Oak Glen Preserve Reviews

Went when the wild flowers were in full bloom. Just gorgeous. They have done an excellent job of really making the place welcoming and a fun hike. Dogs are welcome on leash.

We went to Riley's Apple Farm on a Thursday night and saw the Legend of Sleepy Hollow put on by Riley’s Farm Theatre Company. We had a blast. The dinner and a show lasted the perfect amount of time and the group kept us entertained and well-fed. We loved the spooky hay ride and the barn-raising dancing. Everyone participated and it was good old American fun.

This is one of the nicest places to walk in Oak Glen-it's on the Oak Glen Loop, lots of parking. Well maintained and free. Walk off that apple pie before you get home!

My husband and I visited for the first time on a saturday. It happened to be a weekend where they were doing events for children and they were setting up booths for hikes and educational interaction. The trails are easy for the most part and the preserve is lovely. There is an outer trail which is about 2 miles and alot of trails that off shoot the main trail. There are a couple of little lakes, and small forest areas. There is one steep trail up to Preservation point which is supposed to take you up to a summit with amazing views but we did not go up the trail as we werent prepared and it was starting to get warm. On our way back to the car we smelled the slow cooked bbq ribs. There were a couple other food vendors and a nice picnic area. This is a nice place to get away from it all just above Yucaipa and it is free! We will be back.

The beauty of nature surrounded me as I walked the trail. I felt at peace with tall trees overhead. Following the trail, I discovered the pond with ducks and a floating deck. It was peaceful and a good walk.

Nice place to go hiking after spending the day picking berries and apples. We enjoyed the views and being one with nature. Can't wait to go back!

Pick up a map at the entrance to the preserve. We didn't walk the entire trail because of a mobility issue. We came here in March to see wildflowers or cacti in bloom, and there was not one single flower to photograph. We were a little disappointed. We had a nice lunch at nearby Los Rios Rancho.

I love seeing all of the animal as well as the new petting zoo there are goats,horses, and more stuff to to there one thing is U-press to make apple sirer.

See a conifer forest......beautiful indigenous plants............... The Children's Trail......waterfowl, streams, waterfall, and lakes, well kept and expansive trails...........enjoy the apple trees here in the gardens as well. Conservancy staff are very nice and knowledgeable............join as a member while you are there, dues help maintain and preserve the grounds!................................

Planned on spending two days here, but after one day there was nothing else to do.
It's apples, apples, apples. Stores, a few shops, and a few restaurants.

We enjoyed walking the beautiful nature trails with our dog. They have many rest stops along the trails with interesting artifacts to look at. They are pet friendly.

It is only a short drive away from the busy and polluted city. What a nice change of view and nature. Take a stroll at the botanical garden. Easy hikes to see sycamore trees. Go for a picnic. Enjoy the nature. I highly recommend for to stop by if time permits.

This was part of a great day trip recommended by our airbnb hosts. The 2,189 acre preserve is managed by The Wildlife Conservancy and is entirely free! Set in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, the main loop trail is about 2 miles long and is rated easy but there are some steep areas. Stop at the visitor information booth if you're not sure. They are friendly and helpful. We enjoyed our walk through the woods along little streams and breathing in the forest air. Can't wait for our next trip to Redlands so we can drive to Oak Glen and spend more time at the preserve. Of course the trip will include a stop for apple pie and other yummies!

This area is located by Los Rios Ranch, it closes at 5:30 pm so be their early, nice trails to walk, the hike will take you down the canyon so expect to hike up at the end of the trail, its an easy trail and you will enjoy it.
At the end of your visit stop at the Los Rios restaurant and ranch market shop, get food and shop their fresh pies.

