Wildwood Canyon State Park, nestled in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains doesn't offer visitors much in terms of services, but what it lacks in ordinary practicality it makes up for in serenity. Centuries-old Interior and Coast Live Oak Woodlands dominate the lower hillsides as grand and magnificent as any in Southern California. Out of the moister canyon bottom and free from the dense oak canopy, montane chaparral is the dominate plant community hosting a variety of native plant species such as scrub oaks, manzanita, yucca, and chamise. Wandering the network of trails among historic ranch houses, and back dropped by the rugged high mountain slopes of Yucaipa Ridge, one can easily be enthralled with the idea of what this entire county would have looked like in eras past.
Stats:
Category: Easy
Miles: 1.75
Elevation Gain: 330'
Location: Wildwood Canyon State Park
The Trail: From the large parking area, proceed onto the Oak Tree Loop trail past come picnic benches and restrooms as the trail enters quickly into a quintessential oak woodland county, replete in season with numerous stands of California Wild Gourd. As the trail continues, take the fork left upwards into the woodland. Note the dense canopy of trees above and the varied species in the undergrowth of the giants around you. Imagine for a minute that many of these trees here could vary well have been seedlings when Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo became the first European to set landfall in California 1542. As the path quickly ascends through the remainder of the forest, it steepens before flattening in montane chaparral which comes into view subsequently. The trail wanders through this rich community before meeting with the McClough Trail near a picnic bench and horse watering area. If you have time, continue to add onto the trip, by connecting to various other trail. However to follow this write-up, take the dirt road left towards the Hi-Up Historic House, before following the road back down into the parking lot.
Hiked: 9/16/2017. No Fee Required.
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| Park Entrance |
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| Oak Woodland |
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| Dense understory growth |
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| Transition of Woodland into Chaparral |
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| Montane Chaparral |
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| Yucca Whipeli (Our Lord's Candle Yucca) |
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| Hi Up House (historic) |
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| Persimmons tree? |
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| More woodlands en route to parking lot |
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| Sign on the way out |
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