As fall draws to a close, the days grow shorter and the temperature brisker – and, with Thanksgiving approaching, thoughts inevitably turn to holiday cards, newsletters and the need for fresh family photos. Taking the images shouldn’t feel like a chore – so here’s a way to make it fun.
Instead of the typical group photo at home, consider an outdoor setting that showcases our nearby wilderness areas and open spaces, one of the wonderful advantages of living in Irvine. The added benefit? You and your family enjoy togetherness on a healthy adventure, perhaps exploring a new area. Maybe take a picnic lunch.
Here are some suggestions for great backdrops for your holiday cards and photo gifts. Before you head out, I recommend visiting relevant websites – ocparks.com and letsgooutside.org – to check out conditions, hours and accessibility. Be sure to stay on marked trails.
Turtle Rock Trail
While the view from the top of Turtle Rock Trail is stunning at any time of day, with Pacific Ocean views to the west and mountains to the north, consider planning a late afternoon hike up this short but uphill 1.7-mile trail. Take advantage of what professional photographers call “the golden hour,” when the light is infused with red and gold tones. As the day ends, with luck you’ll catch a gorgeous fruit-salad sunset, as the dipping sun paints the clouds mango, peach and plum colors, a perfect backdrop for your shots.
Farm + Food Lab
The Farm + Food Lab, in the center of Great Park, is an ideal spot to take quick photos of young kids while also educating them about urban gardening. Choose to pose the family in the Butterfly Garden, Pizza and Spaghetti Garden or near the chicken coop, whose free-ranging occupants will fascinate toddlers. (Harvested food is donated to local food pantries.) The trip might even inspire you and your kids to volunteer here.
Peters Canyon
The quarter-mile Creek Trail in Peters Canyon provides a tranquil setting alongside a trickling stream crossed by several wooden footbridges. Graceful willow trees make for a great background to groupings on benches and tree stumps that provide resting places for the weary. Continuing along Peters Canyon Trail, you’ll arrive at a viewpoint looking down at the 50-acre lake, originally a reservoir to meet the water needs of The Irvine Ranch, now nurturing wildlife along its shores.
Barbara’s Lake
Barbara’s Lake, Orange County’s only natural lake, is another great spot to take little ones. Park at Nix Nature Center and follow the trail to the lake. As you turn left toward the lake, you’ll pass a stand of toyon shrubs, which, at this time of year, burst with red berries reminiscent of holly – an ideal background for holiday photos. The lake itself often teems with ducks and coots, sometimes pelicans. Back at the Nix Nature Center, Mary’s Trail is lined with posters about local plants and animals. You might be lucky enough to spot a mule deer and quite likely a bunny or two.
Limestone Canyon/Dripping Springs
Limestone Canyon offers a number of great settings for photographs. Plan to visit on Open Access Days or sign up for a guided hike with a docent. Consider hiking to Dripping Cave, where water seeps down ferns, tangled vines and black rock, offering an almost tropical ambiance to your photos. Expert hikers might like to take the trail to The Sinks, where stunning rock formations are reminiscent of the geology of the Grand Canyon. Many Limestone trails offer great camera angles, from rolling green hills after the rains to groves of coastal oaks that offer shady respites on warm winter days.
Red Rock Wilderness
Newly opened Red Rock Wilderness provides a stunning, almost scarlet setting, as the sun’s rays burnish the 20- to 40-million-year-old red rock cliffs within the park. Eight miles of trails provide numerous opportunities to capture photos of your family’s adventures hiking amid the beauty, enjoying sensational views of the Santa Ana Mountains. Head to a scenic overlook with 360-degree views of the surrounding hills and take a panoramic shot. Sign up for a docent-led hike or take advantage of the Open Access Days to explore the area.
Many wild options
Irvine is rich in parks and open space, so there are plenty of opportunities for great images all over.
Some other trails include: Quail Loop, for scenic shots of Irvine and Saddleback; San Joaquin Marsh, for ponds and birds; Pacific Ridge, Bommer Canyon and Serrano Ridge for ocean views.
Parks also offer great settings, several with playgrounds and barbecue grills: Jeffrey Open Space Trail, William R. Mason Regional Park and the Upper Bee and Bosque area in Great Park. Happy holidays!
