Beautiful place in the middle of city with lot of trails. Good for birding. Ample parking available when you enter from campus drive side.

Parking is terrible. There are only 10 or so spaces available. And 3 were taken up by facilities own vehicles. Center is great. I would recommend for older children only because there are not that many exhibits. On older child can spend more time at each exhibit reading the plaque and learning about each animal, especially since the animals are so up close. Whereas a younger child would look for 2 seconds and then move onto the next animal. If you do that you finish the whole place in about 15 min.

My husband and were all excited to visit the Wildlifesanctuary. Unfortunately we did not get any further than a little past the entrance.It was in the midst of the day around 2:15 pm on Thursday Jan 2, 2020.We noticed that there were not many cars and only men. The men in front of us, kept on looking behind and gave us a strange look. When we saw a man without his shirt and socializing with another man, we got the vibe and left. We did not mean to intrude... Maybe we were at the right place at the wrong time...

Ive been visiting this marsh since before it was converted to a managed destination. Each time I go I encounter birds I havent seen before. My only wish is that the growth of plants could be thinned out and more visibility of the ponds and more seating could be arranged by the management.

Way bigger than you think. 2 entrances on the michelson side and 1 on the campus side. Great for birding! Great for long walks! Sneakers are fine, good for families too. Lots of Pokestops for anyone who plays.

Great place to witness nature first-hand. There is an incredibly diverse collection of birds that love to hang out here. The place is run by the Irvine Ranch Water District, which services a series of reservoirs on the property. Fairly wide dirt walking trails skirt each lake.There is a medium-sized parking lot, turn left at stop sign, then a quick left down a slight hill into the parking lot, by the buildings and restrooms. Overflow parking lot, youd veer right after stop sign, down a paved road, that feeds into a super big gravel parking area, next to a lower level reservoir. Further away from the parking areas, off of 2 smaller reservoirs, you can find 2 osprey nesting platforms, way up high in the sky.The flowering plants near the Audubon Society House and the Duck Club House behind it, usually have hummingbirds or butterflies flitting about that you can photograph, if youre lucky.The restrooms on site are clean, which is quite nice. So many bird species here, its ridiculous. I photographed my first Vermillion Flycatcher here, as well as my first Cedar Waxwing. I also saw and photographed my first Northern Harrier here. They are fairly large, slender-winged birds of prey, with checkered wings, white patch on their rump and an owl like face. Very cool looking!Ive never seen raccoons here, but people Ive talked with on the trail have seen some, in the early morning hours. Great place to get back to nature!You can find Lorquins Admiral butterflies here. They are oh so pretty, with orange, white & black color patterns decorated on them. Hot summer months youll find many different colored dragonflies zipping about.*UPDATE* Droves of Cedar Waxwings are flying about IRWD Riparian Area today, 11/30/20. They are eating ripe red berriesfrom the bushes beside the trail. I also spotted a Northern Harrier today, though theyre tough to photograph, flying low over the pond edges. I saw a Vermillion Flycatcher as well today. Good Winter birding now!

Getting here can be a bit confusing but this is one of Irvines secret beauties to be sure. There is lots of space to walk or sit and admire the wildlife & scenery.

I truly love this place! There is nobody ever there walking around, the paths are 10 feet wide and clean. There are some bugs and spiders so your need to be aware of your surroundings but there are no snakes or scary animals! Sometimes it smells but you know why!!

What a beautiful place to visit. So much nature to see and appreciate. The walk around the ponds are peaceful and its nice to see all the birds and butterflies.

Awesome nature walk and birding. Right in the middle of OC

A great place to walk, enjoy nature and take photos. Very friendly staff. Make sure to use the restrooms before heading out. This is a spot you can visit many times and have a new either each time.

