This is the best place along
the OC coast to exercise in an estuary teaming with wildlife, a true breath
of fresh air.
Distance: 2-3 miles Difficulty: Easy When to go: Year-round Location: Newport Beach Elevation Gain: 50 ft. Phone: UNBRP at (949) 640-1751 Dogs: Yes Directions: Park at Back Bay Drive and San Joaquin Hills Road off of
Jamboree Blvd. Some parking is also available on University Drive near
Irvine Avenue.
Trail Information
Remarks: The air here is especially high in oxygen and a little
breeze is always moving. This hike is also highly recommended for seeing
thousands of birds making their way along the Pacific migration flyway.
Similarly, people stop here as an "ecotourism" destination from all over the
county and around the world. It's approximately 1,000 acres of the most
endangered ecosystem in the state — coastal wetlands. Considered a "critical
estuary" habitat, it is one of the most pristine estuaries in Southern
California.
A Model of Cooperation
The appeal of the bay is due in part to the exceptional cooperation among
many parties, including agencies of the city, county and state, as well as
private groups. A strong legion of volunteers is responsible for many
successful interpretive programs. These include bird watching, nature walks,
canoe tours, kayak tours, campfire programs, and many special events (Earth
Day, Free Fish Day, Coastal Cleanup Day, etc.).
About one mile of paved trail along Irvine Avenue is in excellent condition
and leads down University Avenue, over a bridge along the edge of the marsh
to Jamboree Road. You can then take Jamboree towards the beach to Eastbluff
Drive. A right at Eastbluff quickly leads to a right on Back Bay Drive.
Walk It, Bike It, Kayak It or Jog It
Back Bay Drive leads along the entire length of the bay's east shore,
offering access to a mile or two of dirt paths through lush surroundings.
Lots of people enjoy many forms of exercise in this area, from fast walking
and jogging to bike riding, kayaking, canoeing and swimming. Jogging around
the bay is very popular.
Historically, about 2,000 years ago the Gabrielino Indians subsisted here on
the fish and plants of the bay. It then became grazing pastures for cattle
and sheep until 1864, when James Irvine and his partners acquired the bay.
Dredging of shell material as a chicken feed supplement began and
modernization tried to profit from the land (under water).
"Leave Our Bay Alone"
Preservation efforts began in the 1960s when an investor proposed a
water-skiing area. He quickly learned that people wanted it left alone, and
environmentalism was born. Ten years of lawsuits ended in 1975 with the
undeveloped portions of Upper Newport Bay becoming a 752-acre ecological
reserve under the jurisdiction of State Fish and Game. In 1989, the county
accepted the 140 acres that now make up Upper Newport Bay Regional Park.
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If
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