Chino Hills State Park - a Wilderness Experience in the City

Looking for a quick escape from the urban life? Did you wish that you could experience the feeling of being in a National Park, but don't want to drive hours away? Chino Hills State Park is just the thing. Chino Hills is about a thirty-five to forty-five minute drive from the Los Angeles metropolitan area and neighbors the Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside county borders. The park itself lies at the west side of Chino Hills and can be accessed from the 71 freeway. Take the Soquel Canyon exit and continue on until you hit Elinvar and make a left. Elinvar will then become Sapphire Road and the park entrance will be on your right hand side.

You have the choice of parking outside of the park and walking in or driving into the park and parking inside the premises. If you choose to walk into the park it is about a 2 mile hike until you reach the camping areas. Day use fees are $8, and another $8 for additional vehicles. Camping fees are $15. The park is open from 8 AM to 7 PM everyday, but make note that on days after heavy rainfall, the park is usually closed off since most of the roads are non-paved and are basically composed of dirt and gravel and can be flooded.

Hiking is the primary recreational activity to be done in this park. There are several trails, with the main trail leading from the entrance through the main campground and ending in a side entrance on the other end of the park. You can also go by horseback in this park. The intensity levels of the hikes would be moderate as the trails do go uphill and downhill and are not completely leveled. The views at this park are gorgeous and the atmosphere is very peaceful and quiet making you feel that you are almost in another world. I have been here several times with friends, and each time we have seen new and different wildlife, from bobcats and ground squirrels, to tarantulas.

I would definitely recommend wearing a good pair of sneakers or hiking boots and bring plenty of water with you. There are picnic areas and equestrian stage areas available to stop and rest, but they are not accessible until you reach near by the camping grounds. When hiking along the main trails, make sure to be cautious of vehicles passing by, as there are many bends to the trails, and some cars may not be able to see hikers when rounding some of the corners.

Chino Hills State Park is the perfect nature getaway for local residents just like me and I would highly recommend visiting the park with family and friends or even on a day where you just want to get away from the hustles and bustles of the city life.