It’s taken 39 years to re-enter the once, open-seven-days-a-week Saddleback Park Motor Playground. Saddleback Park has been closed since 1984 but today, April 7, 2023, America’s 1st Motor Playground will reopen as Saddleback Wilderness.
The new name redefines the use of the famous hilly terrain once dominated by motorcycles and off-road vehicles above Irvine Lake into a new Orange County hiking, mountain biking and equestrian area. This parcel of Irvine Company land was donated to the OC Parks as part of a wider Irvine Ranch Open Space Preserve that spans from Laguna Coast Wilderness Park northward to Coal Canyon Reserve south of the the 91 Riverside Freeway, near the 241 Toll Road connection.
Saddleback Wilderness is a free but restricted wilderness area with access granted by OCParks.com on specific dates during the year. Go to http://www.letsgooutside.org to register for trail access and you can view all the various events scheduled for the new Saddleback Wilderness area.
SAME PARK, DIFFERENT USE
The entrance gate and parking for the new Saddleback Wilderness is located on the same access road off of Santiago Canyon Road. Old motorcycle fans will remember lining up to the ticket booth once again on the entry road yet this time you make your way to the two level parking area. The new Wilderness staging includes picnic tables, portable bathrooms, and trail access.
You’ll soon realize you are within the same motor playground with the familiar long start hill as a dominate backdrop to the parking area. And just like the old racing days, your hike or mountain bike journey begins at the Start Hill Trail or up along side the start hill on the Upland Road. Along the Start Hill Trail hike features of the famous motocross track layout begin to take shape as you realize you’re standing along side Webco Hill Sweeper and on the left is where the finish line turn with the scoring booth was located. You’re right in the middle of Saddleback Park’s main motocross track!
Off in the distance you can clearly see the Ledges hillside where Suicide Mountain ran up and down by the telephone pole that’s still there. Further to the right of the hillside, the Magoo Double Jump section is buried in heavy brush. The trail cuts back and forth to reveil one of the best artifacts of the old motor playground. Framed by a rope fence, the metal starting gate from the 2nd motocross track is still intact on its concrete base. The rusted tubular forward falling starting gate is one of the best landmarks in the new Saddleback Wilderness for any racing fan.
Over 3 miles of trails, this is a wonderful mixture of hiking and biking environments for everyone to enjoy. The wider roads give the park greater access for casual hikers/bikers while the three smaller trails provide more challenging conditions.
Congratulations, and a Big Thank You to everyone in the OCParks, City of Orange and Irvine Open Space Preserve in creating an opportunity for the historic Saddleback Park to reopen and be enjoyed for future generations.
IN THE NEWS
OC Register article – Saddleback Wilderness
LA Times article of the Saddleback Wilderness debut
Photography by Tim Marks Photography.com All rights reserved.
Saddleback Park 