For more than a century, Irvine Ranch cowboys were the only ones to roam scenic Limestone Canyon, one of the wildest lands remaining in Orange County. Now, hikers can experience what is now known as Limestone Canyon Reserve by taking a guided hike.

Limestone Canyon, located in southeastern Orange County, borders Cleveland National Forest and Whiting Wilderness Park. The 5,000-acre reserve encompasses coastal sage scrub, chaparral and grassland communities, as well as oak and sycamore woodlands and even fern-surrounded dripping springs.

Limestone Canyon’s name came from the cement-making operation of early Santiago Canyon settler Samuel Shrewsbury. Limestone rock was melted, hammered into a powder, then mixed with sand and used as mortar.