The irvine Co. Salt Works circa 1934 to 1950  in the backwater head of Newport Bay, is  now the Upper Newport Bay Estuary and habitat. Many trail signs to point out the ongoing  rehabilitaion but nothing that some rain won’t cure. The trail traverses high ground (dusty dry) or low path (marshy bog).

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The Upper Newport Bay is a tidal backwater preserve with bike and equestrian greenway. Starting from the OC airport in Irvine the cement and glass buildings give way to wildlife refuge past the UC Irvine North Campus. There is a fence to jump at the end of Campus Drive but it wasn’t much of a barrier. An access road joins the park. 6.2 miles