Map of bike paths / walking paths in the Irvine area

Recreational trails for walking, running and cycling in Irvine, California

The City of Irvine is located in Orange County, south of Los Angeles. The city is set back from the coastline, is northeast of Newport Beach, northwest of Mission Viejo and southeast of Santa Ana. The city has many large corporations, residential areas and is home to University of California Irvine.

There are many paved and unpaved recreational trails in the Irvine area for walking, running, cycling, getting to school and commuting to work. Some trails follow along river channels or travel through open spaces and past local parks.Many of these paths follow alongside major roadways.

San Diego Creek Trail

The San Diego Creek Trail is a paved trail that extends over 10 miles along the shores of San Diego Creek. The trail has few street crossings and is a good way to get to the University of California Irvine campus.

The west end of the San Diego Creek Trail is located in the City of Newport Beach on Jamboree Road, just north of University Drive. At this terminus, the San Diego Creek Trail connects to the Bayview Trail. In this section, the San Diego Creek Trail has a junction with the MacArthur Boulevard Trail. Heading east, the San Diego Creek Trail goes under the Corona Del Mar Freeway and follows alongside University Drive. This section skirts the north side of the university campus. There is a junction with University Trail to the west of the intersection of University Drive and Harvard Avenue.

San Diego Creek Trail then heads to the northeast alongside Harvard Avenue. Just north of where the San Diego Creek Trail goes under Interstate 405, there is a junction with Freeway Trail that heads off to the southeast. The San Diego Creek Trail continues north from this junction until it wraps around Bill Barber Community Park. At this point there is a junction with Peters Canyon Trail that heads off to the northeast. The San Diego Creek Trail heads off to the southeast from this junction.

The San Diego Creek Trail then travels by Mark Daily Athletic Field, Woodbridge High School, Mike Ward Community Park Woodbridge and Windrow Community Park. At Jeffrey Road there is jog in the trail to the southwest. The trail then continues along both sides of the creek. The trail goes past Valley Oak Park and crosses under Sand Canyon Avenue. East of the underpass for the Laguna Freeway, the trail crosses the creek and becomes a single trail again.

The San Diego Creek Trail continues to the south after crossing the San Diego Freeway, Interstate 405, ending at Research Drive. There is also an access path for the trail that travels over to Irvine Center Drive.

Peters Canyon Trail

Peters Canyon Trail extends from Bill Barber Community Park near Barranca Parkway to Peters Canyon Regional Park on Jamborree Road on the northeast side of the City of Irvine. The western portion of the trail is a 7.5-mile long paved pathway that follows the Peters Canyon Channel in a northeasterly direction through Irvine and has few street crossings. The east end of the trail system has natural surfaced trails in Peters Canyon Regional Park. Peters Canyon Trail is part of the Mountains to the Sea Trail system.

The southwest end of the trail starts at the junction with San Diego Creek Trail near Bill Barber Community Park. The trail then heads northeast with underpasses for the major intersections. At Bryan Avenue, the trail splits. The trail along the channel continues for another mile and a half. From this branch you can connect to Hicks Canyon Trail. The other branch jogs to the northwest to cross the roadway for the Eastern Transportation Corridor then heads over to follow alongside Jamboree Road turning at Portola Parkway, again at Tustin Ranch Road and then again at Pioneer Way.

After passing Cedar Grove Park, the trail heads north towards Peters Canyon Regional Park. In the park there are natural surfaced trails that take you trough the natural areas and past Peters Canyon Reservoir.

Hicks Canyon Trail

Hicks Canyon Trail is two parallel pathways, one paved and one unpaved, located in the residential area of the northeastern part of Irvine. The west end of the trail is at the junction with Peters Canyon Trail, a quarter of a mile northwest of the intersection of Central Park Avenue and Viewpark Avenue. In this area, the trail passes Hicks Canyon Elementary School and Hicks Canyon Community Park.

The southeast terminus of Hicks Canyon Trail is located on Portola Parkway, just north of the intersection with Jeffrey Road.

Turtle Rock Trail

Turtle Rock Trail is a windy 2.5-mile long paved trail located in the south end of Irvine between Interstate 405 and Highway 73. It wanders through the residential neighborhoods of the Turtle Rock community.

The north end of Turtle Rock Trail is in William R. Mason Regional Park at the junction with University Trail. This junction is 1/2 mile east of the intersection of Culver Drive and University Drive and very near University High School. Turtle Rock Trail heads south from this junction. After going under Turtle Rock Drive is goes past Turtle Rock Elementary School. The trail wanders south and goes through Ralph C. Bren Memorial Park. The trail ends at Turtle Rock Community Park on Shady Canyon Drive.

Walnut Trail

Walnut Trail is a 3-mile long paved trail located in the residential areas of Central Irvine. It extends from Harvard Avenue on the northwest end south to Sand Canyon Avenue.

University Trail

University Trail is a 2.5-mile long paved trail located near the campus of University of California Irvine on the southwest side of the city. The west end of University Trail is at the junction with San Diego Creek Trail near University Drive and Harvard Avenue. The trail wanders through William R. Mason Regional Park with an access path to University High School and a junction with Turtle Rock Trail. The eastern end of University Trail is at the Jeffrey Pedestrian Bridge that goes over Interstate 405 and connects to Freeway Trail.

Freeway Trail

Freeway Trail is a 2.5 mile long paved trail that follows along the north side of Interstate 405, the San Diego Freeway, through the heart of Irvine. The west end of the Freeway Trail is at the junction with San Diego Creek Trail north of its underpass for the freeway. The trail goes through Culverdale Wilderness Park. There is an access path off the Freeway Trail at Yale Avenue to get to the Yale Pedestrian Bridge that goes over the freeway to Rancho San Joaquin Elementary School and Yale Avenue also heads straight to the University of California Irvine campus.

The east end of Freeway Trail is at Sand Canyon Avenue.

Jeffery Open Space Trails

Jeffrey Open Space is located along Jeffery Road in the Cypress Village area in Northeast Irvine. There is a 2.5-mile long system of paved trails that wander through the open space and alongside Jeffrey Road. These trails connect to other trails of Cypress Village. The trails go through Cypress Community Park and pas Jeffrey Trail Middle School.

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Resources

Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the recreational trails for bike riding, walking and running in the Irvine area of Southern California.