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, a network of protected open space lands significant enough to have earned state and federal designation as a Natural Landmark.
Hikers, cyclists and even leashed dogs are welcome on the 1.8-mile Quail Loop Trail with vista points offering sweeping views of Irvine and the San Gabriel and Santa Ana mountains.
Quail Hill’s grasslands, which include native and nonnative plants, feature a mosaic of annual grasses and forbs. The grasslands have turned green after the winter rain. Wildflowers, including lupines, owl’s clover, milkweed and poppy, add hues of purple and orange in the spring.
– Jenny Rigby, director of The Acorn Group, a design firm dedicated to interpreting natural history
birds to watch
Quail Hill attracts a variety of birds, from raptors seeking prey to the preserve’s namesake – the California quail.
