Chino Hills State Park
DETAILS:
Location: 4721 Sapphire Rd, Chino Hills, CA 91709
Hours of Operation:
October - March: Daily from 8AM to 5PM
April - September: Daily from 8AM to 7PM
Parking: Free street parking available on Sapphire Road & Elinvar Drive just outside the park’s north entrance (which is 1 of 4 entrances into the park). Please observe any posted street signs. Limited and sporadic parking available within the park as well.
Cost: $5 car entrance into the park.
Time Commitment: 2-3 hours.
MISC.
There is hardly any shade coverage throughout the entire park, so make sure to bring plenty of water and sun protection.
Rattlesnakes are a common sighting in the park, so keep a watchful eye as you walk through the park!
While not exactly the Swiss Alps in the Sound of Music, the hills are certainly alive at Chino Hills State Park. Sprawling across 14,000 acres of undulating peaks and valleys in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains, the park provides the perfect natural getaway despite its location in the urban jungles of San Bernardino County. With over 90 miles of trails, you can definitely spend days hiking the area. Early spring is an especially popular time to visit thanks to its yearly mustard flower bloom that paints the entire canvas in floral yellow. The Chino Hills entrance (also known as the north entrance) is located off Sapphire road. While it will cost you the nominal fee of $5 for the privilege of driving into the park, I recommend parking just outside the north entrance for free and entering the park by foot, which is what most locals opt to do. As you wander into the hills, I promise not to tell anyone if you get the urge to twirl around like Julie Andrews!
RESOURCES:
Chino Hills State Park website.
