Hicks Canyon Park in Irvine | Hicks Canyon Trail

by Michele Whiteaker

Hicks Canyon Park in Irvine is located right on Culver between Portola Parkway and Irvine Blvd, but it’s hard to see the playground from the street.

Directions to Hicks Canyon Park in Irvine: This park is closer to Interstate 5 than the 405 (although you can use either to exit on Culver and drive towards the foothills away from the ocean). Take Culver Drive and turn onto Viewpark Avenue. There is a large parking lot that extends along the sports fields. The playground is nearer to the baseball diamonds and restroom building. (Park Address: 3864 Viewpark Avenue, Irvine) MAP TO HICKS CANYON COMMUNITY PARK IN IRVINE

Highlights:

When I asked what parents love about this park – the answer was that it’s not close to the main street and traffic. Parents also liked the jogging trail.

Good spot to meet and do a stroller walk with friends.

It has a spinner, monkey bars, horizontal climbing opportunities and also those sports-themed benches in the middle of the park with a soccer ball and baseball round concrete seating.

You can also see the baseball diamond and bases embedded into the recycled rubber surface of the playground.

There used to be mostly toddler sized play equipment, but now there is a good balance between the 5-12 year old playground and the 2-5 year old playground.

There are interactive game panels on the big kid structure with a word search, baseball fun facts, and a maze with the home plate as destination.

Little snack bar stand window goes along with the baseball theme. I love the details like the open and closed sign! I can see lots of pretend play happening here.

The 2-5 year old playground has a double slide, single slide, and toddler size climbing wall. It also has a concession window for pretend play.

I’ve never seen a park with so many benches! Easy to spot the kids while they are playing.

Only 2 bench swings (used to have 2 baby swings, but those were replaced with bench swings during the improvement process.

There is a very nice covered picnic area with LARGE charcoal grills.

Hicks Canyon Trail is the pedestrian and bike trail that connects to Peters Canyon Trail along the 261 Tollroad and dumps out onto Portola. It makes for a beautiful walk through a tunnel under Culver and along a path that runs under the eucalyptus trees. This is really the high point of this park and you can walk to Citrusglen Park behind the tennis courts.

Be Aware:

Playground is very near the parking lot, but they added a fence on the parking lot side to discourage kids from crossing the line.
There are some steep drops, so you’ll have to watch out for the little ones if they attempt the bigger equipment.
No baby swings, only bench swings.
Busy during games on the sports fields or diamonds.
A little loud from the traffic on Culver and the retail right nearby.

Checklist:

Free parking in a dedicated lot
Play surface: Recycled rubber
Restrooms are on the parking lot side of the snack bar building
Drinking fountain behind the playground
2 baseball diamonds
Sports fields
Official City of Irvine website for Hicks Park
Nearest public library: Irvine-Katie Wheeler Branch of Orange County Public Libraries