Those who live in Orange County know it has some of the most breathtaking wilderness preserves in America.
What isn’t so well-known? The agency responsible for acquiring and maintaining many of these habitats lies with the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and there are OCTA programs offered in partnership with OC Go (which some may know as Measure M) to help residents and visitors discover these preserves.
Hiking, horseback riding, and other options are available at some of these preserves; this is designed in part to help you see how Orange County was before industrialization, and as the official site for OCTA/OC Go events reminds us, these preserves are also how O.C. lands may look far into the future if they are allowed to develop without encroachment.
What follows is a list of preserves operated via the OCTA/OC Go partnership. Not all the preserves have unrestricted access for the public. You may be limited to hiking, jogging, birdwatching, and more. These activities are restricted to specific times and conditions–ask first before you visit.
Visits to these sites may, depending on location, include docent-led tours on horseback or on hiking trails; these events are posted at the OCTA/OC Go official site but know that space is often limited and booking early for such tours is recommended. In some locations, there may be age restrictions or other considerations, and weather may also be an issue depending on the season.
Past events have included:
- Hikes at Trabuco Rose
- Equestrian Rides at Trabuco Rose Preserve
- Hikes at Pacific Horizon
- Hikes at Wrens View Preserve
Orange County Wilderness, Nature Preserves
Orange County preserves include:
- Wren’s View Preserve
- Eagle Ridge Preserve
- Pacific Horizon Reserve
- Silverado Chaparral Preserve
- Bobcat Ridge Preserve
- Live Oak Creek Preserve
- Trabuco Rose Preserve
Live Oak Creek Preserve
This 80-plus-acre preserve is north of Rancho Santa Margarita. Live Oak Creek was the first preserve used to connect open wilderness spaces in the foothills of this area. It was also meant to create limits to urban sprawl. Live Oak Creek Preserve is an important element in the preservation efforts in the area as it protects wildlife corridors between the Santa Ana Mountains and Live Oak Canyon.
This preserve features a number of plants and animals including:
- Coastal California Gnatcatcher
- Cactus Wren
- Intermediate Mariposa Lily
- Coast Horned Lizard
- Orange-Throated Whiptail
- Mountain Lion
- Bobcat
At press time, no docent-led tours of the area are offered.
Eagle Ridge Preserve
OCTA acquired this property to support grassland, sage scrub, and California walnut wooded areas. This preserve enhances the existing 14-thousand-acre Chino Hills State Park.
Eagle Ridge is on some 300 acres and is located in the City of Brea. Among other things, preservation efforts in this preserve help wildlife in nearby areas such as the Santa Ana mountains. Plants and wildlife protected by Eagle Ridge include:
- Least Bell’s Vireo
- Many-Stemmed Dudleya
- Hubby’s Phacelia
- Coast Horned Lizard
- Orange-Throated Whiptail
- Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
- Southern California Black Walnut
- Western Pond Turtle
- Mountain Lion
- Bobcat
The official site says this area could have been used by developers to create some 15 residential living spaces, but being acquired by OCTA means this preserve will enhance existing outdoors destinations instead. At press time, docent-led hiking is not an option here.
Pacific Horizon Preserve
Located on over 150 acres in Laguna Beach, Pacific Horizon Preserve is near Moulton Meadows Park, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park. OCTA plans for this preserve include using it as an “open space” to preserve wildlife travel corridors in the area as well as to protect what OCTA describes as “sensitive species”.
Preservation work here is part of the Environmental Mitigation Program (EMP) which is meant to “offset” the environmental impact of California freeway projects.
