonderful colors ! Very clean and simple

Lovely, easy trail to enjoy nature. Plenty of trees, ducks, birds, and water. We saw a crane. read more

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Going on a Saturday. Park a ranger said there is lots of turtles in the ponds. A nice quiet and serene trail still muddy from this weeks rain. Port a potty's spread through out. Random weirdos along the trail. It's all good times. Females you may want to bring mace or a pocket knife. (Just in case) there's some parts where it gets a little secluded. Nice paved trails. Friendly people, not too crowded on a Saturday morning. Would make a nice backdrop for some family photos. read more

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Great place to see various birds. It also has a good information Center regarding the birds you see there. read more

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This is a great location to visit for a very easy stroll. The dirt paths throughout the sanctuary are wide and flat (see photo). There were ponds there as well (see photos), making for a welcome change of scenery as many places in SoCal are lacking bodies of water. Wildlife: There was plenty of wildlife there. We even encountered many ducks right along the paths we were walking on and in the ponds. Squirrels and rabbits abounded. If you're interested in knowing the birds that were spotted around the sanctuary, be sure to check out their website to see the bird census reports. As a note, the animals weren't just on land or in the air: remember to take a peek to see the fish and plenty of other wildlife in the pond. Tip: There isn't a lot of shade, so it can get hot, especially as the day wears on. I recommend bringing water and wearing a hat. Parking: There was plenty of parking onsite near the entrance. read more

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Lots of birds, lovely plantings, right next to UCI, also great place to walk or jog also close to the beach

Really beautiful place for a walk,long winding trails sandwiched in between greenery.intermittent clearings in the brush where you can view the water and wildlife,and a multitude of undeterred bunnies.but don't come here though cause I want it all for myself. read more

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I almost died because I got lost, but otherwise, this is an awesome spot for birders. Right when I arrived, I saw a kestrel and was able to watch it catch a lizard. There were also lots of northern rough-winged and barn swallows, and at one point, I heard and briefly saw a kingfisher. To describe how I got lost, I was walking around the water, and I thought as long as I'm walking with the water to my right, it would be no problem finding my way back to the parking lot, but when I turned back to head to the car, I realized after a while that I was making circles around the water over and over again. It was over 90 degrees, and I started feeling very disoriented and trapped in this circle. Finally, this nice man gave me a ride and saved my life. It was probably just me because I have no sense of direction whatsoever, but it was kind of a scary experience. But I would still return, maybe on a day that's not too hot and with someone who has a better sense of direction than me. read more

We found this place quite accidentally. Of course I had seen the green space across from the UCI when driving on the University Dr but never thought there was a park and nature preserve there. This place is huge and great for walking while enjoying nature. I've seen many kinds of birds as well as coyotes and more. You can plan your walk around different basins to clock a couple of miles or can keep it short and light. Either way it's a great place to visit. Make sure to take water in hot days. read more

A 5-star place if you are a birdwatcher. Otherwise a 3. A wildlife sanctuary right in the middle of Irvine that not many people know about. There are a few miles of trails to walk; a couple of main trails and several shorter offshoots. It's all fairly flat and much is tree covered but there are sections of some trails that are unshaded. I notice very few people walking or jogging when I come here so it feels remote even though you are only a couple blocks away from the city. I always see a lot of different birds. I'm not a birdwatcher but this would be paradise for anyone who is. Otherwise it is a nice place for a nature walk in an urban environment. But unfortunately there are reminders that you are still in the city; aside from office buildings in the distance you will see heavy machinery, a water reclamation plant and a gravel pit amidst the trees and ponds. The sound of traffic on Michelson mixes with the calls of a variety of birds. And yet there is still a sense of peacefulness when you are here. I find that the trails are poorly marked and the posted maps are severely faded so you may find yourself a little lost your first time here. But you're in the center of Irvine so you're not going to die if you do get disoriented. It's nice that this sanctuary is here for the wildlife and for people to get exercise but it's nothing spectacular, just okay. read more

San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary - Parks Near Me - Irvine, California

Beautiful place, chill, lot of birds and squirrels. If you have time to wait for a hunting, wait, because you will not see that often. read more

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This strange and beautiful place is a welcome respite from "civilization". Whether you're a bird watcher, nature lover, or you just want to experience some tranquility, I recommend checking it out. Follow these instructions to get here: http://www.seaandsageaudubon.org/SJWS/sjws.htm Better yet, you can bike here. It's easily accessible via the San Diego Creek Bikeway. I must warn you, however, that bikes aren't allowed on the trails within the Sanctuary, and I can't find any place where you could lock them up. Why do I find this place a little strange? Probably because I don't know its history, which is recounted on its website in great detail. The buildings here remind me of the compound from Lost. It's right next to a wastewater treatment plant. Also, if I'm counting correctly, they have eleven ponds, designated Ponds 1-6 and Ponds A-E. No dogs allowed! Probably for the same reason that bikes aren't allowed: you don't want to disturb the wildlife. This is a prime birdwatching area and you'll probably see serious nature photographers at work if you visit during prime time (and I'm not going to pretend that I know when prime time is). Please enjoy the sanctuary and respect nature! read more

A bird lovers dream come true! Whoa only seven reviewers so far?! Geez you people are missing out!! What an incredible place to discover :) The turn off for Riparian View, is so easy to miss. It took me a few tries to find the tiny street. Parking is on a dirt lot. This wildlife Sanctuary is free but I think you can host events here. There was an event was going on when I went, so parking was limited. There weren't any clear signs to where any of the trails began. Restrooms were nice (near hall where the event was taking place). Since there weren't any visible maps, I began exploring on my own. I felt like a rat in a maze; the bushes were so high you couldn't see how long or how far you were going. This place is HUGE!!!! I walked and walked and never saw the end of the trails. Some ponds had shore birds while others had ducks. I witnessed Black Neck Stilt Birds, a Red Shouldered Hawk, a Great Egret, a Vulture!!! perhaps a Finch? I really need to research my birds. So many beautiful species and I had no idea what I was looking at. The trails were on dirt road and at beginner level. There were over 6 ponds each labeled with an alphabet letter. I wish I found this map before my adventure. See link for details. http://www.seaandsageaudubon.org/SJWS/SJWSmapandrules.pdf read more

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I've lived in Irvine all my life and I never knew this place existed until a few weeks ago! Went an hour before sun was setting and it was so peaceful. There is so much beautiful wildlife as you go through the hike. There are huge trees with some peculiar things hanging off the branches! It was especially nice because it was so quiet and empty. There are also small lakes where you can sit across and enjoy. My friend took her bearded dragon and she loved it! 5/5 STARS- This place was something I totally didn't expect from Irvine. A lot of endless things to discover here and would love to hike longer here next time! read more

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Came because it said dogs allowed but it is not. How do I know? Arrived n within 5mins we were followed and harnessed 3 different people telling us no pets one lady was going on and on I said ok and started walking away but did she leave me alone? no she just kept talking I asked do you work here? It said online dogs allowed then another lady from inside a building came and said the same we said ok and started walking away they were following us still talking even though they can see we weren't listening anymore. They said you can walk on the street so that's where we started walking and one of the ladies literally got in her car and followed us in her car to say the same thing we said yes we heard you, you don't have to tell us 10 times we're leaving and she just kept yapping unbelievable. Felt so harassed we got it, no pets allowed no need to say it over and over will not be coming back. The experience was terrible read more