Wow what can I say about these trails, got to the location it looked already nice going in and had to go to overflow parking where I was expecting to pay for parking as this parking spot was so natural and beautiful with lake in front of parking lots full of all kinds of ducks, swans, birds and other exotic birds, once parked we got out and start taking pictures from outside the car the view just from the parking lot was already nice, I could imagine going to the trails, well once we were on the trail entrance it didnt look so into nature fue to the cabin office structures and paved road, but once we walked about 100 feet the whole feeling turned into adventure into nature, and to make this post long story short I think an image can tell more than a thousand words! So check them out and see for yourself!

Great place to go Birding. Goog clean bathrooms

A nice area to unwind and bike. Plenty of beautiful birds. If you need a break from the office life go here.

This place is a hidden gem. Lots of interesting water birds to see, ample parking, and a good picnic area. Its open dawn to dusk every day. There is a grill but its only available to people who have reserved the nearby Duck Club meeting room (which is free to IRWD customers and nonprofits).The trails have long stretches without much scenery so small children might get bored on the longer trails, but there are plenty of bird boxes and observation points where you can look out over the water.Check before you go what kinds of birds might be there at the time of year and what times of day theyre around, because if you go at the wrong time there might not be very much to see.

Wonderful place. Serenity in the middle of city. Great place to watch the birds and go for a walk. Partial shade in parts of the trail.

Wonderful marshland. Made some good images of Avocets and Pelicans.

Ive spent many hrs walking around this place. What a peaceful and beautiful location. Bring your cameras, binoculars, or even your phone camera will work. This is one of my go to places to watch birds.

Its beautiful here! I love it! So peaceful. I took a tour here and it was wonderful learning about all the different kind of birds that visit the marsh.

Beautiful and great place to take bird photos

This was a nice family experience. Easy going. Lots of ponds and wildlife to see. My son loved it.

Great hide away in the middle of Irvine to walk or run at. The maze of trails making running long distance fun.

Next to an airport, business district, University, and high rise apartment buildings, this wildlife refuge is a sanctuary for both birds and people. I always leave feeling a bit less burdened by the daily grind.

This is wetlands preserved for wildlife, specifically birds. Great place to get some exercise and photograph birds. There are lots of paths and benches, and it smells wonderfully outdoorsy. There is not a lot of shade, so wear a hat and bring water with you in the hotter months.

Heaven for birders! I just found this place a few months ago and try to get here about once a week. There are a huge number of different birds here and its a very calm, Uncrowded setting, even though its right in the middle of Irvine. I love watching the osprey, all the different herons, the avocets, stilts, the white Pelicans, the skimmers, and swallows, just to name a few. My list of birds sighted grows each time, so far Ive seen about 75 types of birds and I know there are many more. I love it here!

Amazing experience.!!!Great place with awesome wildlife and good for family hikes and beautiful views of nature,lake,wildlife,birds and many more .!!!!!!

Great birding here. Beautiful trails along marshland. It’s accessible to all fitness levels.

One of the most favorite place for scenic walk and photography with wildlife and wildflowers

Free parking. Clean restroom. Great place for birding. Lots of photographers. Can be peaceful, wild, and beautiful.

A nice place to walk and enjoy many species of birds. Don’t bring your dog though.

Great place to see marsh birds

Beyond lovely place.

A beautiful nature area to experience and walk around in. Plenty of flat trails, walkers of all capabilities should be fine here. Excellent birdwatching opportunities, there are guided tours through the Sea and Sage Audobon group there. Parking is easy and plentiful on site. Overall, its a super accessible nature spot not too far from the Irvine area.

Lots of walking trails and very serene! You must enter off of campus Dr though. Google will send you from Michelson where the signs say to go but the water district has put up gates so no public access from this way.

Beautiful place

There for business. But very nice area within a built up region. Friendly staff to tell about Eco program.

Wonderfull place to watch birds.

Bring your mosquitoe repellent

Great place. Bummer swimming not allowed

Love this gem!

Great quiet sanctuary for local and migrating birds in the heart of central Irvine and across from the UCI Campus. Awesome trails with plenty of water in the reservoir lakes, hence making the hike both interesting and beautiful. #letsguide

Always enjoy to walk and see nature great place.

