Highly recommend this hike, as the scenery was spectacular. I'm not sure if the mountain is this green all year but cam here in January and it was very green almost comparable to Switzerland green how can it be so green in riverside? It is pretty much an incline the whole way until the top, then we saw a Herd of donkeys. Spotted a few coyotes as well but they are harder to find. Not much shade so prepare water and hats. Then you go downhill on the way back. It is around a 2 hour hike, very nice views! read more

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Wow what a view! Specially right now. Everything is green. Lots of donkeys everywhere. Got to see them up close. Lots of wildlife. My son was able to see lots of lizards, different kind of bugs and insects. He enjoyed it the most. Pretty easy hike. Even my 5 year old did it. read more

Box Springs Two Trees Trail - Hiking Near Me - Riverside, California

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This review is for those who literally want to ascend to the top of the mountain, elevation 2,533 feet. See my Strava course profile below. What starts as a fairly steep trail that shadows a stream most of the way up to the first stage requires some moderate fitness and good trail shoes or hiking boots. My first time coincided with a dense foggy marine layer that kept me cool and clammy most of the way up, a little over 2 miles. I brought a large water bottle and a hiking pole. If it was a lot warmer, though, I recommend using a hydro pack. At the first summit of sorts, which ends at a small park along Box Canyon Springs Road- a dirt road with high embankments on either side. One of the fun objectives is hoping to see the wild donkeys (Burros) that civilization has pushed deeper into the hills and canyons. What progress, right? Fortunately, along the way, you climb up enough for sweeping vistas or dense fog if you're lucky. To go the distance required going a short way down the road where the trail resumes. At this point, I found myself in a tiered plateau, and there through the mist were 16-20 Donkeys! Some baby Donks, too. Keep your distance and zoom in with the camera. The path goes up and up, but it's so green (3rd week of April, 2024) the only thing that marred the sense of isolation is the noise pollution drifting up from the Freeway somewhere out of sight, and planes taking off. Oh well. The summit requires careful navigation, and I got a little turned around in the fog. Be careful because some paths lead to ledges. Unfortunately, this pristine place is heavily tagged with graffiti ranging from Bible verses, professions of eternal love, unintelligible scrawl, and even a symbol known to represent white supremacy and fascism. The way back definitely was felt in my knees, and the sun was quickly burning off the fog. All told, my hike began around 9am, and concluded a little before noon. read more

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Amazing and fun. Alot of donkeys and friendly people. Clean place and easy directions.

I don't live close to this trail so I put together a few things to make the drive out from Los Angeles worth while and I chose this trail based on its beautifully rugged and Bouldery landscape, as well as the multitude of mentions of donkeys; unsure if they are wild or part of a local ranch. The day was incredibly overcast with a thick and moist marine layer, but since the trail is mostly exposed the entire way, I figured that was a slight win. I didn't see any donkeys on the entire hike, so that was a little disappointing, and the fog was very thick and didn't provide for the excellent views from the top that I've read about, but there is still plenty to see along the trails. Trails are the best part in spring trail, who is beautiful, and on this day, completely saturated with moisture since the trails were slightly overgrown. I was completely soaked and covered in thousands of tiny petals. Once you reach the fire road, the hike is not as appealing, however, you definitely make better time up and down. read more

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One of my favorite hidden gem hikes !!! I've been going here for years. I like to go all the way to the top and feed the donkeys carrots !

Ready to see a gorgeous view of the Inland Empire? Tucked away in the hills of Riverside, we parked on Two Trees Rd (free parking) that begins the mighty trail to Box Springs Mtn. Beware, this trail can be steep at some points and becomes a bit challenging to breathe as you go up in elevation where the air becomes thin (3,000+ ft).. so be sure to bring lots of water! A roundtrip hike is about 4 miles if I'm not mistaken, and there's plenty of scenic spots to take a quick rest and absorb the beautiful views of Riverside County. As long as you follow the dirt trail, you should be fine as its a very clear path to see. I stumbled upon many snake holes on the ground so always watch your surroundings. As you get to the top of the mountain, there's different trails to take, so be sure to explore those safely. Some tips: * Might be very dangerous to bike. * Parking is limited (head there early as possible on weekends) * Great incline hike, a bit challenging. A moderate hike. * Hiking sticks not necessary, but bring them if you know you need support * Bring tons of water * No shade * Breath-taking views at the peak read more

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Great views and great place for an easy hike. Watch out for rattlesnakes during summer as we were warned by a local read more

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Hakuna matata (and don't forget to bring water). The trail wasn't "easy" (it was more of a moderate hike) and super dry and rocky (i would NOT recommend for biking). HEADS UP there's minimal shade, so wear a hat. Trying to find parking was a drag, but we got lucky and found a spot near Belvedere (for free). Overall this was a good work-out and path was clear + easy to follow. read more

