Oak Glen Preserve

Oak Glen Preserve
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)[1]
Yucaipa Ridge
Oak Glen Preserve is located in California
Oak Glen Preserve
Location within California
Interactive map of Oak Glen Preserve
LocationSan Bernardino County, California
Nearest cityOak Glen, California
Coordinates34°2′25″N 116°56′29″W / 34.04028°N 116.94139°W / 34.04028; -116.94139
Area909 acres (368 ha)[2]
Max. elevation8,683 ft (2,647 m)
Min. elevation4,430 ft (1,350 m)
Created1996
Visitors600,000[2] (in 2023)[2]
OperatorThe Wildlands Conservancy
WebsiteOak Glen Preserve

Oak Glen Preserve is a nature preserve owned and managed by The Wildlands Conservancy, a nonprofit land conservancy. Covering 909 acres (368 ha) in San Bernardino County, California, it is located in the western foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains. The preserve includes the Southern California Montane Botanic Garden and Children's Outdoor Discovery Center, as well as Los Rios Rancho, a historic apple orchard. It receives about 600,000 visitors annually. More preserves can be found in the list of preserves.

Geography

The preserve is located in a glen at 5,024 feet (1,531 m) in the San Bernardino Mountains of the Transverse Ranges, beneath Wilshire Peak (8,700 feet (2,700 m)) and adjacent to Pisgah Peak (5,496 feet (1,675 m)).[3][4] Although the core preserve around the botanic garden is relatively level, additional preserve parcels extend onto nearby mountain slopes and summits, including portions of Wilshire Peak, Cedar Mountain, and Oak Glen Peak along the ridge rising above the preserve.[5]

In 2018, the 1,280-acre Galena Peak tract, including its 9,324 feet (2,842 m) summit, was separated into the distinct Galena Peak Wilderness Reserve.[6]

Flora and fauna

Oak Glen Preserve contains oak woodland, conifer forest, and chaparral vegetation communities.[7]

The preserve contains the Champion Oak, an 800–1,000-year-old canyon live oak measuring 39 feet (12 m) in circumference and 124 feet (38 m) tall. American Forests recognizes it as the national champion of its species.[8]

History

Apple orchards have been part of Oak Glen since the 1860s. The community developed into a center of Southern California apple growing, its cool mountain setting contrasting with the surrounding desert.[9]

By the late 20th century, Oak Glen’s growers faced economic pressures as global apple prices fell and visitor habits changed. Local growers increasingly turned to agritourism, offering pick-your-own orchards, cider pressing, and historical reenactments to attract visitors. Los Rios Rancho was at risk of subdivision in the mid-1990s, but in 1996 The Wildlands Conservancy acquired about 3,000 acres, including the ranch and additional nearby parcels reaching elevations of 9,300 feet, securing both the working orchard and surrounding open space.[10]

Since 2004, most of the orchard has been leased to Riley Family Enterprises, which manages apple growing and associated visitor activities.

In 2014, the Southern California Montane Botanic Garden and Children's Outdoor Discovery Center were opened.[11][12]

In 2018, pests killed many of the preserve's oak trees, requiring removal of diseased trees.[13][14]

In December 2019, a major snowstorm caused extensive tree damage at the preserve, toppling hundreds of trees. Thirty percent of black oaks and many sycamores were lost.[15][16]

In 2020, three fires impacted the preserve. The Apple Fire burned to Wilshire Peak and threatened the Champion Oak.[17] The El Dorado Fire burned the north side of Oak Glen Preserve. A third fire destroyed Los Rios Rancho buildings, including the bakery, store, and packing house, as well as the preserve's ranger shop.[18][19][20]

Conservation

Oak restoration planting

Oak Glen Preserve has faced repeated ecological challenges, including pests, storms, and wildfire. In 2018, infestations of the invasive goldspotted oak borer caused widespread mortality of black oaks, requiring removal of diseased trees.[13][14] The preserve also lost large numbers of trees during severe snowstorms in 2019–2020 and was affected by the Apple Fire and El Dorado Fire in 2020.[15][16]

In 2024, The Wildlands Conservancy and the Global Conservation Consortium for Oak established the Experimental Oak Woodland at the preserve. The project planted three white oak species, including Engelmann oak, a species native to warmer and drier areas of Southern California. The project is intended to improve resilience to the goldspotted oak borer and climate change while serving as a long-term research and education site for oak conservation.[21]

The preserve lies within a wildlife linkage identified in the South Coast Missing Linkages plan, which emphasized maintaining habitat corridors between desert and montane ecosystems.[22]

Recreation

Activities include picnicking, hiking, and educational programs. Trails pass through the botanic garden and surrounding landscape, with views of nearby peaks including Wilshire Peak and Pisgah Peak.[5][23]

Los Rios Rancho store

Los Rios Rancho has operated since 1906 and is Southern California's largest apple orchard. From September to November, visitors can pick apples and purchase cider, pie, and other apple products. Seasonal events at the orchard and throughout Oak Glen attract large crowds each fall.[5][24]