Great place to bird watch and hike. Its 100% flat, so easy to get around. Restrooms are clean and the thry have tours once a month.

Beatiful, well maintained. Great place for the family

We loved going birding here. We had a two year old and a 6 month old with us and we brought our stroller. Everything was easy to access with the stroller and you dont have to walk far if you dont want to. You can park and just walk to the close ponds. We ended up walking a couple of miles to go to some of the back ponds, but we didnt see a whole lot more/different birds than what we saw in the ponds close to the parking lot.

Wetlands and some birds here.

What a wondrous place. The first pond to the right was filled with wildlife. A short walk gave us shots of several hummingbirds, two black crowned night herons and again, several species of waterfowl. We will return soon.

Great wildlife refuge and good opportunity for photos.

I bet you didnt know that there was one of the best Wildlife refuges located here in Southern California. In the heart of the beach area of Southern California we have an incredible Wildlife Sanctuary that is home to many species of birds that I didnt know existed. Its amazing to see the birds that are using the area, and the other wildlife that make use of this sanctuary.

Absolutely beautiful. The monthly nature walks are a great resource for the public!

Very nice place, well maintained and lot of species

Beautiful space and can be very educational as well. Entrance is free, and they offer free tours. Because it is a wildlife sanctuary, sadly, dogs are not allowed.

Amazing park, Ive seen so many animals Love itSpent like 2h

Great to take a walk here. It’s like taking a walk in nature even if it’s in the middle of the city. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars to watch the birds.

This place is an absolute hidden gem. An oasis of wildlife nestled smack dab in the middle of the city. Brought the kids one day and it was too hot to stay for long but they loved it. Went back today and had a lovely, peaceful walk. You can checkout binoculars from the Irvine Ranch Marsh House and the lady that was there was very knowledgeable and eager to share her knowledge. Will definitely be back. Soon.

Beautiful and peaceful place in the middle of Orange County. Saw many species of birds and native plants. The Audubon House has lots of good information and displays.

A beautiful bird reserve with plenty of walking trails and several ponds for bird watching. Lots of parking and access to facilities for picnicking.

Great place to see and take nature photographs. There is a huge variety all thru the year. Blue gray Gnatcatcher.

Drove by here everyday traveling on University Drive and did not realize this great place.There are ample parking spaces at the Sea and Sage Audubon House.One can hike many miles around different ponds, observe wild life habitat, and migrating birds. It is great place for bird watching and photography.Will visit again.

Great place for birding and walking.

Quiet, peaceful, the grounds are well kept, the scenery is nice, theres all different types of birds, insects, some mammals, there is a book store on the premises and the lady who works there (Ive been there doses of time, shes the only one I have seen working) is extremely nice, and knowledgeable, I enjoy coming here. So if you enjoy walking, jogging, running, in a nature setting on well managed dirt paths this could be a place you would enjoy. There is seating through out where you can take in the scenery or rest. (simple benches) parking is free

This is a wonderful place! I love it! I like taking pictures for animals, especially for birds. There are a lot of beautiful birds around here. I spent 1.5 hours here and shot some very good pictures. Im sure that Ill come back again soon!

Great walking paths. Took the kids, and they had a great time bird watching.

Good place to walk near a big city!

Beautiful, peaceful, lots of birds, easily visible

Beautiful and so serene here... Love it

Lots of mosquitos! So many mosquitos my wife and I went back to our car and left.

Serene and naturally beautiful. White pelicans shouldnt be missed.

Good for walking and biking to enjoy the nature.

Nice place to get away and visit nature

Like feeling safe and watching wildlife? Check this place out!

