About 200 people enjoyed rollicking fun and bluegrass music from the Jordan Hook Band under the dappled shade of sycamore trees at the renovated Cattle Camp in Bommer Canyon. The newly restored Cattle Camp is a 15-acre picnic area featuring barn‑red buildings with rustic flair within the Bommer Canyon Preserve. The preserve is home to many native plants and wildlife, including several endangered species, and is open to the public to explore on monthly open access days.
Five-year-old Riley McDowell, dressed for the occasion, offered exactly the right words to explain why Western-themed events are so enjoyable. “It’s the hats, the ponies and the music,” she says. Her 8-year-old sister, Chloe, agrees. “I also like the peacefulness of being in nature,” Chloe says.
While there weren’t any ponies, two mounted police officers on sleek horses Dundee and Captain attracted a large group of admirers.
A bobcat – albeit a taxidermied one – was the center of attention for quite a few youngsters, who enjoyed stroking its fur, which, as one correctly noted, “would be really scary to do in real life.” The pelt of a coyote was also on display, along with a stuffed osprey and replica skulls.
Irvine Ranch Conservancy volunteer Brenda Edgell, staffing the booth, said that many people asked whether bobcats attacked people. “Happily, they don’t, unless provoked,” she notes.
At the exhibit, kids were invited to match pollinators and plants. Middle schooler Puvitparee Korprasertsud took less than a minute to arrive at the right answers. “It was easy,” he says. “I knew that nocturnal plants would attract bats. There were clues in all the descriptions, so it wasn’t difficult to guess the others.” His favorite pollinator? The hummingbird.
“Events like this are great, and we very much enjoy the sense of community!”
Josenhans family
Leland Sterbling led a group around Nature Loop to take a closer look at the coastal sage habitat, pointing out dove weed, coyote brush and several bunnies. The hike is less than a mile on a flat surface and always accessible to the public.
At the celebration, hosted by Irvine Company, there was face painting, with pumpkins proving the favorite image, though dolphins came in a close second.
Munching on muffins, the Josenhans family sang the praises of living in Irvine. Daughter Ava, 12, and son Aaron, 14, belong to Scouting groups and say they love the open space that’s easy to access.
“Events like this are great,” the parents say, “and we very much enjoy the sense of community.”
Schedule your trip to Cattle Camp
Indulge your inner cowboy at Cattle Camp, which is available to rent for events such as parties, company picnics, weddings and family reunions. The 15-acre area, shaded by sycamores, features a covered stage, backstage room, picnic tables, ADA-accessible pathways and a chuck wagon kitchen replete with modern amenities.
Hikers and bikers can access the area for picnics seven days of the week (unless the venue is already booked). Visit on monthly Wilderness Access Days, when you can explore the network of cactus-studded trails and enjoy stunning views from the hilltops within beautiful Bommer Canyon. Cowboys employed by The Irvine Ranch rounded up cattle here years ago, before Irvine Company granted the land to preserve the wilderness in perpetuity.
For reservations, call 949-724-6620 or email reservations@cityofirvine.org.
