Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve

waterway winding through marshy meadows with low hills in the background

Overview

Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve is an estuary located on the 42-mile-long Orange County coastline in Southern California. Featuring specialized habitats unique to coastal wetlands, this land is rich in biodiversity and sustains varied shorebird and waterfowl populations. Visitors here may enjoy activities such as hiking, wildlife viewing, birdwatching, fishing, kayaking and nature education programs at the Back Bay Science Center.

  Wildlife Viewing

  Hiking Trails

  Nature Education

  Visitor Information

  Fishing

  Cellular Service

  Enhanced Accessibility

CDFW Lands Viewer(opens in new tab)
Printable Map (PDF)(opens in new tab)

This property overlaps and co-exists with Upper Newport Bay State Marine Conservation Area, which is administered separately from the Ecological Reserve.

South Coast Region (Region 5)

Orange County

600 Shellmaker Road, Newport Beach, CA 92660 (Approximately 19 miles south of Anaheim)

Hours: Open daily, sunrise to sunset. The Back Bay Science Center is open Sundays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and for special events and scheduled school groups.

Directions: From Newport Beach, take Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) to Jamboree Road. Travel eastbound on Jamboree Road, away from the coastline. At the first traffic light, turn left onto Back Bay Drive. Follow Back Bay Drive to the Ecological Reserve entry gate, where the road becomes Mountains to the Sea Trail and Bikeway (one-way only for motor vehicle traffic, special two-way lanes for bicycles and pedestrians).

To visit Back Bay Science Center, turn left at this entry gate onto Shellmaker Road from Back Bay Drive. To visit the rest of the Reserve, proceed on Mountains to the Sea Trail and Bikeway.

Ecological Reserve Contact:
Daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.: (949) 640-9961

Back Bay Science Center Contact: (949) 640-9959

South Coast Region Office: (858) 467-4201

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Notice: You may not operate a drone on any CDFW-managed land without a Special Use Permit (PDF)(opens in new tab).

Wildlife Branch - Lands Program
Mailing: P.O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244-2090