Definitely worth a visit, as the facilities, and the scenery, are well worth seeing - and, lets not forget, this place offers some wonderful opportunities for serious birding! Its not easy to find, especially if youre from out of town, like we were, and the Audubon people who answer the phone when you call for directions might neglect to mention that whilst the entrance to Riparian View is to be found off the Intersection of Campus and University, if youre coming from the direction of Jamboree Road, then you wont be able to access Riparian View directly. Youll have to go past the Intersection, continue along Campus until you can make a U-Turn (which isnt too far), and then travel back in the opposite direction. Go through the Intersection of Campus and University, and then look for a dedicated right turn into Riparian View. Its very badly signposted, and the person we spoke to when we called the place again, after failing to find it on the first attempt, told us in a matter of fact tone of voice that she couldnt find it when she first went there! That might be something for her to bear in mind when she next gives directions to callers like us. Youll meet a lot of people in this place, many of them seasoned birders, and theyll range from the usual snooty Audubon types, who literally wont give you the time of day (one man ignored my wife when she asked him if hed found anything good), to the more down-to-earth friendly people who are very happy to share their experiences. You can usually spot the snooty ones, theyre the men and women shouldering expensive tripods, with costly spotting scopes, or top-of-the-line Canon or Nikon cameras and long lenses mounted on them. Theyll look at you as if you dont belong on the same planet, let alone in that particular place, and they wouldnt tell you what theyd seen if their lives depended on it. Avoid them, and seek out the more friendly and accessible-looking types who are sitting on the benches with their binoculars, and more modest cameras, at the ready. Theyll be happy to tell you what theyve seen, and that will make the visit truly worthwhile.

Vast amount of different birds in natural habitats. Great for photographers and watchers.

This is such an awesome and peaceful place - especially for bird watchers! In my short visit I saw pelicans, wood ducks, mallards, heron, geese, grebe, American coot, cormorant, vultures, hummingbirds, northern shovelers and many more! It was so amazing!!

Came here on a date. We literally got lost in nature and for a second felt like we werent in the city. Loved it

Unusual place that I didnt know existed until recently. No shade (FYI).

Saw a Vermillion flycatcher

Not shady at all. A fine walk but nothing much to see. Bird watchers might find it more interesting.

Thousands of birds and miles of trails with native plants

Good variety of birds, free and wild, a walk into the Nature environment in the middle of the City, just a 3 Miles from John Wayne Airport, you can hardly believe. Friendly volunteers, guide you with free maps and advice. Nice opportunity to expose the Children to nature, FREE parking and FREE admission

Beautiful! Multiple different flat wide trails. Great for my kids to explore!

IRVINE CALIFORNIA ... A NATURAL PRESERVE ... GREAT WAY TO WALK ... LOOK AND LEARN ... HUMAN AND SPIECES HABITATS ... NATURE INTERACTIONS

This is such a beautiful place with some of the nicest people visiting

Not my kind of place and I love the outdoors. No shade, smelly water

A perfect place to spend time admiring nature within minutes of my home.

Safe with Armed security. .lots thing to look at Crawfish walking along shore, sounds of Frogs, huge flock of Geese flew all i formation they were know more than 10 ft above ..its a place to bring A Good Cameras, your the lenes Will be to to use here lake full of Golden Carp ..Awesome place ..

Very clean, very peaceful and relaxing. Great place.to watch the birds

This is my happy place!

Great place to bring the kids.

Good views of birds today!

Gorgeous place for a walk, a hike, or a run. Tons of native birds to be seen.

Beautiful place; great birding hotspot. Monthly guided nature walks

Nice bird watching....too man made and organized for me

Interquartile

Great birding experience awaits at the spot. Trails offer great views of the birds.

Cool place for a walk

Quiet, peaceful, the grounds are well kept, the scenery is nice, theres all different types of birds, insects, some mammals, there is a book store on the premises and the lady who works there (Ive been there doses of time, shes the only one I have seen working) is extremely nice, and knowledgeable, I enjoy coming here. So if you...

Visited April 6 2019. Lots of wildflowers and wildlife.

Great place to be in contact with nature

Peaceful, lots of water birds.