Lake Perris Riverside Day Trip or Camping Adventure

Located in the mountain-rimmed valley between Moreno Valley and the city of Perris, the Lake Perris Recreation area is one of California’s most popular outdoor recreation destinations, providing a great place to escape the heat of the summer and the bustle of city life all year round.

Built-in the early 1970s as the last reservoir in the California Water Project, an average of 1.1 million visitors visit the Lake each year to enjoy myriad recreational activities in and along the Lake’s nearly 10 miles of accessible shoreline.

The banks have nearly 300 picnic areas, some with grilling features, and two beaches for swimming, wading, and windsurfing. Each beach has lifeguards on duty from spring until fall, and changing rooms, showers, and restrooms are available.

Lake Perris Recreation Area Hiking

Around the Lake, visitors will find miles of paved and unpaved trails for biking, hiking, and horseback riding, including a nine-mile paved path encompassing the entire Lake.

Another hiking trail leads to the scenic overlook at Terri Peak. In contrast, an equestrian trail leads to a more underdeveloped area of the Lake Perris State Recreation Area, a perennial spot for springtime wildflowers. Ranger-led hikes are conducted during the spring and early summer months.

Camping at Lake Perris

For campers, there are 167 sites for tent camping and 264 paved sites which offer full electrical, water, and sewer hookups for your recreational vehicle up to 31 feet long. Each site has a table, a fire ring with a grill, and water access. It’s a perfect location if you like to stay from the city without leaving too many of its creature comforts behind.

Showers and restrooms are nearby. If you plan to extend your stay a little longer than a weekend, a camp store carries ice, firewood, and other general merchandise if you leave something behind on your vacation. Unique to Perris Lake SRA is its primitive Horse Camp, separate from the regular family camping area.

Big Rock Lake Perris

For adrenaline junkies, there is Big Rock, a famous rock climbing spot with a giant granite rock approximately 180 feet high. It’s renowned for most beginning and intermediate climbers but provides some opportunities for that more advanced climbers.

Fishing at Lake Perris

Lake Perris boasts a variety of fish that bite throughout the year. The Department of Fish and Game regularly stocks Lake Perris with Rainbow Trout during winter.

During average years, the Lake supports large populations of Largemouth Bass, the rare Spotted Bass, Bluegill, Red Ear Sunfish, Black Crappie, Carp, Channel Catfish, and Bull Catfish. “Accidental” lake residents include green sunfish, crayfish, and shrimp that arrive via the aqueduct.

The limit for all species is five fish per person per day, and anglers 16 years of age and older must purchase a California Department of Fish and Game fishing license, which can be obtained from the Perris Lake Marina store.

Boating Lake Perris

Visitors can fish off the marina dock for a small fee or during store hours or rent a fishing or pontoon boat.

The Perris Marina also provides 200 monthly wet slips and 70 dry storage spaces, and 35 overnight slip rentals for boat owners, or they can launch their watercraft from two paved boat ramps. The Marina is open year-round. Bait and tackle are sold on-site if you forget anything.

Yai Heki Regional Indian Museum

Besides the Lake, there is plenty to do, including the Ya’i Hek’i Regional Indian Museum, an interpretive center displaying the history and cultural aspects of the native groups who call this region home. It is open on weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. website.

Finally, wildlife enthusiasts will enjoy more than a hundred bird species spotted at Lake Perris. Many are migratory, while others make their permanent residence here.

The Lake’s elevation is 1,560 feet, and the temperature ranges from the 60s in the fall and spring to the 100s in the summer. The water temperature averages about 70 degrees, perfect for year-round water activities. Lake Perris SRA – website – is located approximately 65 miles south of Los Angeles, 11 miles south of Riverside off Highway 60 or I-215.

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