When Caitlin LeVasseur was training for her first marathon, she and her father, Chris, would run together on the Jeffrey Open Space Trail, using it as a springboard to connect to Irvine’s network of paths and trails.
“They would come back from their runs excited to share about the areas of Irvine they explored, and how so many trails and parks are connected,” recalls Michelle LeVasseur, Caitlin’s mother.
Enjoying the Jeffrey Open Space Trail is a family tradition for the LeVasseurs. Michelle remembers going to its grand opening with her husband and daughters. While growing up, Caitlin and her sister, Cara, now in their 20s, would use the trail as a safe way to ride bikes to friends’ houses in their Northwood neighborhood.
“We love the bridges and tunnels that connect the villages together, all while allowing us to avoid car traffic,” Michelle says. “We use it to walk and run, and we especially like the water stations and bathroom access.”
There soon will be more of the trail to love. When it opens in summer 2026, the Jeffrey Open Space Trail bicycle and pedestrian bridge will span nearly 1,200 feet as it crosses I-5, connecting 3.5 miles of the existing trail to 1.5 miles more being added south of the freeway. While the bridge is the most visible addition, it’s not the only improvement to Irvine’s renowned system of trails.
A new 12-foot-wide extension of the Hicks Canyon Trail opened recently, adding a tunnel under Portola at the north end of the trail. Once the segment of the Jeffrey Open Space Trail north of Portola is complete, the Hicks Canyon Trail will connect to it via a tunnel under Jeffrey.
“We are truly excited about the overpass and the connection to Hicks Canyon,” Michelle says. “These additions will create seamless connections to different trails and parks in the city. We can’t wait for the extension to be complete.”
