All events specify a minimum age for participation.
- Eight (8) is the minimum age for most Reserve events.
- Some events require participants to be ages 12 & up.
- FAMILY events welcome children aged 6 & up.
- Refer to specific event listing for details.
- Be sure to review our age limit policy.
Pre-registration required for all programs.
- Contact us for large groups or to arrange a special group outing.
- Your registration enables us to contact you about program changes or cancellations. Please see our policy on Cancellations and Refunds.
- All visitors to The Reserve must present a signed release waiver upon entry to the property. Families may submit a single form, as long as all entrants are identified on the form. Waivers are also available at the event.
Lecture: Wildflowers from A to Z - (Almost) Everything You Want to Know about Local Native Wildflowers
After winter rains, The Reserve teems with an endless array of wildflowers. Join us as botanist Tony Bomkamp presents interesting facts (with photos) about many of the most picturesque wildflowers popping up along our hillsides and in our back country.
Ages: 8 and up
Please note: Participants must be registered by 4:00 pm on Thursday, March. 21.
| When: | March 21, 2019, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm |
|---|---|
| Where: | Guest House in Rancho Mission Viejo |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 22 (out of 50) |
Spring Wildflower Walk
Enjoy the springtime beauty of wildflowers out on The Reserve. Explore ridges and canyons looking for spring wildflowers with guest biologist Tony Bomkamp. You'll see some of the more common spring wildflowers and may discover some uncommon ones as well.
Interpretation Level: High
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 8 and up
Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Friday, March 22.
| When: | March 23, 2019, 9:00 am – 11:30 am |
|---|---|
| Where: | The Richard and Donna O'Neill Conservancy |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 0 |
Monday Trail Clearing and Weeding
Start off your week by working on maintaining Reserve land while enjoying a walk through nature. We will spend a couple of hours cleaning up the trails of The Reserve that traverse through oak woodlands and grasslands.
Drinks, snacks, gloves and tools are provided. We recommend bringing your own work gloves if you have them.
Interpretation Level: Low
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 10 and up
Please note: participants must be registered by 4:00 pm on Sunday, March 31.
| When: | April 1, 2019, 7:30 am – 9:30 am |
|---|---|
| Where: | The Richard and Donna O'Neill Conservancy |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 19 (out of 20) |
After School Community Service
Join our staff for monthly after school service hours at the beautiful Reserve Headquarters on the Ortega Highway, nestled between the San Juan Creek and foothills covered in oak woodlands. The service project site hosts school field trips, summer camps and other programs. Maintaining the space allows for a safer and more enjoyable experience for all of its visitors. Earn volunteer service hours while giving back to the community!
Drinks, snacks, gloves and tools are provided! We recommend bringing your own work gloves if you have them.
Interpretation Level: Low
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 10 and up
Please note: participants must be registered by 4:00 pm on Thursday, April 11.
| When: | April 12, 2019, 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm |
|---|---|
| Where: | The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo Headquarters |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 20 |
Butterfly Walk
Come explore with amateur butterfly enthusiast Gary Meredith and learn to identify butterflies – a relaxing and fun activity. How many species will we find during our walk through the ever-changing palette of habitats? Learn how to recognize our common butterflies. Find out about hill topping and territorial behavior as you hike the trails of The Reserve.
Interpretation Level: Medium
Difficulty Level: Easy-moderate
Ages: 10 and up
Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Friday April 12.
| When: | April 14, 2019, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Where: | The Richard and Donna O'Neill Conservancy |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 16 (out of 25) |
Lecture: The Wonderful Life of the Coast Live Oak Tree
Trees play important roles in our lives. Join us for an in depth look at Orange County’s Coast Live Oak tree. Examine the life of this intriguing tree. Oak woodlands have an impressive diversity of plants and animals that use them. Learn how oaks are important to the local wildlife – from deer, fox, bobcat, and birds…to mushrooms, lichen, butterflies and other insects. Get to know the challenges this tree and other oak species are facing from imported pests and how you can help protect these majestic trees.
Ages: 8 and up
Participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm, April 18.
| When: | April 18, 2019, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm |
|---|---|
| Where: | Guest House in Rancho Mission Viejo |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 39 (out of 50) |
Sunset Hike: Twilight in the Trees
Celebrate Arbor Day with a twilight hike through the oaks and sycamores of The Reserve. Trees provide essential habitat for wildlife. They produce oxygen for the air we breathe. They give us shade and a place for kids to play. Experience sunset among trees, enjoy their beauty and learn more about their significance.
Interpretation Level: Medium
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 8 and up
Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Thursday, April 25.
| When: | April 26, 2019, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Where: | The Richard and Donna O'Neill Conservancy |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 16 (out of 25) |
Astronomy Night
Orange County Stars
Visitors traveling to sparsely populated areas are usually delighted to discover how many more stars are visible than at home. Come out to The Reserve for Astronomy Night where you can still view many more celestial phenomena than elsewhere in urbanized Orange County!
Enjoy an evening outdoors, as you gaze into the heavens, learn the constellations, and peer through the telescopes of our volunteer astronomers. Reserve astronomers are all volunteers who enthusiastically share their telescopes and expert sky knowledge with you. (BRING: Warm clothing, Red cellophaned flashlight, binoculars, optional beach chair.)
Interpretation Level: High
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ages: 8 and up
Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Friday, May 3.
| When: | May 4, 2019, 8:15 pm – 10:15 pm |
|---|---|
| Where: | The Richard and Donna O'Neill Conservancy |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 24 (out of 30) |
Caspers Park Foundation Nature Talk
Reservations are not necessary for this event.
This nature-themed lecture is held in association with the monthly meeting of Caspers Park Foundation (CPF) volunteers.