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Fun trail, not too difficult and a good alternative to the unofficial UCR "C" trail. There's some shaded areas and when you get to the top there's opportunities for some extra credit as there are a few offshoot trails and a dirt road to explore. I recommend it if you're in the Riverside area. As always, wear a hat, bring adequate water. read more

A little challenging at first but this hike is a great way to get into incline hikes. I use to go hiking a lot when I was younger and wanted to get back in to it so I tried this place. My girlfriend has hiked this trail often and loves it. The trail is close to 2 miles to the peak and has a steady incline through out it. When I went the weather was really nice so I was able to enjoy the view as I hiked up. Unlike the Mt. Rubidoux trial this hike is not busy and feels more of hike than the paved walkways at Mt. Rubidoux. As you go up there's spots to take breaks and catch your breath or stop to enjoy the views. As you reach the top you see a road which ends the hike. The view from the top is not that great and I thought the rocky peak to the left was it but it's actually another trail. The right if you walk another mile you reach the M at the side of the mountain side. A familiar landmark as you drive to Moreno Valley. Overall, I enjoyed this hike and would recommend others to try. read more

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Amazing place to go dog friendly lots of different trails and angles to walk and hike

Wild flowers all around the trail , I felt springs coming ! It's easy trail , follow the direction you would find the parking lot . read more

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This trail is short but good elevation. I've done this trail before but this time there was a lot poop. We hiked to the top of the trail and explored some more trails to the right (Box Springs Mountain Reserve). Parking fills up fast as it's only a small dirt lot with about room for 6-8 cars. There is a larger parking lot at the top of the trail next to the Box Springs Mountain Reserve. read more

I love this trail, especially in the spring when the wildflowers are blooming. However, make sure you watch out for rattlesnakes in the hot months. We've now seen three rattlesnakes this summer and decided to wait until winter to come back. read more

Unshaded dirt trail that goes straight uphill nearly the whole way. Great views. Good cardio workout. What's at the top? A road and a house. Keep your expectations low. If the parking lot is full you can park along the wall on the right on the road out. Punishing during hot weather. Bring water and a hat. read more

Came here early on a Friday morning. Was surprised to literally not see anyone. Hiked all the way up to where you could see the actual road and antenna farms. About an hour walk from the Moreno M. Saw quite a few wild donkeys however kept my distance an everything went amazingly. No snakes or hassles with bugs surprisingly. The hike, the view, the seclusion. Definitely an escape from the city life. Definitely coming back here soon! Bring plenty of water and have your phone charged an you're in for a good time. It was about 97 when I went but even with the lack of shade it wasn't too bad. read more

Box Springs Two Trees Trail - Hiking Near Me - Riverside, California

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It's an escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life, and the trail is teeming with wildlife. Wild donkeys, lizards, bobcats, all manner of birds and insects you can see here, and the hike is great exercise too! You can go miles up the trail, far out into the serenity of nature, and it can be a pretty rigorous climb at times, but the pathway is always well maintained. No trash or litter to be seen, just grasses, local flora and fauna, and some majestic rock formations. You can also take it slow, and stop at the many views to enjoy the scenery. read more

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Its a leg killer! The hike is certainly uphill without shade for the majority of the time. There are certain spots that require more attention when walking to make sure you don't twist your ankle! I would rate this as an intermediate hike as I didn't think it was easy..or i'm out of shape because there were a couple of elderly men passing me up on the way. We started from the bottom and worked our way up. Once we reached the top, we realized that its another parking lot and you can start from the top and work your way down. There is one small, small water stream in the middle that is hidden away but if you listen for the water then you'll find it. read more

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Just came here to take some Christmas photos of the kids and I think they turned out great. Amateur, iPhone photos. The scenery is simple but so much fun and we hardly walked on any trail to reach our photo spots. Want to go back to actually walk the trail too. Didn't get far. But overall a great experience. read more

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A really nice workout for the knees, thighs, hips & buttocks:D It's nice to have 2 trails in one; it's actually over 3hrs. I Loved the scenery & wished I could have jumped in that Private community lake down below Box Springs trail on the way up to the M. read more

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Not really sure how to rate a hiking trail. If you like short but steep hikes then it is a 5 star. If you like snow, long, cold hikes, then hit the road jerk, this review isn't for you!!! Seriously though. This is my go to spot on Saturdays for exercise. It is not a scenic nor serene hike. As a matter of fact there are rattle snakes and coyotes that literally want to kill you! The tough part of this trial is the last 1/4 of it. I gets steeper and steeper. This is generally a dry mountain, so always be cautious of any thing on you that has potential for flame/spark. If you're into a quick 45mn hike for cardio, this is the place to go. Until next time... read more

Such a nice hike!!! You feel like you are in the Sound of Music. I found the hike to be moderately hard. Time didn't allow us to go all the way you so can't wait to come back and finish. We got by the house at the top. read more

