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Irvine City HallPhoto: Azusa Tarn · CC BY-SA 4.0
AOutdoors
Outdoors in Irvine

22% of Irvine’s land is conserved, and 99% of residents live within a half mile of a park

123 miles of mapped trail cross Irvine, 1.9 per square mile of land. 22% of Irvine’s land is conserved, about 9,202 acres. The biggest trail networks: San Joaquin Marsh Reserve (8.5 mi), Bommer Canyon Open Space Preserve (4.8 mi), Shady Canyon Open Space Preserve (3.4 mi).

Ahead of 94% of U.S. towns · #134 of 847 in California. What drives it

Conserved land
22%
9,202 acres · of 65.6 sq mi of land
Trails
123 mi
1.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
3,887 ac
12 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
413 mi
259 mi lanes · 152 mi paths
Highest peak
427 ft
French Hill
Lakes & rivers
18

What kind of outdoors town is Irvine?

Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.

Outdoors grade

How much outdoors does Irvine have?

On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Irvine is ahead of 94% of U.S. towns, #134 of 847 in California. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.

A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Irvine’s overall grade.
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 94%
LessMore
California towns of 2,500+ (847)Ahead of 84%

Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Irvine ranks #40 on Outdoors.

How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.

PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →

The map

Conserved land, trails & bike routes

Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.

12345678
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk

Pick a walk

The longest trail network is San Joaquin Marsh Reserve, with 8.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.

San Joaquin Marsh Reserve

Managed by University of California Natural Reserve System
515 acres8.5 mi of trail
South Loop TrailTreehil TrailThe MidwayWillow Path+1
No dogs
Directionsto San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary Parking LotWebsite ↗

Bommer Canyon Open Space Preserve

Managed by Irvine Ranch Conservancy
918 acres4.8 mi of trail
Turtle Ridge TrailWest Fork TrailNature LoopBommer Pass+1
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗

Shady Canyon Open Space Preserve

Managed by Irvine Ranch Conservancy
1,721 acres3.4 mi of trail
Serrano Ridge TrailWest Canyon TrailQuail Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗

Great Park Sports Complex

Managed by City of Irvine
236 acres3.4 mi of trail
Championship Row
Dog rules not recorded

Quail Hill Open Space Preserve

Managed by Irvine Ranch Conservancy
742 acres2.7 mi of trail
Quail Hill Loop TrailQuail TrailShady Canyon Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗

Bill Barber Memorial Park

Managed by City of Irvine
37 acres2.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Event Parking

