We decided to go to Chino Hills State Park since we were already in the area. I was looking forward to a short hike and checking out another state park. Plus, then we would know if we liked it we should come back and run more trails. Spoiler: we liked it.
About Chino Hills State Park:
Like the name suggests, Chino Hills State Park is located in Chino Hills, California, at the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains. It is a critical link in the Chino–Puente Hills wildlife corridor, meaning it’s a major botanical habitat reserve for migrating and resident wildlife.
What can you do at Chino Hills State Park?
At Chino Hills State Park, you can:
- Walk, hike, trail run
- Mountain Bike
- Camp
- Horseback Ride
- Picnic Areas
There are over 60 miles of trails and fire roads. Most trails are multi-use (you might see horseback riding, runners, and mountain bikers), but some are only hiking for safety or habitat protection.
My Experience at Chino Hills State Park:
Gear Used:
We arrived around 1 pm on the weekend. We heard it was a nice park and we were looking for something exciting and fun to do. We stumbled upon Chino Hills State Park and decided it would be a perfect option. We weren’t looking for a crazy, intense hike like Hiking Mount San Antonio but something we could just relax and do for an hour or two.
When we arrived, we saw it was $3 an hour (or $10 for the day) which isn’t the most expensive park we’ve been to. The park ranger was super friendly and mentioned we might see tarantulas. At first, I was like I would rather not, but hearing about tarantulas sounded exciting! Sadly we never saw any but I’ve also heard they are nocturnal creatures.
There are over 60 miles of trails. You would never guess that with how close it is to LA. We decided to drive through the park, see what we saw, then start at a random trailhead. We figured it would be fun to get the lay of the land of Chino Hills State Park and come back at another time.
It was around 90 degrees when we got there. We were armed with hydration, snacks, and the mentality that we didn’t need to be out “too long”. We decided to walk out for about 30 minutes and then back. It would give us good views and a good vibe of the area, and we could determine if it would be a fun park to come run or mountain bike at. We never saw any other hikers, but we did see a couple of mountain bikers.
During our hike, we saw all sorts of birds and a few rabbits. My spouse thinks he caught a glimpse of a bobcat, but sadly, I didn’t see anything. Overall all, it was a beautiful hike and I’m looking forward to returning.
If you are interested in going to Chino Hills State Park keep in mind that there is minimal shade, and many of the trails are challenging. But it’s pretty quiet, and you would never guess you were so close to LA. In all, we are big fans and I’m looking forward to running up to the top of some of the hills.
You can see all hikes and trail runs here.
Questions for you:
Have you been to Chino Hills State Park?
What is the hottest temperature you’ve hiked in?