• Only trail in California designated a National Recreation Trail this year

• First Orange County trail to receive prestigious honor in three decades

The 22-mile Mountains to Sea Trail on the Irvine Ranch Land Reserve has been designated a "National Recreation Trail" by the National Park Service Rivers and Trails Assistance Program. The trail was the only California trail nominated this year for the designation, one of 38 trails from 23 states. The Mountains to Sea Trail is the first Orange County trail in 30 years to receive the designation. The Santa Ana River Trail was named a National Recreation Trail in 1976.

Anne Dove, Regional Coordinator of the National Park Service’s Rivers and Trails Program, presented the Irvine Ranch Land Reserve Trust and officials representing the six jurisdictions along the trail with special "National Recreation Trail" signs to post along the Mountains to Sea Trail today at Peters Canyon Regional Park in Orange.

"The Mountains to Sea Trail illustrates how locally-led partnerships can produce tangible outcomes. This trail not only provides close-to-home recreation, but functions as a conduit for connecting communities to a network of parks and open spaces. Now, the trail also represents a wonderful addition to the National Trails System as one of the newest National Recreation Trails," said Dove.

Michael O'Connell, executive director for the Irvine Ranch Land Reserve Trust, was elated with the designation. "This is an outstanding honor for the trail. It is the crowning achievement for all the partners and jurisdictions who have worked so hard to make the trail a reality." said O'Connell. "The Mountains to Sea trail is a treasure that connects us to the outdoors. Hundreds of people explore this trail daily - some even commute to work on it. With this designation, we hope more people will discover this special route themselves."

The Mountains to Sea Trail is a regional multi-use trail that stretches more than 22 miles from one end of The Irvine Ranch to the other. The product of years of cooperative planning and implementation among multiple jurisdictions, the "Mountains to Sea Trail" connects the rugged Anaheim Hills above Irvine Regional Park with the Back Bay of Newport Beach. It passes through the sphere of Anaheim, and the cities of Orange, Tustin, Irvine and Newport Beach, as well as the County of Orange.

Completion of the 22-mile Mountains to Sea Trail was celebrated in spring of 2005. Donald Bren, chairman of The Irvine Company, used the celebration to announce formation of the Irvine Ranch Land Reserve Trust along with a $20 million gift to sustain vital preservation, research and public access programs throughout the 50,000-acre Irvine Ranch Land Reserve.

About NRT Trails can be designated a National Recreation Trail by either the Secretary of Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture by authority of the National Trail System Act of 1968. According to American Trails -a national non-profit organization that promotes and helps support America's growing network of interconnected trails - the designation seeks "to recognize exemplary trails of local and regional significance." Trails receive the designation following a thorough application and review process by the National Park Service.

About the Reserve The Irvine Ranch Land Reserve stretches from the mountains to the sea in central Orange County and covers more than 178 square miles. It permanently protects the historic beauty and natural diversity typical of Southern California. It contains parks, beaches, permanently protected open space, habitats and wildlands set aside over the years for the enjoyment of citizens of Orange County, Southern California and the world. The Reserve includes renowned areas such as Limestone Canyon, Crystal Cove State Park, Fremont Canyon, Round Canyon and the County of Orange's Laguna Coast Wilderness Park.