Subject: Wildflower Walk
This event is presented by the Caspers Park Foundation. For information regarding this event, please contact the Caspers Park Foundation. For more info, email: CaspersParkFoundation@gmail.com or call 949-923-2210.
| When: | May 4, 2019, 10:00 am – 11:00 am |
|---|---|
| Where: | Caspers Wilderness Park |
| Information: | Available Spaces: Unlimited |
Monday Trail Clearing and Weeding
Start off your week by working on maintaining Reserve land while enjoying a walk through nature. We will spend a couple of hours cleaning up the trails of The Reserve that traverse through oak woodlands and grasslands.
Drinks, snacks, gloves and tools are provided. We recommend bringing your own work gloves if you have them.
Interpretation Level: Low
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 10 and up
Please note: participants must be registered by 4:00 pm on Sunday, May 5.
| When: | May 6, 2019, 7:30 am – 9:30 am |
|---|---|
| Where: | The Richard and Donna O'Neill Conservancy |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 20 |
Volunteer Orientation and Training
Please join us for Volunteer Orientation and Training!
This fun and informational orientation is the first step in joining us as an official Reserve Volunteer. Learn about The Reserve's history, philosophy and mission, as well as skills for working with the public. Meet other volunteers and learn how you can help preserve Reserve lands through conservation and education.
CERTIFIED RESERVE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM:
This training is the first step in becoming a Certified Reserve Volunteer. Certified Reserve Volunteers are specially trained volunteers that lead and co-lead Reserve programs.
Ages: 18 and up
| When: | May 8, 2019, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Where: | RMV Presentation Center |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 22 (out of 25) |
Lecture: Dangerous Snakes of Orange County
Join us as we learn all about dangerous snakes of Orange County: how to identify them, where they live, and what to do if you encounter one. Local herpetologist Steve Bledsoe, a member of the Southwestern Field Herping Associates, will give an informative presentation about these unique creatures.
Ages: 8 and up
Participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm, May 9.
| When: | May 9, 2019, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm |
|---|---|
| Where: | Guest House in Rancho Mission Viejo |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 47 (out of 50) |
Middle Ridge Hike
Celebrate spring on this 3.2 mile loop hike. This hike will traverse along Middle Ridge to Gato Road and provide some breathtaking views.
Interpretation Level: Low
Difficulty Level: Moderate with some strenuous hills
Ages: 8 and up
| When: | May 11, 2019, 8:00 am – 10:30 am |
|---|---|
| Where: | Cristianitos Trail (Talega) in San Clemente (The Richard and Donna O'Neill Conservancy) |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 23 (out of 25) |
Saturday Trail Clearing and Weeding
Volunteer to spend a few hours in beautiful surroundings helping make The Reserve trails accessible to our visitors. Join the crew dedicated to protecting our native ecosystems by maintaining trails and eliminating weeds. Volunteer efforts make an impact!
Drinks, snacks, gloves and tools are provided. We recommend bringing your own work gloves if you have them.
Interpretation Level: Low
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 10 and up
Please note: participants must be registered by 4:00 pm on Friday, May 10.
| When: | May 11, 2019, 8:00 am – 11:30 am |
|---|---|
| Where: | The Richard and Donna O'Neill Conservancy |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 20 |
Mother’s Day Walk to the Mother Oak
Celebrate Mother's Day in beautiful natural surroundings on a fun discovery walk on The Reserve. We will visit the Mother and Sister Oaks and celebrate the beauty of spring's revival in the great outdoors.
Interpretation Level: Medium
Difficulty Level: Easy-moderate
Trail length: 1 mile (round trip)
Ages: 6 and up
Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Friday, May 10 .
| When: | May 12, 2019, 8:00 am – 10:00 am |
|---|---|
| Where: | The Richard and Donna O'Neill Conservancy |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 25 |
Full Flower Moon Hike
Named The Flower Moon because of wildflowers blooming in this time of year, May’s full moon provides the perfect light for nighttime discovery on The Reserve. Join us for a moonlit adventure, exploring canyon trails bathed in moonlight.
Interpretation Level: Medium
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ages: 8 and up
Please note: participants must be registered or on the wait list by 4:00 pm on Friday, May 17.
| When: | May 18, 2019, 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm |
|---|---|
| Where: | The Richard and Donna O'Neill Conservancy |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 25 |
Summer Day Camp - Week One: Wild World
Summer Days on The Reserve is a day camp-style program for kids centered on fostering creativity while exploring and learning about nature.
This week's camp theme is Wild World! We will use and develop our observation skills as we learn about our Wild World and local wildlife. Campers will tap into their wild side while they play games, create crafts, learn outdoor skills, sing songs and enjoy adventures on the Reserve.
Dates: June 17 - June 21, 2019
Time: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm (drop off begins at 8:30am)
Ages: 6-11
For a discounted price on a week of camp, sign up for a yearly Family Level Supportership! Receive a discount on camp and attend most Reserve events for FREE throughout the year.
| When: | June 17, 2019, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Where: | The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo Headquarters |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 35 |
Summer Day Camp - Week Two: Survive the Wild
Summer Days on The Reserve is a day camp-style program for kids centered on fostering creativity while exploring and learning about nature.
This week's camp theme is Survive the Wild! Discover skills like shelter building, tracking, or even how to cook a great campfire meal. Campers will learn to survive the Wild while they play games, create crafts, learn outdoor skills, sing songs and enjoy adventures on the Reserve.
Dates: June 24 - June 28, 2019
Time: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm (drop off begins at 8:30am)
Ages: 6-11
For a discounted price on a week of camp, sign up for a yearly Family Level Supportership! Receive a discount on camp and attend most Reserve events for FREE throughout the year.
| When: | June 24, 2019, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Where: | The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo Headquarters |
| Information: | Available Spaces: 35 |