Bosque Canyon

Park
59 acres1.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot

Heritage Park

Managed by City of Tustin
37 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 215 parks & preserves
San Joaquin Marsh Reserve515 acres · 8.5 mi of trail · University of California Natural Reserve System
Directions
Bommer Canyon Open Space Preserve918 acres · 4.8 mi of trail · Irvine Ranch Conservancy
Directions
Shady Canyon Open Space Preserve1,721 acres · 3.4 mi of trail · Irvine Ranch Conservancy
Directions
Great Park Sports Complex236 acres · 3.4 mi of trail · City of Irvine
Directions
Quail Hill Open Space Preserve742 acres · 2.7 mi of trail · Irvine Ranch Conservancy
Directions
Bill Barber Memorial Park37 acres · 2.3 mi of trail · City of Irvine
Directions
Bosque Canyon59 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
Directions
Heritage Park37 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · City of Tustin
Directions
Jeffrey Open Space Trail72 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
Directions
Veeh Creek Open Space316 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Irvine Ranch Conservancy
Luna Park13 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
Directions
William R. Mason Regional Park (wilderness area)120 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
Directions
Quail Hill Community Park17 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Directions
Sweet Shade Park9 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Directions
Turtle Rock Community Park20 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · City of Irvine
Directions
University Community Park15 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Directions
Los Olivos Community Park13 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Directions
The Pools9 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Directions
Irvine Ranch Historic Park17 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Directions
Meadowood Park11 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Directions
Settlers Park7 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · City of Irvine
Directions
Sky Park Circle Park5 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Directions
Harvard Square Park4 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Harvard Athletic Park28 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Directions
Woodbridge Community Park23 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Directions
Cypress Grove Park9 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Directions
Cadence Park7 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Directions
Dovecreek Park7 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Directions
Sycamore Park6 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Eastwood Neighborhood Park6 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Directions
Arbor Park6 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Directions
The Meadows Park4 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Mason Regional Park101 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · OC Parks
Directions
Portola Springs Community Park35 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Irvine
Directions
Northwood Community Park17 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Directions
Plaza Park8 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Directions
Cascade Park8 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Directions
Valencia Park6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Directions
Village Square Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Directions
Royal Oak Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Directions
Pepperwood Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Culverwood Wilderness Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Blue Gum Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Arrowhead Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Directions
Valley View Park9 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Brywood Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Irvine
Directions
Coralwood Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Directions
Vista Bonita Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · ICHA
Directions
Dave Robins Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Directions
Gabrielino Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · ICHA
Directions
Los Trancos Recreation Area4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · ICHA
Directions
Greentree school park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Directions
Highland Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Directions
Solis Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Directions
Carrotwood Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Presley Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Directions
Eucalyptus Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Directions
Ravencreek Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Directions
Plateau Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Directions
The Commons3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Springacre Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Directions
Grand Trellis Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Directions
Peppergrass Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Directions
Ashwood Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Las Lomas Community Park17 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Cypress Community Park17 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Hicks Canyon Community Park16 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Aldrich Park15 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · University of California, Irvine
Directions
Mark Daily Athletic Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Irvine
Directions
South Lake Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Hoeptner Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Ranch Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
San Carlo Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
The Promenade4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
San Leandro Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Irvine
Directions
Canyon Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
San Paulo Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Northpark Square3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Citrusglen Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Cornell Commons3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Mosaic Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
San Mateo Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Columbia Square3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Princeton Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Greenfield Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Forest Glen Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Stanford Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Timber Run Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Crestbrook Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Racquet Club Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Meadow Valley Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Echo Run Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Shorebird Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Homestead Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Northwood Courtside Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Hideaway Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Woodland Garden Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Monarch Park at Portola Springs1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions
Pasadena Gardens1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
San Marino Gardens1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Treetop Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Five Point Pop-up Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Five Point
Clearbrook Park27 acres
Directions
Windrow Athletic Community Park19 acres
Directions
Oak Creek Community Park11 acres
Directions
UCI Arboretum11 acres
Directions
Deerfield Community Park10 acres · City of Irvine
Woodbury Community Park10 acres
Directions
David Sills Lower Peters Canyon Park10 acres
Directions
Silkwood Park10 acres
Directions
Woodbury Rec Center8 acres
Directions
College Park8 acres
Directions
Knollcrest Park8 acres
Directions
Pavilion Park8 acres
Directions
Laguna Coast Wilderness Park6 acres · Orange County Parks
Orchard Park6 acres
Directions
Chaparral Park6 acres · City of Irvine
Stonegate Park5 acres
Directions
Culverdale Wilderness Park5 acres
Directions
San Marcos Park5 acres
Directions
North Lake Park5 acres
Directions
Woodflower Park5 acres · Woodbridge Village Association
Directions
Floral Park5 acres
Directions
Turtle Rock Ridge Park5 acres
Directions
Meadow Park5 acres · ICHA
Directions
Charles D. Bren Memorial Park4 acres
Directions
Swallows Park4 acres
Directions
Lomas Valley Park4 acres
The Park4 acres
San Marino Park3 acres
Directions
Egret Park3 acres
Directions
Silverado Park3 acres
The Groves3 acres
Directions
Novel Park3 acres
Directions
Sunridge Park3 acres
Directions
Trailside Park3 acres
Parasol Park3 acres
Hidden Canyon Recreation Center3 acres
Willows Park3 acres
Mountain View Park2 acres
Directions
Pepper Tree Park2 acres
Valley Oak Park2 acres
Directions
Mockingbird Park2 acres
Directions
Orangetree Park2 acres
Stone Creek Swim Club2 acres · Woodbridge Village Association
Directions
Flagstone Park2 acres
Briarglen Park2 acres
Directions
Smokestone Park2 acres
Windjammer Park2 acres
Woodpine Park2 acres
Paseo Park2 acres
Directions
Firwood Park2 acres
Directions
Sepulveda Vista Point2 acres
Directions
Turtle Rock Silkwood Park2 acres
Directions
Pinewood Park2 acres
Directions
Wildwood Park2 acres
Directions
Garden Center Park2 acres
Directions
Sierra Bravo Park2 acres
Directions
Round Canyon Park2 acres
Directions
Daybreak Park2 acres
Sierra Boca Park2 acres
Central Park at Los Olivos2 acres
Sierra Amigo Park2 acres
Orchard Trail Park2 acres
Sierra Oro Park2 acres
Wintermist2 acres
Directions
Promenade Square Park2 acres
Directions
Gateway Park2 acres
Directions
The Retreat2 acres
Directions
Bluebird Park2 acres
Turtle Rock Crest Park2 acres
Directions
The Lakes2 acres
Directions
Crestwood Park2 acres
Directions
Paseo Segovia Park2 acres
Directions
Birdsong Park1 acres
Directions
Altair Park1 acres
Directions
Windwood Park1 acres
Directions
Olive Grove Square Park1 acres
Grossmont Park1 acres
Directions
Woodside Park1 acres
Travata Park1 acres
Directions
Lemongrass Park1 acres
Directions
Date Palm Park1 acres
Laurel Square Park1 acres
Directions
Goldfinch Park1 acres
Directions
Canyon Creek Park1 acres
Northwood Glen1 acres
Sausalito Gardens1 acres
Directions
Bluejay Park1 acres
Directions
Garden Point Park1 acres
Directions
Springbrook Park1 acres
Meadowlark Park1 acres
Directions
Pine Brook Park1 acres
Orchard View Park1 acres
Tomato Springs Park1 acres
Lower Peters Canyon Park1 acres
Terrace Garden Park1 acres
Doe Trail Park1 acres · HOA
Magnolia Square Park1 acres
Directions
Ridgeview Park1 acres
Cypress Square Pool Park1 acres
Coral Tree Square Park1 acres
Discovery Park1 acres
The Springs1 acres
Directions
Bel Air Gardens1 acres
Del Mar Gardens1 acres
Ridgetop Park1 acres
Alderwood Park1 acres
Coronado Gardens1 acres
Coltrane Corner Park1 acres · ICHA
Directions
Vista Filare 11 acres
Elm Street Pool1 acres
Directions
Palm Park1 acres
205 Novel1 acres
Hidden Park1 acres
Directions
Who protects it

