There were so many sights to savor as I strolled along Shady Canyon Trail on a recent summer morning. To my right, a brilliantly green golf course alongside a silvery lake. Ahead, a view of elegant homes half-hidden behind tall exclamatory poplar trees. Golden hillside vistas evoked the halcyon ranching days of yore, when cattle grazed on the land that is now restored to its natural beauty.
I started my hike at the Quail Hill Trailhead, surprising an errant roadrunner who wagged its tail in greeting (or so I chose to believe). Also on the trail: joggers, mothers pushing strollers and bikers taking advantage of the early-morning cool, nodding and smiling as they pass.
Such friendliness is not always the case on single-track trails, where hikers and bikers have been known to exchange words. But this trail is wide, with a separate path for cyclists, and everyone is in a good mood.
Shady Canyon Trail is an ideal way to get in your 10,000-plus steps. Either remain on the trail all the way to Summit Park before turning around and retracing your route, or turn off at Bommer Preserve to explore that area. I chose to do the latter, enjoying the startling way a manicured community seamlessly connects to sage-scented wilderness.
The Bommer Meadows Trail winds through an area where habitat restoration is taking place, little white flags indicating where invasive plants have surrendered to new seedlings of native plants. Along this route, I saw few people. Instead, I enjoyed watching chipmunks and squirrels skittering in and out of the brush and lizards doing pushups before dashing out of sight.
I recently learned that squirrels live communally in underground burrows, but amazingly, each has its own entrance. I love nature trivia.
Turning left onto Nature Loop, I spied a woodrat’s nest, which, unless you know what to look for, resembles an untidy pile of branches. Its messiness belies the fact that this is a well-ordered condo inside, with passages and rooms set aside as larders, dormitories and nurseries. Though I’ve never seen a woodrat, given that they’re nocturnal, I’m told they look more like Mickey Mouse than your traditional sharp-nosed stereotype. Not that looks should matter, but you know …
Nature Loop leads to the Cattle Camp, which isn’t accessible except during guided hikes and open-access days, but you can continue your hike up around half of its perimeter, which is what I did. Along the trail I was fortunate to see the last of spring’s wildflowers: orange monkey flowers, pink-tinged morning glory and yellow aster. Up in the hills, rusty-red buckwheat festooned rocky outcrops, previewing fall colors in the height of summer.
The sound of “chi-ca-go, chi-ca-go” alerted me to the presence of quail, and out of the bush burst a covey of them, wings causing an audible vibration.
What makes these birds so charming, I wonder. Is it their six-feather headdress? Their plump bodies? The way they always seem to be in a hurry?
I don’t think “covey” is the right collective noun. How about a “quaintness” of quail? Or a “quickness” of quail? Or a “quirkery” of quail?
Regardless, seeing them made my day.
By now, the sun was letting it be known that it was time for smart hikers to make their way back to base. I retraced my steps, enjoying the slight breeze. Already I was planning my next hike. So many options, thanks to all of those who have worked to preserve our wilderness. I am grateful indeed.
Lynette Brasfield is an avid hiker, an Irvine Ranch Conservancy and Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteer trail guide, and freelance writer and editor.
More ways to explore Irvine’s southern open space preserve
Quail Hill Loop Trail
The prominent, rocky crown of Quail Hill rises roughly 200 feet above its grasslands. The outcropping stands as a sentinel of the Irvine Southern Open Space Preserve. Quail Hill’s gentle slope makes it a favorite for families, joggers and dog owners. Watch for birds of prey, including northern harriers and white-tailed kites.
Ridge Route Loop
This hike starts at Bommer Canyon Cattle Camp, an Old West setting where ranch hands once rounded up cattle on The Irvine Ranch. Now it’s part of the largest urban open space network in America. You’ll be treated to towering 100-year-old sycamores, grasslands and awe-inspiring ridgeline views, as well as relics from the site’s ranching past.
Crystal Cove State Park
This park offers options for hikers looking for challenges as well as those who prefer a slower pace. Happily, even a short stroll along Bommer Ridge offers views of the sparkling Pacific Ocean framed by golden chaparral-covered hillsides.
Laguna Coast Wilderness
From wind-buffeted bluffs to challenging trails, the 7,000-acre Laguna Coast Wilderness Park puts you in one of the last remaining coastal canyons in Southern California. Forty miles of trails lead through oak and sycamore woodlands and up onto ridges with the ocean breeze to keep you cool. Staff and volunteers at Nix Nature Center can help plan your hike.
The 7,000-acre Laguna Coast Wilderness Park features 40 miles of bike trails.