Trails

The preserve includes a two-mile Main Loop Trail with interpretive signage highlighting ponds, deciduous forest, and groves of conifers including giant sequoias, coast redwoods, Jeffrey pines, and sugar pines. A more strenuous trail leads to Preservation Point, an overlook above the preserve.[25]

Botanic Garden

Botanic Garden entrance

The 220-acre Southern California Montane Botanic Garden contains ponds, streams, wetlands, oak and pine forest, chaparral, and willow woodland habitats.[5][12] The garden includes a grove of giant sequoias planted by local ranchers beginning in the late 19th century, along with additional sequoias planted by The Wildlands Conservancy in 2003.[26] The botanic garden is used for educational programs and public events.[5]

Children’s Outdoor Discovery Center

The Children’s Outdoor Discovery Center is an interactive educational program in which naturalists guide students in exploring local ecosystems.[5] By 2024, the program had introduced nearly half a million students to outdoor environments through field trips and hands-on activities at the preserve.[5]

Botanic Garden venues

Falling Waters
Children’s Forest

The Southern California Montane Botanic Garden includes a series of themed venues. Notable examples are Hummingbird Hill, planted with native species selected to attract hummingbirds,[27] and the Artist’s Palette garden, which uses wildflowers chosen to evoke the colors of Monet’s paintings.[28]

The Children’s Forest includes sequoias, cedars, and redwoods along a loop trail with interpretive features designed for children’s outdoor learning.[29]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Oak Glen". Protected Planet. UNEP-WCMC and IUCN. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 "Oak Glen Preserve". The Wildlands Conservancy. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Wilshire Peak". Peakbagger. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Pisgah Peak". Peakbagger. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Gustuson, Rachael M. (September 6, 2024). "The Oak Glen Preserve is magical". Record Gazette. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Galena Peak Wilderness Reserve". The Wildlands Conservancy. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  7. ↑ "The Southern California Montane Botanic Garden". The Wildlands Conservancy. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis) — National Champion Tree". American Forests. 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  9. ↑ Nelson, Laura J. (September 23, 2016). "It's an apple upgrade in Oak Glen". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  10. ↑ McDonnell, Patrick J. (August 21, 2000). "Conservancy Saves Oak Glen Orchards". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  11. ↑ Steinberg, Jim (May 28, 2014). "Southern California Montane Botanic Garden opens in Oak Glen". San Bernardino Sun. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  12. 1 2 Sahagún, Louis (May 3, 2014). "New California botanic garden celebrates native conifers and plants". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  13. 1 2 McMillan, Rob (December 26, 2018). "Pest killing many of the oaks in Inland Empire's Oak Glen". KABC. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  14. 1 2 Iyer, Jennifer (December 23, 2018). "Small beetle now killing 'epic' oaks in San Bernardino mountains". Redlands Daily Facts. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  15. 1 2 Iyer, Jennifer (December 12, 2019). "Oak Glen snowstorm's tree 'catastrophe' causes millions of dollars in damage". Redlands Daily Facts. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  16. 1 2 Dinkel, Jesse (December 13, 2019). "Wildlands Conservancy in Oak Glen loses hundreds of trees in aftermath". NewsMirror. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Inmates save largest oak tree in North America, believed to be 1,000-years-old". NBC Palm Springs. August 12, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  18. ↑ Henry, Laine (October 2, 2020). "Fire destroys Los Rios Rancho buildings in Oak Glen; preserve closed until further notice". Palm Springs Desert Sun. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  19. ↑ Rokos, Brian (October 2, 2020). "Fire tears through Los Rios Rancho apple farm in Oak Glen". The Orange County Register. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  20. ↑ Rokos, Brian (October 3, 2020). "Los Rios Rancho apple farm in Oak Glen partially reopens after fire". San Bernardino Sun. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  21. ↑ GCCO Annual Report 2024 (PDF) (Report). Global Conservation Consortium for Oak. 2024. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  22. ↑ Penrod, Kristeen; Beier, Paul; Luke, Chris; Spencer, William; Cabañas, Carolyn (2003). South Coast Missing Linkages: A Wildland Network for the South Coast Ecoregion (PDF) (Report). South Coast Wildlands Project. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  23. ↑ Oak Glen Preserve Trail Map (PDF) (Map). The Wildlands Conservancy. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  24. ↑ Lin, Summer (October 21, 2022). "Autumn paradise 80 miles from LA". Los Angeles Times.
  25. ↑ Brown, Mark (June 17, 2024). "The Oak Glen Preserve offers shaded trails and stunning overlooks". Coachella Valley Independent.
  26. ↑ Sabalow, Ryan (October 6, 2022). "Giant sequoias, endangered in native range, thrive in surprising new places". Mercury News.
  27. ↑ Steinberg, Jim (May 12, 2015). "Oak Glen Preserve to open Hummingbird Hill attraction". San Bernardino Sun. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Oak Glen Preserve: New Artist's Palette garden blooming with native wildflowers". Redlands Daily Facts. May 23, 2016. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  29. ↑ "The Children's Forest". The Wildlands Conservancy. 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2026.

Further reading

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