9,202 conserved acres

22% of Irvine’s land. Who manages Irvine’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.

Land trusts & nonprofits3,699 ac
Town or city2,643 ac
County2,184 ac
Private owners429 ac
Other state land345 ac
State fish & wildlife126 ac
Regional agency2 ac
Private Other or Unknown · 3,711 acLocal Park · 2,855 acLocal Recreation Area · 823 acLocal Other or Unknown · 671 acLocal Conservation Area · 342 ac
Good to know

Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 124 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.

The biggest protected parcels
Parcel (PAD-US)Managed byAcresPublic access
South-Shady Canyon Open Space Preserve
Private Other or Unknown
Land trusts & nonprofits1,724Open
Orange County Great Park
Local Park
County1,307Restricted
South-Bommer Canyon Open Space Preserve
Private Other or Unknown
Land trusts & nonprofits918Open
South-Quail Hill Open Space Preserve
Private Other or Unknown
Land trusts & nonprofits732Open
William R Mason Regional Park
Local Park
County435Open
Veeh Creek
Private Other or Unknown
Land trusts & nonprofits309Closed
San Joaquin Freshwater Marsh Reserve
Local Conservation Area
County305Restricted
San Diego Creek & Bike Path
Local Recreation Area
Town or city276Open
Gateway Park Reserve
Private Park
Town or city273Open
San Joaquin Marsh Reserve
State Conservation Area
Other state land198Restricted

5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.

Things to do

333 places to go in Irvine

Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.

