Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve
Newport Beach, Orange County, CA
About Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve
Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve represent approximately 1,000 acres of open space. Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve surrounds the Ecological Reserve. The park includes the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center. Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve totals approximately 135 acres. The Nature Preserve is made up of the bluffs surrounding the Bay.
Know before you go
Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve covers 132 acres in Newport Beach, Orange County. 1 named trail add up to about 1.9 miles inside the park; the longest is Back Bay Loop at 1.9 miles, and Back Bay Loop has the most up and down (about 108 feet). Mapped trails range from 30 to 77 feet in elevation. OpenStreetMap shows 1 parking area and 1 drinking fountain. The closest mapped bus stop is Irvine-University, about 160 feet from the park.
Facilities
- Drinking Water
- Playground
Facility details: OpenStreetMap
Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve at a glance
- PParking · 1
- WDrinking water · 1
- Named trails · 1
© OpenStreetMap · CPAD · About this map
Trails
| Trail | Mapped length | Elevation | Surface & uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back Bay Loop | 1.9 mi | 108 ft up & down30–77 ft | PavedBikes |
Getting to Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve by bus
- Irvine-University · 160 ft from the park
- Irvine-Mesa · 1200 ft from the park
Stops within a quarter mile of Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve; confirm times with the transit agency.
Compared with nearby parks
Among the 5 other parks in this guide within 10 miles, Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve is number 5 of 6 by size at 132 acres. 3 nearby parks have more mapped trail mileage than its 1.9 miles.
Closest places for what Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve doesn't list:
- Splash Pad: Mile Square Regional Park (6.3 mi)
- Tennis Courts: Laguna Coast Wilderness Park (7.4 mi)
Rules & reservations
Official park page- Muth Interpretive Center
Open Tuesday–Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Mondays and major holidays. Source
Map & directions
2301 University Drive, Newport Beach, CA
Nearby parks
Straight-line distanceContinue exploring
Orange County parks PlaygroundsSources & verification
Last verified: Oct 16, 2026- California Protected Areas Database (CPAD) 2026aname, county, agency, access, acres
- OC Parks park pageofficial_url, dogs, address
- OpenStreetMap facilities and trailsfacilities.drinking-water, facilities.playground, trails
- U.S. Census Bureau place boundariescity
- OpenStreetMap: parking, restrooms, water, trailheads, trail lines, and bus stopsvisit
- Terrain Tiles elevation (USGS 3DEP), sampled every 20 m along OpenStreetMap trail linestrails.elevation
- Official park page (introduction excerpt)intro