Chino Hills State Park

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Chino Hills State Park Chino Hills State Park is a premier natural open-space area in the hills of Santa Ana Canyon near Riverside. Most of the trails accept multiple use.

It's vitally important as a refuge to many species of plants and as a link between natural areas essential to the survival of many animal species. Chino Hills State Park, a premier natural open-space area in the hills of Santa Ana Canyon near Riverside, is a critical link in the Puente-Chino Hills biological corridor. It encompasses stands of oaks, sycamores and rolling, grassy hills that stretch nearly 31 miles, from the Santa Ana Mountains to the Whittier Hills. Chino Hills is vitally important as a refuge to many species of plants, and as a link between natural areas essential to the survival of many animal species. Chino Hills is also a place where people can escape the pressures of urban life and find peace and solitude in a natural setting. Visitors can simply enjoy a walk, horseback or bicycle ride on trails that meander through valleys and along ridge tops through woodlands, sage scrub and grasslands. Ninety miles of trails and fire roads also offer excellent opportunities for viewing wildlife and native plants. Facilities consist of a picnic area, equestrian staging area, pipe corrals, a historic barn, water spigots and restrooms. The Chino Hills State Park Discovery Center, located on the western side of the park, is a premier interpretive facility which showcases the parks extraordinary biodiversity. However, a few trails are designated for hiking only, because of safety issues or the potential for damage to habitat.

Astronomy Night POSTPONED: The wind forecast is delayed and caused us to postpone our astronomy night. We look forward t...
10/23/2026

Astronomy Night POSTPONED: The wind forecast is delayed and caused us to postpone our astronomy night. We look forward to rescheduling to mid-November.
Here is a star 🌟.

What’s in Bloom in the park right now?Douglas’s Nightshade (Solanum douglasii), also called Greenspot Nightshade. This p...
10/23/2026

What’s in Bloom in the park right now?

Douglas’s Nightshade (Solanum douglasii), also called Greenspot Nightshade.

This plant is pollinated by a unique form of pollen transfer called “Buzz Pollination,” performed by bumblebees. Flowers of buzz-pollinated plants typically do not produce nectar. However, the anthers have a hole at their tip and are tightly packed with pollen. The bumblebee curls the ventral side of its body around the anthers and uncouples its flight muscles from its wings, so the wings do not beat. The bumblebee then contracts its flight muscles, creating a vibration with a frequency similar to that of a tuning fork, which causes the pollen to bounce around in the anther and then shoot out the top, covering the bee with nutritious pollen. Most of the pollen grains are combed from the bee and placed in pollen baskets on the legs. However, some grains are missed; when the bee visits another flower, it transfers the pollen and pollination occurs.


Photo Credit: Sherry Schmidt
https://sherryschmidt.myportfolio.com

The Discovery Center is a great place to dry out. You can find it at 4500 Carbon Canyon Rd. Brea, CA 92823. Our facility...
10/22/2026

The Discovery Center is a great place to dry out. You can find it at 4500 Carbon Canyon Rd. Brea, CA 92823. Our facility is warm and open. You can lead yourself on a Junior Ranger program or take a walk about with a docent. Park Interpreter Shelly is also here for scheduling school trips, virtual trips, scout hikes, hikes for Life-Long-Learner groups of friends, and more. Call ahead or come in, 714-524-2471.

This storm brought Chino Hills State Park seasonal rainfall, which plays a vital role in sustaining native plants, reple...
10/22/2026

This storm brought Chino Hills State Park seasonal rainfall, which plays a vital role in sustaining native plants, replenishing soils, and supporting healthy ecosystems throughout the park. At the same time, when trails are used while soils are still saturated, they become soft and vulnerable to damage. All types of trail use—including hiking, biking, running, and equestrian activity—can lead to ruts, widened trails, and accelerated erosion, particularly on slopes and in backcountry areas like those found at Chino Hills State Park. These conditions can also pose safety risks for visitors, increasing the likelihood of slips, falls, and loss of traction on steep or uneven terrain.

For these reasons, temporary trail closures after rain are a proactive stewardship practice used by land managers throughout the region. Closures allow landscapes time to recover naturally, help prevent sediment runoff into river waters, and ensure trails remain safe and enjoyable for everyone over the long term.

As conditions change, we will keep everyone updated through social media and the park webpage.

For now, paved roads, the Rolling M Ranch Campground, and the Discovery Center remain open.

If you are looking for a rainy day activity the Discovery Center is located at 4500 Carbon Canyon Rd Brea Ca 92823. The indoor facility has many things for many learners.



Brown-headed CowbirdThe Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) is a grassland species that once followed bison herds acro...
10/22/2026

Brown-headed Cowbird

The Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) is a grassland species that once followed bison herds across the Great Plains, feeding on insects the bison flushed. Today, it follows cattle. Although native to North America, the Brown-headed Cowbird’s range has expanded because of deforestation and forest fragmentation.

The brown-headed cowbird is a nest parasite. It doesn’t build a nest but instead lays its eggs in other birds’ nests and depends on those birds to raise its young – to the hosts’ own chicks’ detriment. Cowbird eggs hatch faster than those of other species, and the nestlings grow more quickly, giving cowbird chicks an advantage over the hosts’ chicks. Brown-headed cowbirds parasitize the nests of more than 220 species and can lay as many as 30 eggs per season. In the park, the Least Bell’s Vireo is listed as Endangered due to loss of riparian habitat and nest parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds.


Photo Credit: Sherry Schmidt
https://sherryschmidt.myportfolio.com

10/21/2026

Scrub Jay drinking.

Fallen trees and branches are in Chino Hills State Park. Maintenance crews are actively working on these hazards. Please...
10/21/2026

Fallen trees and branches are in Chino Hills State Park. Maintenance crews are actively working on these hazards. Please avoid them. If you come across a hazard, you should turn around and report it to park staff at 951-780-6222. Thank you.

Common RavenThe Common Raven (Corvus corax) is common in the park, and you are likely to see one on a hike or a bike rid...
10/21/2026

Common Raven

The Common Raven (Corvus corax) is common in the park, and you are likely to see one on a hike or a bike ride. Ravens are members of the family Corvidae, which includes crows, magpies, and jays. This family of intelligent birds is effective at predation. Ravens sometimes work in pairs, with one distracting a nesting bird while the other grabs an uncovered egg or chick. Raven populations have increased due to human activity. They use power poles as vantage points for hunting; they use artificial ponds and other human water sources in the desert; and they eat human garbage. Increased raven populations in desert areas have further contributed to the decline of the endangered desert tortoise, as ravens feed on juvenile tortoises.

Common ravens often mimic other birds' calls, and when raised in captivity, they can mimic human speech.

They can be distinguished from crows by their large, thick bill, wedge-shaped tail, and larger size.


Photo Credit: Sherry Schmidt
https://sherryschmidt.myportfolio.com

Thrasher and Scrub Jay communicating.
10/19/2026

Thrasher and Scrub Jay communicating.

The neighbors were out and about this morning at the Discovery Center. ChinoHillsStatePark
10/18/2026

The neighbors were out and about this morning at the Discovery Center.
ChinoHillsStatePark

Address

Brea, CA
92823

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
Saturday 8am - 5pm
Sunday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+19517806222

Website

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