Let’s see if you can relate to something. You used to really enjoy going to a special place with your family as a child, a place out in nature with an old-time feel. You have happy memories of family picnics, fall colors, the smell of apple orchards, climbing oak trees, and playing in fallen maple and sycamore leaves. You haven’t been back in over twenty years and worry that your special place may no longer be so special—paved over, developed, commercialized, all of the above. That was how I went into my recent return to Oak Glen a few days ago. To my great surprise, and relief, Oak Glen not only still had the apple farms and all the things I liked so much about it, but something much more. As we pulled into the Los Rios Rancho parking lot, and I began to look around for some of my favorite nooks and crannies from yesteryear, we stumbled onto the beautiful entrance of the Southern California Montane Botanic Garden. What a delight! Due to limited time, we just walked Sunflower Lane, Hummingbird Hill, and Pioneer Loop. All so well-laid out—especially nice are the color-coded brochure map, the interpretive signs for the native plants and trees, and the charming decorative benches. I can hardly wait for the next phases of this project to be completed. Thank you Wildlands Conservancy! Acquiring these lovely lands, and keeping going the historic apple farms while giving us the beauty of the Oak Glen Preserve will be the best possible outcome for kids of all ages!

Bring the family and the dogs. Enjoy a picnic or buy your meal at Riley's Farm. Be sure to also bring your camera and walking shoes.

Get away from the city and walk some short trails with the kids or furry babies. Many spots for pictures and taking in fresh air.

Oak Glen is a nature walk in time. cute shops, and food. The 5 pound apple pie is outstanding and apple season is too. The fish and chips at the little restaurant Apple Annie's is so good and all the food is, but if you are still hungry!!!!!!!!!they will give you more at no cost.I recommend this place for serenity and one time we even saw a baby bear. they have the petting zoo and beautiful animals on display. Nice trip for everyone.

Oak Glen Preserve is a nature preserve located in the foothills above Beaumont. The preserve is located within a four mile stretch of Oak Glen Road which features several apple orchards, resorts and gift shops. The preserve has a lovely hiking trail of 2 miles around the preserve, with side trails which can add up to 2 miles more. The trails include a wide variety of trees and other plants which are marked with explanatory placards. There are duck ponds and a boardwalk along a small creek. Among the side trails is one that includes California Redwoods and Sequoias, rare this far south. The preserve also includes a large gift shop and a good BBQ restaurant. There is no charge for the preserve hike but a donation is requested. This is a great family spot about 40 miles outside of Palm Springs which provides a cool retreat from the hot, dusty desert. We were there in late winter so the seasonal foliage was minimal. I can only imagine what the area looks like in apple blossom time and word has it this area is especially popular during apple harvest.

Our 5th stop: after feeding the goats at Los Rios, we took the preserve trail in reverse as my daughter told me it is not as steep. Mostly shaded trail, see many wood peckers. Found a huge blackberry patch and boy were they good! Continued up a slight hill, at one point there are 'stairs' leading down. Small creek as well as educational points along the way. The 4 year old sister of my daughter's friend was able to do it, so anyone can! We finished with lunch at Rileys.

A dusty, fall hike. Some areas pretty steep. A challenge for us out of shape senior citizens, but we finished! Want to come back in Spring to see wildflowers. Did see lots of evidence of bears.

We were driving back to LA from Palm Springs and we were looking for a nice stop to eat and have a relaxing time. It's always so hard to find the perfect place for you and your beloved pets. We had the best surprise ever, this place is like heaven! 2 Delicious food spots, green relaxing area, lovely hike.
Dogs have to be on leash, of course, because the wild animals who live the botanic area.
We all loved it!
Thank you Oak Glen preserve

Nice atmosphere. Live music and a well organized business. The trails with botanical signage were a highlight.

Nice trails for the kids and dog with great weather year round. Parking during apple-picking season and when it snows a bit difficult.

The Oak Glen Preserve offers an opportunity to spend a few hours outdoors in a very scenic setting. Trails have been built that allow access for people in wheelchairs. Other trails offer a moderate hike along an active mountain stream. A small pond attracts waterfowl such as coots and mallards.

The added bonus is that when you're finished exploring, you can have a nice meal at Riley's BBQ and Deli which is on the property. Or, you can bring your own picnic lunch and eat in an area shaded by large oak trees.

It was awesome we went there as a sixth grade field trip,very fun and learnwise.There was a little bit of snow

From what I understand there is miles of hiking here. We barely scraped the surface… But had a wonderful time. We went to the apple orchard next-door and walked here to see what it was all about and they have a children's path that is very short, cute and safe. It leads you to a pond with three waterfalls! Waterfalls are my son's current favorite thing so this was wonderful. We saw butterflies, hummingbirds and the whole place smelled of sage. I'm sure there is much more to discover here, but it fit our needs perfectly.

Located adjacent to Los Rios Rancho, large dirt parking lot (just for Preserve). Information booth on plants & flowers in season, and animals you may spot along the way (including bear and mountain lions). Wide walking trail, perfect for groups.

GORGEOUS views, nicely kept Preserve and they are continually maintaining the area.

Leashes pets allowed. Be aware, this area has lots of wildlife.

*Complaint-trails not detailed on difficultly or distance. Strollers and wheelchairs should be ok on the packed dirt trail, however, I do not see it possible for a walker.

This place is great to gather with family, they have nice clean trails to walk. Their has been sightings of wild animals, but of all the times I have gone I have never seen any. The trail usually takes about an two or three hours to walk, stop, and look around, depends on how fast you go. Their are steep areas the you need to be careful especially near the Clift part of the trail. They have various picnic location if you bring food, if not the ranch in the same property sells cooked food that's worth trying. I've gone in all season but winter time was the best because of the snow that falls, great area for infants and kids to play. Depending of the season they might have petting zoo, pumpkin patch, or maze. I would recommend to go inside the ranch they sell their own Apple products and local products as well.

Had to work off my heavy lunch so I went for a hike through the Preserve. I made the mistake of not taking any water and got dehydrated as the trail was longer than expected and I mis-read the trail map and got turned around. Be sure to pick up a trail map at the entry and take water. It's a great trail and takes you through several types of terrain.

The area is beautiful, apple, orchards, restaurants, petting zoo, horse back riding corn mazes, and they have the best apple pie and cider

With family in the area, we have gone to the Los Rios apple farm where this botanical garden is located, several times.This time we were in for a real treat walking the same trails but now including botanical garden additions. There is a nice entry and many of the plants and trees are marked with small signs as well as some little side paths. This is definitely a great place to come with children of all ages (or not) who love the trail features and pond. The parking is easy and next to the store/ cafe at Los Rios so you can buy food/snacks, apples in season, to picnic on their grounds as well as many crafts and products.

Have been coming here for years and enjoy it a lot! We usually do it as part of a visit to an orchard. We enjoyed a recent visit here in October and November- a perfect time to visit. Weather is nice and very enjoyable. Highly recommend the preserve.

Nice trails and gardens/pond to walk, but the prices were CRAZY expensive at the store. Small Apples $4/lb. Apple Cider $25/gallon. OUCH. We won't be back.

A wonderful path of plants, trees and wildlife. The area is rich with birds and small critters.
Every tree seems different and many are full grown, plus new seedlings are being introduced. A couple of nature trails wind around the lake, and another through the forest.
Some trails are seasonally closed for rain so we didn't get to see all of the sites.

The place is a Botanical Gardens Preserve with ponds and lots of different trails. Go in the season for the most color. Check with the ranger to find out when. Lots of apple trees located along the paths. Good restrooms are very clean and modern. The paths are somewhat steep but you have to see the plants on them. No fees but they do have a donation box and they have a large parking lot. It is next to Riley's Apple farm. Food is next door.

It's a nice place to go for a walk or hike it has something for everybody very beginner friendly as well as experienced hikers. And after a good walk or hike you can enjoy some food at the restaurant next door

This is a great place to go between Palm Springs and Ontario. Lovely setting, good labels of the native plants and a variety of paths. We enjoyed the birds, including bluebirds and woodpeckers. After a nice walk, stop for coffee and lunch next door. Very nice garden and educational area in a foothill setting.

Went for a walk up here with my wife. The scenery is amazing, we walked around the area taking photos and then had a great lunch at the cafe. The hot dogs and salads are really tasty and the home made cider is great!

We were driving from southern AZ to southern CA and looking for somewhere new to stop to break up the drive that we hadn't seen before. Oak Glen wasn't too far out of the way (only about 10 miles off I-10), and the scenery to get there was pretty, too. There is a large parking lot and admission is free, although they do accept donations. On a Thursday afternoon in May there was hardly anyone there and we spent a couple of hours exploring. The front section is a lovely botanic garden on a terraced hillside. Behind that, several nature trails of varying lengths and difficulty lead to different features, like a duck pond, orchards, pine forest with sequoia trees, and fields of wildflowers. There are benches for resting and educational exhibits as well. We visited with a wheelchair and were able to traverse about half of the trails with some effort and a little determination. It would be nice if the preserve was open later - we had to hurry. There are restrooms and 2 picnic areas. We also walked next door (across the parking lot) to Riley's at Los Rios orchard where they have a cafe and country store selling all types of apple products. I suspect the Oak Glen area gets very busy in the fall when the apples are in season and the trees change color.

This hike is easy and has a lot to see! They have a beautiful garden at the entrance and the sequoias are worth taking a little detour to see! It's a loop so the trail will take you back to the parking lot. It follows a stream from a pond on the northwest end. Plenty of shade and places to sit! You can donate to the preserve, but you aren't forced to. It's also a great place for a picnic! Just arrive early to save a spot!

What a beautiful place to visit-and so maintained and cared for by it's great botanists,horticultuaralists and concervency specialists!
The flowers were so verdant this year- which is why this is such a great place for hikes,walks,exploration,family,kids,dogs,senior citizens as well as for visitors from around the state of California,the USA and the world!

First of all, finding anything free in California, one of the most expensive states in the US, is quite a feat. Finding something free that is wonderful, even more difficult. But that is just what the Oak Glen Preserve is.

Beautiful, well maintained preserve with a stream, a few small ponds and waterfalls, and many themed trails such as Hummingbird Hill, Falling Waters, Sunflower Lane, Pioneer Loop, Conifers of California, Aquatic Ecosystems, Wetlands Boardwalk, Deciduous Forest, The Artist’s Palette, Chaparral Loop, Stream Trail, Hidden Hollow, Sacred Springs, and Children’s Forest.

Well-marked, it shows just how much love and great energy has gone into creating and preserving this delightful area for generations to come. The morning I was there, many people had dogs with them going up and down the trails. Main trail is about 2 miles, with all the side trails, total is about 4.8 miles.

Since there had been a mountain lion sighting on a side trail, I didn’t do that one since I was by myself but covered about ¾ of the preserve. There is a fair amount of shade and many places to sit down or have picnics, but it is still a good idea to go before the summer heat.

Lots of parking. Easy to find. Not all can be done with stroller or wheelchair, only some. Quiet and peaceful. Would love to be back during flowering season. Got to hear bull frogs, ducks, and other birds. Serene.

Donation based however – please contribute and enjoy being part of something bigger than yourself.

Last October, I just thought it would be a nice day outing to head with my two dogs to the hills outside Yucaipa in Oak Glen for a little bit of fall color along with some apples off the trees. What I didn't expect was the frenzy of applie-pickin' families. That made the people-watching fun but it was all overwhelming.

But there was a small oasis adjacent to Los Rios Rancho: the Southern California Montane Botanic Garden, part of Oak Glen Preserve, overseen by The Wilderness Conservancy. They have a children's garden, a demonstration garden, and a couple of ponds that attract waterfowl. There are several easy loop trails from less than a mile to around four miles, if you hike all the side trails. Dogs on leash are welcome (because, c'mon, most off-leash dogs would harass the wildlife). The Preserve also includes some surrounding peaks in its 2000+ acres, but I only hiked the main flat trails.

Bonus: it's free! But since a non-profit operates the place, give a few bucks at the entrance to help maintain it. In fact, the Preserve wouldn't even exist without The Wilderness Conservancy's acquisition of this land that only a few years ago was threatened with subdivision development when a hostile bank-owner marketed the area for quick profits. But now, it's just a pleasant respite from the throngs of apple pickers invading tiny Oak Glen in the autumn, plus apparently they have some year-round activity offerings. Take the time to check it out!

The preserve is peaceful and serene with plenty of places to see and sit that includes a duck pond, waterfall, and the nature trails.

There's an activity for grade school kids to participate and also trivia questions along the trails to check your children's knowledge.

If you're using a stroller I don't suggest going on the California Conifers path as it was up a small hill, bumpy and hard to navigate.

I return to this special place when I need to be in nature, or to reflect, and admire the flowers and plants. The nice thing is that there are short paths and long paths. I am not a hiker, but I enjoy walking. I am hoping that the area near the floating dock will be part of the conservation updates, as the water is unusually high with many tall plants. Of course, it is nice that there is a bakery/deli nearby with lucious food, and a gift shop too.

What wonderful work the Wildlands Conservancy is doing. Beautiful facility, botanical garden and hiking trails, wildflowers and birds were plentiful! Even with large school groups present it was a relaxing time. Stopped by the Los Rios bakery, fresh baked goods were delicious. Highly recommend spending a few hours when in the area, well worth it. Great activity to do with a family. Please help support the Wildlands Conservancy efforts.

We hiked the complete loop. Some was pretty steep but most was reasonably easy. There were signs warning of previous Bear, Mountain Lion and Rattle Snake sightings. Parking was easy - go left as you come into the Riley orchards parking lot and continue down hill - lots of space. There were 3 nice toilet blocks on the property. There is a very nice shaded area with picnic tables right by the lower parking. A great place to wander around in nature and forget about everyday life. There is food available at the Riley Orchard store right by the entry gate. You can spend as long or little time as you want here, there is something for everyone and the cost is Free!!

I've spent so many days here, the trails are lovely there is a surprise around every corner and there are constant improvements on the property. I've been going here with my two daughters for the past 6 years and it's become a family favorite destination.

This was great! We heard about the black apples and how you could come and pick them, so that is what we did. The area was picturesque with the trees turning all kinds of colors for fall, as if this were someplace back east in New England or such. There was a band playing bluegrass outside, a BBQ was going full blast, there was an apple pressing demonstration, hard cider tasting, and gift store, native plant walkabout and some other things. Not to mention this place is in a community where other such places were running activities as well. I highly recommend a visit.

Oak Glen Preserve at Oak Glen is great for dogs.

Dogs have no problems to go. However, they run to the Oak Glen Preserve and they run for fun!

There are lots of trees and they have fun as well.

They are really happy!

Free hike pretty trail. Some areas are a little steep but fine, you need hiking shoes or athletic shoes on the dirt trail. Bring a water bottle. Our family saw a Blue Jay. Stay on the trail, pretty tall pine trees and other beautiful trees. We walked the loop. Fresh air was great!

We made a quick detour to Oak Glen on our way to Palm Springs. It was at least 25 degrees cooler there! You're in the foothills, but there's no mountain driving to do. The preserve has easy walking paths to more difficult trails. Even in the summer it was mostly shaded and green, especially following the Spring Trail. Many native flowers still blooming in July! Great views, informative signs for the many, many native plants. They sell food and have a shop selling apple cider, pie, apple butter, etc. I knew it was popular for Fall apple picking, but it's also a great place to get away from the heat.

This was a huge nature preserve that was divided into different ecosystems. I preferred the deciduous path since I am from Pure Michigan. The leaves were sort of yellow, NOTHING compared to the colors from back home but it was still nice to see.

My partner left his cell phone in the Coot Cabin and someone found it and watched it until he could run back and get it. We appreciate that this area is safe enough for that.

There are big animals and wildlife and the paths that have mountain lions and bear cubs are clearly marked.