Pacific Horizon Preserve is not just considered a replacement environment for plants and animals displaced by road development but also to consider future needs for such concerns. The Preserve is designed to help preserve “sensitive biological resources” in Orange County. Plants and animals protected here include, but may not be limited to:
- American Peregrine Falcon
- Orange-Throated Whiptail
- Tidewater Goby
- Southwestern Pond Turtle
- Northern Harrier
- Coastal California Gnatcatcher
- Foothill Mariposa Lily
- Catalina Mariposa Lily
- Many-stemmed Dudleya
Docent-led tours on foot or horseback may be offered at Pacific Horizon Preserve. For these tours, booking early is recommended as space is limited. You must register in advance, all riders and hikers must be age 12 or over, and horses are not provided. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Silverado Chaparral Preserve
Like the Pacific Horizon Preserve, Silverado Chaparral Preserve is meant to serve as open space, which protects “wildlife corridors” in the area used by deer, bobcats, coyotes, and many others. This preserve is surrounded by mostly wide-open space but some development has occurred nearby this 200-acre-plus preserve. It’s situated in the northern foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains in Silverado Canyon. At press time, docent-led tours are not available for this preserve, which protects many species including:
- Bobcat
- Coastal California Gnatcatcher
- Intermediate Mariposa Lily
- Many-Stemmed Dudleya
- Chaparral Nolina
- Coast Horned Lizard
- Orange-Throated Whiptail
- Mountain Lion
Bobcat Ridge Preserve
Some preserves aren’t as large as others. A good example is the smaller, but still vital Bobcat Ridge Preserve. It’s nearly 50 acres located northwest of Rancho Santa Margarita in Trabuco Canyon.
This preserve is located within the natural habitat of the endangered Coastal California Gnatcatcher which is on federal lists as a species “of concern”. Within this tract of land, there is a wildlife corridor animals use to migrate or travel from the Cleveland National Forest. Like other habitats on this list, mule deer, mountain lions, bobcats, and other animals use such corridors in their daily lives.
At press time there are no docent-led tours of this preserve. Animals and plants protected at Bobcat Ridge include:
- Coastal California Gnatcatcher
- Cactus Wren
- Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
- Least Bell’s Vireo
- Intermediate Mariposa Lily
- Many-Stemmed Dudleya
- Chaparral Nolina
- Coast Horned Lizard
- Orange-Throated Whiptail
- Mountain Lion
- Bobcat
Trabuco Rose Preserve
With nearly 400 acres northwest of Rancho Santa Margarita in Trabuco Canyon, this preserve is another in a series of acquisitions designed to promote open spaces for wildlife migration or travel. In addition to being an important location for connecting some of these open spaces, the preserve is also located within the natural habitat for the federally endangered Arroyo Toad as well as the coastal California Gnatcatcher.
This land, like the Live Oak Creek Preserve, is meant to help limit certain urban sprawl as well as protect endangered species. Trabuco Rose Preserve protects plants and animals including:
- Coastal California Gnatcatcher
- Cactus Wren
- Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
- Least Bell’s Vireo
- Intermediate Mariposa Lily
- Ocellated Humboldt Lily
- Chaparral Nolina
- Chaparral Rein Orchid
- Fish’s Milkwort
- Coulter’s Matilija Poppy
- Coast Horned Lizard
- Orange-Throated Whiptail
- Western Pond Turtle
Docent-led hikes and horseback riding are offered at this location. Age requirements may apply, adults may be required to sign liability waivers, and booking early is highly encouraged due to the popularity and limited space on the tours. Hikers must be at least eight years old.
Wren’s View Preserve
With more than 115 acres northwest of Rancho Santa Margarita in Trabuco Canyon, this preserve is another “connection” between open spaces in the foothills serving to protect local species and prevent more urban sprawl. Wren’s View helps connect wildlife to other parts of the county. This preserve gives wildlife better access to and from Cleveland National Forest. Plants and animals protected here include:
- Coastal California Gnatcatcher
- Cactus Wren
- Intermediate Mariposa Lily
- Many-Stemmed Dudleya
- Chaparral Nolina
- Coast Horned Lizard
- Orange-Throated Whiptail
- Mountain Lion
- Bobcat
Docent-led hikes are offered here. Wren’s View hikers must be aged 12 or over, and registering early is highly encouraged due to demand and limited spaces on the tour.
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