Playgrounds in Irvine
Adventure PlaygroundIn University Community Park
Directions
Adventure PlaygroundIn University Community Park
Directions
Forest Glen PlaygroundIn Forest Glen Park
Directions
Kids RockIn Great Park Sports Complex
Directions
Montecito Gardens Playground
Directions
Sausalito Gardens PlaygroundIn Sausalito Gardens
Directions
Tot Lot PlaygroundIn Deerfield Community Park
Directions

279 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.

Trails & water

25 named trails and 18 lakes & rivers

Named trails
Open to bikes · 24.2 miHorses · 16.1 miUnpaved · 46.0 mi
Shady Canyon Trail2.5 mi
Quail Trail2.0 mi
Turtle Ridge Trail2.0 mi
Hicks Canyon Trail1.8 mi
Quail Hill Loop Trail1.7 mi
Serrano Ridge Trail1.6 mi
South Loop Trail1.4 mi
Jeffrey Open Space Trail1.1 mi
Peters Canyon Hiking & Riding Trail1.0 mi
West Canyon Trail0.9 mi
15 more trails
Jogging Trail
0.8 mi
Treehil Trail
0.8 mi
West Irvine Trail
0.8 mi
West Fork Trail
0.7 mi
Sunset Point Trail
0.7 mi
Nature Loop
0.6 mi
Peters Canyon Trail
0.6 mi
Bommer Pass
0.5 mi
Community Trail
0.4 mi
Bommer Meadow
0.4 mi
Bommer Meadow Trail
0.4 mi
The Midway
0.3 mi
Dirt
0.3 mi
Greentree track
0.2 mi
Sand Canyon Wash Trail
0.2 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports

413 miles of bike routes

Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.

259 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
152 mi
off-road bike paths
2.0 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Jeffrey TrailBike route
0.3 mi
Courts & fields
314Tennis
247Basketball
95Pickleball
88Baseball
86Soccer
55Beach volleyball
28Tracks
18Volleyball

Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.

History along the way

3 places on the National Register

The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 20 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.

History →
Frances Packing HouseBuilding · listed 1977
About it
Irvine Bean and Growers Association BuildingBuilding · listed 1986
About it
Irvine Blacksmith ShopBuilding · listed 1986
About it
When to get out

The best walking months in Irvine: April to August

NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Daylight (h)10.110.911.913.013.914.414.213.412.311.310.49.9
High (°F)696970737578838584807469
Rain (in)2.83.11.80.80.30.10.00.00.10.50.82.1

August is the driest month (under 0.1 in) and the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 3.1 inches fall in February, the wettest month. The climate in Irvine →

Next door

Irvine and its neighbors

Irvine has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.

TownConserved
of land
Trail mi
per sq mi
Park acres
per 1,000
Near a park
½ mile
Outdoors
Irvine22%1.91299%A
Tustin4%1.8497%B+
Newport Beach19%1.73599%A+
Lake Forest20%2.52699%+A+
Santa Ana4%0.6296%B
Laguna Woods13%1.2895%A−
Laguna Hills3%2.0699%+A−
Costa Mesa9%1.2796%A−

The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.

Questions about parks and trails in Irvine

Where can I hike in Irvine?

The longest trail networks: San Joaquin Marsh Reserve, 8.5 miles; Bommer Canyon Open Space Preserve, 4.8 miles; Shady Canyon Open Space Preserve, 3.4 miles; Great Park Sports Complex, 3.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.

How much of Irvine is conserved land?

22% of its land, against a typical 4% for a California town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.

Are dogs allowed on Irvine’s trails?

OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Quail Hill Open Space Preserve (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.

Where can I bike in Irvine?

413 miles of bike routes are on the map: 259 of painted or protected lanes, 152 of off-road paths and 2.0 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Jeffrey Trail.

Is there public land near Irvine?

83,049 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Irvine or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 3,887 of them inside the city line.

How much outdoors does Irvine have?

Ahead of 94% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #134 of 847 in California. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

Trail talk

Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Irvine neighbors.

Town Square →
Share a tip
Sources

Where this page comes from

Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →