State Park and Recreation Commission formally classifies Wildwood Canyon State Park; the Yucaipa day-use area — open since 2003 — now moves into long-range planning with California State Parks.
Wildwood Canyon was formally classified and named Wildwood Canyon State Park by the State Park and Recreation Commission at its regular meeting on Dec. 17. The designation folds the Yucaipa day-use area — open to hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers since 2003 — into California State Parks’ portfolio with new planning and stewardship responsibilities attached. The change won’t close trails or alter views from a ridge, but it does set the stage for long-range decisions on access, conservation, and historic resources within the state agency’s authority.
Located about 75 miles east of Los Angeles and roughly 25 miles east of San Bernardino and Riverside, the park is a patchwork of scrub oaks, manzanita, yucca, and chamise with broad views over the surrounding valleys. It sits along the Pacific Flyway and supports more than 100 species of birds across the seasons; terrestrial inhabitants include mule deer, black-tailed jackrabbits, rattlesnakes, and occasional mountain lions, so visitors should treat the place like real country — keep dogs leashed, stay on maintained trails, and be aware at dawn and dusk. The property already serves trail users of multiple kinds and will continue to do so while planners and community partners work through the next phase.
State Parks’ Inland Empire District staff have signaled gratitude for local support and emphasized that the agency will coordinate planning with the public, California Native American tribes, and other stakeholders. That process will produce a cornerstone document and a general plan to guide decisions about recreation, resource protection, and potential restoration projects. There are nine buildings on site, and two of them have been flagged as candidates for nomination to the California Register of Historical Resources. This factor could influence restoration priorities and public access over time.
For anyone who rides or hikes in Wildwood Canyon, the practical bottom line is simple: the trails you know remain, but the park is now entering an era of formal planning backed by the state. Expect public outreach, the posting of planning documents on the park website, and a measured effort to balance visitor access with habitat protection and historic preservation. If you haven’t been, bring water, mind the wildlife, and follow the park’s updates as California State Parks shapes how this landscape will be managed for the years ahead.
You can find out more about our newest park on the California State Parks website HERE.
California State Parks’ Program, Coordinated with CalFire — Recent Operations Focused in the Santa Cruz Mountains
On June 21, 2008 a lightning strike ignited the Basin Complex Fire, a wildfire that swept through 162,818 acres near Big Sur, forcing evacuations, and burning most of the Ventana Wilderness area. The fire destroyed much of the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park located the western slope of the Santa Lucia Mountains, and severely damaged the Pfeiffer Falls Trail, an easy 1.5 mile out-and-back trail with views of redwoods and Pfeiffer Falls.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a federal program was established by Congress in 1964 through a bipartisan commitment to safeguard our public lands – the natural areas, water resources and cultural heritage for all Americans – and provide funds and matching grants to federal, state, and local governments to acquire land, water, and easements. Through funding provided from offshore oil and gas leasing, the LWCF has protected and expanded habitat and preserved access to outdoor recreation in all fifty states, which makes it our nation’s most successful conservation program.