With Spring officially here and Southern California weather in its prime, now is the time to get outdoors and enjoy all the nature flourishing throughout the Valley. If you've never been to the Santa Rosa Plateau this time of year, you are missing out on a great local treat. Located in the hills just west of Murrieta and Temecula, the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve has a sprawling 8,300 acres of unique ecosystems like Engelmann oak woodlands, riparian wetlands, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, bunchgrass prairie and vernal pools. It's the perfect place for an afternoon hike, weekend picnic or nature photo op.

For only two dollars, visitors to the reserve can enjoy the day hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and attending interpretive programs. The Santa Rosa Plateau is also home to the oldest standing structures in Riverside County that once served as bunkhouses for cowboys dating back to 1846 and remain shaded by a 400 year old tree. Open from sunrise to sunset, the reserve has a number of trails for every level of hiker and has breathtaking views throughout the plateau.

The visitor’s center is located at 39400 Clinton Keith Road, about 5 minutes from the 15 freeway and is open from 9am – 5pm daily. So pack some snacks and your camera and head out for beautiful day in the hills of Temecula.

Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve
The Reserve is open daily from sunrise until sunset
Visitor Center Information:
Hours daily 9:00 am- 5:00 pm
Phone: 951-677-6951
Fax: 951-696-5968

Day Use Fees: (Cash only)
$2 each adult pedestrian / bicyclist
$1 each child between 2 and 12.

Multi-Use Area: (Sylvan Meadows area)
Dog on leash, equestrian riders, bicycling on Sylvan Meadows.
$1 each dog in addition to pedestrian day use fee
$1 each horse in addition to pedestrian day use fee

Interpretive Programs: (Included with day use fee)
General Public – phone for date and time information
Topics may include Reserve  geology, plant communities, human history and Reserve conservation story.

For more information, check out http://www.riversidecountyparks.org/locations/nature-historic-centers/santa-rosa-plateau/