The Wildlands Conservancy

I discovered this spot while exploring the area and asking a local business for suggestions on pet friendly hikes. I live in Orange County and visit family near Loma Linda and make time to drive through Oak Glen and hike with my dog and cat at the Wildlands Conservancy. This is such a magical place and brings me much peace. It is beautiful, peaceful and from the tall sequoias to the tropical rainforest like trees, wild birds flying and chirping through them, sound of the woodpeckers and the fog rolling over the lake, it feels like a fairy tale. My pets love hiking here as well. Both entrance and parking at the Conservancy are free. It is very family and pet friendly with a petting zoo and food stands toward the other side as you drive in. There are also areas with picnic tables near the trails. The trails are very scenic and fairly easy with a portion that is somewhat steep which I would consider slightly moderate but not difficult. I highly recommend taking the time to visit this hidden gem.

Wonderful open space for a hike. Free to enter.  Staff at entrance is very friendly to answer any questions you may have.  Did not spend to much time here, just a quick walk through the manicured gardens and out to the tree line.   Plenty of parking.  Bathroom available on other side of parking lot.

This is our families go to place especially when its foggy or snowy. Its fun to walk the path in those conditions.

I love walking through here! It's nice to see that people care enough to preserve some of the property up here in this beautiful area. Walking along these paths you will see flowing water, a variety of flowers, fruit fields, wild animals, and old farming equipment. Here are some helpful pointers to throw out there for anyone looking to go:1) It's free, but, they do accept donations. Donate!2) Do not wear sandals. Not only will your feet be caked in dirt, but, rattlesnakes like it here too and so do cougars. You need running shoes that also protect from potential snake bites. They're seen here and there on the property so don't be discouraged about going. 3) They have a kids trail that doesn't take you far out where the wildlife is seen more often so if you have lil ones, stick to that path. You'll be safe. 4) There's a parking lot just outside the entry so it's not much effort to get here. You make entry on the Los Rios Rancho. When you first pull onto the property, park in the lot to the right of the BBQ place, not in front, and you'll see it.

The Wildlands Conservancy - Oak Glen Preserve is located next to Los Rios Ranch in Oak Glen, where they share the same parking lot. When you pull into the driveway, the entrance is to the right side with a large wooden archway sign that reads "Southern California Montane Botanic Garden" and "Children's Outdoor Discovery Center".This preserve is absolutely beautiful with walking trails throughout the property. This is a good size preserve that offers everything from small lakes, a deciduous forest, an apple-picking orchard, a botanic garden, and a variety of educational elements for children and adults alike. They even have a boardwalk trail, which was really neat!One of my favorite areas at The Wildlands was the Conifers of California, which included a few General Sherman Sequoia Trees and tons of shade! It was absolutely glorious to be surrounded by these massive trees that are known to only grow in Northern California.The Wildlands Conservancy also provides seating throughout the preserve for those who want to soak in the view and admire the natural surroundings. They also had a good amount of wooden picnic tables so I assume you can also bring some lunch to enjoy inside the preserve, considering you pick up after yourself.Because the terrain is different in each sector, having the proper footwear is essential. Other necessities may include a hat and sunscreen because the sun overwhelmingly beats down on you.No matter where you look, it is very picturesque!Overall, this is a great gem in the IE and a perfect place to teach the young about nature and its beauty at no cost (free entrance). If you really enjoy this place, you may make donations at the entrance to help keep places like this running. There's not enough time to explore the preserve in one day if you stop-and-go like me. I will definitely be back to admire more of Oak Glen Preserves offerings!

Great place to bring the family! Or a date! It can be an all day affair here at The Nature Conservancy. Before or after Apple Picking (Riley's or Los Rios' or who really knows to whom this orchard belongs) Red Delicious apples, try out this nicely-kept trail.We arrived late in the day, yet had a whirl wind of a time gathering apples then flew down the trail. There are rustic signs, benches to rest on and dry creek beds to ponder about. Watch out for wildlife! There was a bear sighting two days before! Also spotted haha mountain lions and snakes! It's still worth the risks as you can get a delicious, I mean almost better than your granny's apple pie at the end. There are three types of crust; I opted for the Brown Sugar Crust! When I asked the lady for a plastic fork, she said, "Oh! You're going to eat it RIGHT now!" It was worth coring the pie and the 2 hour drive. Needless to say, I ate 7/8 of that pie by myself! Soooo delicious!

Nice property with a few easy trails. Very busy when we went, we'll go on a weekday next time Enjoyed all the woodpeckers and other birds and interesting plants Great for kids and city folk

The preserves are well maintained, staffed by folks who are extremely passionate about what they do and love to pass along their knowledge. Always free and you can bring your dog!!! They preserve some of the most spectacular places so that we can all enjoy nature for free!

Beautiful place lot's of flowers!!The volunteers are doing an amazing job on keeping it clean and gorgeous. We keep coming back to visit!

The space is beautiful and the staff are super kind and friendly, however the president of the organization (David) who I met while I was at the conservancy property was (in my personal opinion) extremely stand-offish and rude.