# Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve: Oak Woodland & Vernal Pool Family Nature Trails > Place to go for families in the Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario area (CA). Times are Pacific Time. - When: Trails open daily sunrise to sunset; Visitor Center open Tuesday–Sunday 9:00 AM–5:00 PM… - Where: Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve Visitor Center & Trails, 39400 Clinton Keith Rd, Murrieta, CA 92562 - Ages: All ages; wide gentle trails ideal for families and jogging strollers; interactive exhibits at Visitor Center - Price: $4 adults; $3 children (ages 2–12); children under 2 free; pay at trailhead iron rangers or Visitor Center - Schedule: Trails open daily sunrise to sunset; Visitor Center open Tuesday–Sunday 9:00 AM–5:00 PM (closed Mondays) - Organizer: Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District (RivCo Parks) - Official page: https://www.rivcoparks.org - Last checked: Wed, Nov 4 Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 8, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-07), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/riverside/activities/santa-rosa-plateau-ecological-reserve-oak-woodland-and-vernal-pool-fam--listing-2e34dadbdd0dd25923887291 ## About Perched at the southern end of the Santa Ana Mountains near Murrieta, the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve encompasses 9,000 acres of rare oak woodlands, rolling native bunchgrass prairies, and seasonal vernal pools. Winter brings cooling rains that fill the volcanic rock basins, awakening endemic fairy shrimp and transforming the plateau into vibrant green hillsides. Families can walk the gentle 1.5-mile Hidden Valley Trail or explore the Los Santos Trail leading to the historic Moreno and Machado adobes built in 1846—Riverside County's oldest standing structures. Wide, compacted gravel and dirt paths accommodate rugged jogging strollers, and the newly renovated Visitor Center features interactive taxidermy exhibits, discovery touch-tables, and children's nature activity backpacks. ## Similar picks in Riverside - [Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center](https://grassyknees.com/riverside/activities/santa-rosa-and-san-jacinto-mountains-national-monument-visitor-center--listing-14150711c287bcf573132d31) — Open Friday through Sunday 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New… · Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center, Palm Desert · checked Oct 13. The BLM visitor center for the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument sits on Highway 74 about 4 miles south of Highway 111 in Palm Desert. 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