Lower Peters Canyon Community Park

Rate this place

Parks

California

Nearby: Racquet Club Park Brywood Park

Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Lower Peters Canyon Community Park is located in the city of Irvine, California.

°F

mph

Wind

%

Humidity

Summary

It is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, and bird watchers. The park is spread over 354 acres and boasts a variety of landscapes, including rolling hills, meadows, and a freshwater marsh.

Visitors to the park can enjoy a range of activities, including hiking, biking, picnicking, and bird watching. The park's trails are well-marked and range in difficulty from easy to moderate. The Lower Peters Canyon Trail is a popular hiking trail that meanders through the park's scenic hillsides and offers stunning views of the surrounding area.

The park is also home to a variety of wildlife, including deer, coyotes, and a variety of bird species. Bird watchers flock to the park to see rare species like the California gnatcatcher, the Bell's vireo, and the cactus wren.

Interesting facts about the area include its history as a Native American hunting ground and its use as a cattle ranch in the early 1900s. The park was established in 1992 and has since become a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

The best time of year to visit Lower Peters Canyon Community Park is in the spring when the wildflowers are in bloom, and the weather is mild. The park is open daily from dawn to dusk, and admission is free.

Weather Forecast

Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.

Related References