Irvine was drawn on paper in the 1960s — a 93,000-acre ranch turned into one of America's largest planned cities. But underneath the curved boulevards and identical cul-de-sacs sits a working ranch town, a 1,300-acre university, a decommissioned Marine air base turned park, and pockets of coastal sage scrub older than California itself. This hunt threads the seams.
Your route
Pinch to zoom. Tap a marker to see the stop name. The dashed line traces the suggested walking order.
Turn-by-turn stops
Each stop shows the walking distance and direction from the previous one, plus a tap-through to your phone's maps for step-by-step directions.
- 01
Old Town Irvine & Irvine Historical Museum
"Start at 5 San Joaquin, the cluster of brick warehouses and water tower at Sand Canyon and Burt Road. Find the museum inside the 1916 Irvine Ranch Hacienda. Read the year on the white wooden water tower."
33.6792, -117.7997Start walking here - 3.9 mi~84 min walkhead E from stop 102
Orange County Great Park Balloon
"Head to 6950 Marine Way, the south entrance of the Great Park. Find the tethered orange helium balloon. How high (in feet) does the sign say it lifts you?"
33.6770, -117.7314Walk from stop 1 - 6.7 mi~145 min walkhead WSW from stop 203
Aldrich Park, UC Irvine
"Drive to 311 Aldrich Hall and find the 21-acre circular park at the heart of campus. Walk the loop and count the redwoods near the center."
33.6461, -117.8427Walk from stop 2 - 1.0 mi~21 min walkhead NNE from stop 304
San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary
"From 5 Riparian View, walk past the Audubon House to the boardwalk over the ponds. How many viewing platforms can you count along the main loop?"
33.6592, -117.8369Walk from stop 3 - 3.7 mi~79 min walkhead ESE from stop 405
Bommer Canyon Trailhead
"Park at 6400 Shady Canyon Drive (the Cattle Camp lot). Find the old wooden chuckwagon-era stables. What's the name of the loop trail that begins here?"
33.6363, -117.7790Walk from stop 4 - 2.1 mi~46 min walkhead ENE from stop 506
Irvine Spectrum Center & Giant Wheel
"End at 670 Spectrum Center Drive. Find the 108-foot Ferris wheel at the center of the open-air mall. Count the gondolas before you ride."
33.6502, -117.7459Walk from stop 5