One of our first real hikes since moving to MoVal a few months ago. The trail was very nice and scenic and we will be back with the grandkids. Pack a lunch, have time to explore and enjoy! read more

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Such a beautiful hike. I went right after the rain so that may have skewed my opinion since it was green and lush and looked like i was in Ireland or something. I enjoyed that i was able to go off the trail and far up the mountain also. I'd imagine when it's summer and super hot this hike would not be as enjoyable. Saw a sweet little gray fox on the hill side as well. Ive recommended this hike to a few people because I enjoyed it so much. read more

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Spent 2 hours reflecting and enjoying such beautiful energy on this trail. I would only recommend it for the day hiking. At night this could be a scene out of a scary film. You wouldn't even be able to see your hand right in front of your face. LOL This trail begins in what seems to be the middle of a beautiful and quiet neighborhood and then it turns into its own little world. If your into stopping and sitting on some pretty huge rocks or even taking a break to eat some lunch this place is for you. Definitely a regular trail for me. Right down Blaine and through this beautiful neighborhood I found peace. read more

It's a very nice lil hike, my neighbor & our kid's did the whole loop in 2 hours, while stopping for some cave exploring & found some big bull frogs by the bridge at the end, took 3 breaks for water after some steep spots LOL. Only thing is noticed a lot of baby poison oak sprouting up, the county needs to go spray! read more

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This place was incredible with miles and miles of elevation and trails! There is a free parking lot (kinda small) at the trailhead and overflow parking down the road. I suggest you bring extra extra water because this hike is straight up and will ware you out. The views are amazing didn't make it all the way up but maybe some day! read more

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I found this hiking spot via online and i did go , man, the hike was a challenge due to the steep trail , i like the fact that its not congested like that ugly rubidoux trail and you got more silently peacefully around you .. did any of you get to the water flow area ? And did you li read more

Box Springs Two Trees Trail - The start - Hiking Near Me - Riverside, California

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Nice trail. Not much to look at but it is a fat burning trail lol. A lot of hills. Its great i spotted a mountain lion. So definitely be safe and stay on trails. read more

Nice short trail on the way up with a few shady spots to take a rest. You can find lots of lizards during the summer and it also has nice views of downtown riverside. Not a beginner hike it's moderate the steeping part is near the top take your time it's worth the view. read more

Box Springs Two Trees Trail - Pano during a beautiful day - Hiking Near Me - Riverside, California

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Great hike. I like more challenging climbs and this was intermediate. Beautiful views and overall a fun hike. Love the fact that it merges up to the Box Springs Mountain Park area. From there you can go on several different trails. Very fun for a local hike ! read more

Box Springs Two Trees Trail - When you finish Two Trees Trail you'll end up here and can choose to continue on another trail ! - Hiking Near Me - Riverside, California

Great spot! No paved paths and parking spots. Easy fun hike even my four year old loved it. We'll be back very soon

Great walking trail. If you're in decent shape then you can complete this hike. The scenery along the route is the greatest reward. Mountain lion and rattlesnake warning signs but did not see any. Take plenty of water with you because i did not see any public fountains at the finish line. read more

I really enjoyed this hiking trail. The difficulty was on the easier side with nothing more but some inclined dirt paths broken up by dried trails of rainwater. There are a bunch of tiny trails that might lead to dead ends or alternative paths, but the main trail is distinguishable enough to not be confused. It's a good hour-or-so hike up to the Box Springs Mountain, and the view is really nice along the way! I recommend starting the hike at around 6 at the latest, when the weather will be nicer and there'll still be enough sunlight on the way up and down. It's the perfect path for casual hikers and light cardio exercise. read more

Very beautiful scenery. A little tough to find the trail head if you've never been and try and go in the morning or evening as there is very little shade. Can be some steep incline but not too bad. Great workout close to home! read more

Love this trail! Although it is steep in places, it is family-friendly enough to bring the kids (and of course the dogs). Kids will have a blast climbing up the boulders and posing for photos. There are lots of neat boulders you can stop and have a picnic on along the way, with some incredible views. There is almost always wildlife out, lots of birds, hawks, lizards, rabbits, and more. The main trail can get a bit crowded, but not so bad, especially if you go mid-week. There are also some side trails you can choose to go on if you're good at pathfinding, in which case you are sure not to run into anybody. The trail does have some good shade, but bring lots of water anyways because it can get hot at times. It is a great way to "get away from it all" without having to drive too far. read more

Beautiful views on a clear day! We went the day after a good rain. The hills were very green and we came across little water runoffs and a small waterfall. The hike is intermediate level and worth it. It is an incline almost the entire route but not too steep. We stopped a couple times on the way up to take in the snowy mountains and grassy hills dotted by granite boulders (and to catch our breath). We brought our dog and found that about 80% of the other hikers we came across did too read more