Mission Creek Preserve is owned and operated by The Wildlands Conservancy, a California nonprofit public benefit corporation.
Located in a transition zone between the Sonoran and Mojave deserts, the 4760 acre Mission Creek Preserve has a rich species composition, with flora and fauna representing both deserts. Visitors are surprised to discover the center of the preserve is a lush wetlands juxtaposed with extensively eroded painted hills and Mount San Gorgonio looming in the background. The wetlands and perennial stream
are important habitat the endangered least Bell's vireo and southwestern willow flycatcher. The preserve hosts deer, bear, big horn sheep and mountain lions and has spectacular displays of spring wildflowers in wet years. The preserve trail system leads onto the Pacific Crest Trail which is two miles from the stone house group campground.
09/04/2019
It’s National Wildlife Day, and here is one of our avian wildlife visitors: the Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)! Ever seen one of these flame-colored birds flitting around the tops of trees? Though brightly colored, Western Tanagers are actually pretty hard to spot! The yellow and scarlet birds are males, while the females show a more olive-yellow body with the typical black wings. The red color on the faces of the males is not produced by the Tanager’s body; it is hypothesized that the level of redness comes from insects in their diets! Though they typically prefer conifer forests, they are found throughout the Preserve, hunting insects from the branches and leaves of our woodland areas and singing a short and raspy song which some say sounds like they are constantly asking and answering their own questions.
08/31/2019
Watch out for those spikes! Chilicothe, also known as manroot and wild cucumber, grows round, spiked fruits which swell enough to eventually break open and distribute seeds. This bright-green perennial vine is easy to spot in its surrounding sagebrush as it stretches across distances up to 20 feet! The flowers of the Chilicothe are small and white, and the shoots, stems and leaves of the plant are extremely hairy in texture. Contrary to its name, wild cucumber does not taste like the refreshing fruit we all know, but has a very bitter taste, and is not good to eat. Look for this plant blooming in late winter on our preserve!
05/22/2019
If you were backpacking out of Mission Creek Preserve yesterday and found yourself missing some equipment, please message us here with a description of what you lost
04/01/2019
Update on Access:
We are once again issuing permits to access the inner parking lot at the Stone House; the unsafe portion of the interior road was repaired late last week by our ranger staff.
To request access, please go to the Mission Creek Preserve page of the Wildlands Conservancy Website and look for the "Access" section.
Please submit your request at least 2 days ahead of time to make sure that our rangers have time to process your request and send your permit in time for your visit.
Thank you for your patience and understanding, and have a wonderful time during your visit!
Since 1995, The Wildlands Conservancy has been dedicated to preserving important and remarkable landscapes and opening them to the public free of charge for outdoor education and passive recreation. The Conservancy owns and stewards 146,000 acres across 14 preserves throughout California and is a le...
03/29/2019
Mission Creek Preserve presents a Wildflower Walk this Saturday, March 30th, 9-11AM! Join naturalists Ann Gary and Caroline Conway for a guided interpretive walk among the spring blooms of Mission Creek. Carpooling is encouraged and please bring water and sun protection. There are only 25 spots available so call (760)369-7105 and register today!
Participants will meet at the Mission Creek Preserve gate:
60550 Mission Creek Rd, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240
**Whitewater Preserve remains completely closed due to flood damage on 2/14.**
03/13/2019
Calling all volunteers for Saturday, March 16th!
Join Docent LaDonna for a morning of pulling invasive mustard to help protect wildflower habitat and reduce wildfire risk over the summer!
Meet at the gate to Mission Creek Preserve on Saturday morning at 8 AM!
Work will be light-moderate in difficulty. While the ground is wet, the mustard has been relatively easy to pull out.
Bring:
- Water
- Gloves
- Snacks
- Sun protection
- Willingness to get your hands dirty!
No reservations necessary for this event.
If you have questions, please call our rangers at 760-369-7105 or message us here.
Address
60550 Mission Creek Road Desert Hot Springs, CA 92399
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Located in a transition zone between the Sonoran and Mojave deserts, the 4760 acre Mission Creek Preserve has a rich species composition, with flora and fauna representing both deserts. Visitors are surprised to discover the center of the preserve is a lush wetlands juxtaposed with extensively eroded painted hills and Mount San Gorgonio looming in the background.
The wetlands and perennial stream are important habitat the endangered least Bell's vireo and southwestern willow flycatcher. The preserve hosts deer, bear, big horn sheep and mountain lions and has spectacular displays of spring wildflowers in wet years. The preserve trail system leads onto the Pacific Crest Trail which is two miles from the stone house group campground.
The West Fork trail leads two miles from the Stonehouse area to the Pacific Crest Trail. Visitors can hike from Mission Creek Preserve to the Whitewater Preserve, eight miles each way, by using this route. Four stone casitas have been converted to shade structures for picnicking.
Mission Creek Preserve is open to the public free of charge 7 days a week from dawn until dusk. There is a parking lot located outside the locked gate to Mission Creek Preserve; prior authorization to park in this lot is not required.
A second parking lot is located at the Mission Creek Stone House, approximately 1.5 miles beyond the access gate. Prior authorization by The Wildlands Conservancy is required for vehicular access to this parking lot. To request access, complete the Mission Creek Preserve Access Request Form (link below) at least 2 business days prior to your planned visit. The parking area at the Stone House, which is accessed via the locked gate, is only accessible with prior authorization.
