Lake Perris State Recreation Area

Phone Number

(951) 940-5600

Max. Trailer Lengths

Trailer: Up to 31 Feet
Camper/Motorhome: Up to 31 Feet

Park Hours

Summer Hours (Mar 10 - Nov 2)
Park Hours: 6 AM - 10 PM Daily
Boating Hours: 6 AM - 7:30 PM
Last Launch: 5:30 PM
Watercraft without running lights must be off the water by sunset.

Winter Hours (Nov 3 - Mar 9)
Park Hours: 7 AM - 8 PM Daily
Boating Hours: 6 AM - 6 PM
Last Launch: 5 PM
Watercraft without running lights must be off the water by sunset.

Bernasconi Entrance: (Yea-round)
Open: 7 AM -7 PM

Museum Hours: (Year-round)
Fri: 10 AM-2 PM
Sat/Sun: 10 AM - 4 PM

Marina Store
Open: 7:00 -6:00 PM
(877) 754-1148

Dogs Allowed?

Yes
Dogs not allowed on unpaved trails and on the sand (beach areas) because the water is used for municipal drinking water, and not allowed on Allesandro Island or the Bernasconi Beach area. Dog may go on your boat, but can NOT have any body contact with the water at any time.

Driving Directions to Lake Perris SRA

The recreation area is located 11 miles south of Riverside via Highway 60 or I-215.

Visitors will be able to reserve campsites and lodging six months in advance from the current date. Bookings may extend from the arrival date to the desired departure date – based on availability and the park’s maximum stay rules.

Upcoming Park Events

No events scheduled at this moment.

BOATING
Boating
Boat Ramps
Boat Rentals
OVERNIGHT FACILITIES
Family Campsites
Group Campsites
Hike or Bike Campsites
Primitive Camping
RV Sites w/Hookups
RV Dump Station
RV Access
TRAIL USE
Bike Trails
Hiking Trails
Horseback Riding
DAY-USE ACTIVITIES & FACILITIES
Historical/Cultural Site
Picnic Areas
Env. Learning/Visitor Center
Exhibits and Programs
Fishing
Guided Tours
Interpretive Exhibits
Scuba Diving/Snorkeling
Beach Area
Swimming
Nature & Wildlife Viewing
Windsurfing/Surfing
Museums
Family Programs
Geocaching
OTHER FACILITIES & VISITOR INFORMATION
Camp Store
Parking
Restrooms / Showers
Restrooms
Outdoor Showers
Drinking Water Available
Wheelchair Accessible

Contact Us

General Information:
Campground Office:
  • Phone: 951-940-5603
Camping Reservations:
  • Phone: (800) 444-7275
     (TDD: 1-800-274-7275)
  • Reservations
Marina
 
Museum / Volunteers:

Lake Perris Navigational Map Low Water 

Lake Perris Navigation Map Low Water

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BECOME A CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS JUNIOR LIFEGUARDS

 .

 

2024 LAKE PERRIS JUNIOR LIFEGUARD PROGRAM

A FUN TWO WEEK WATER SAFETY
PROGRAM FOR YOUTH AGES  8-15

Lake Perris State Recreation Area Jr. Lifeguard Program (June 17- June 28, 2024)                               Sign-ups will go live April 1, 2024 in Reservecalifornia.com

The Junior Lifeguard Program emphasizes Teamwork, Leadership, and Aquatic Safety while introducing young people to safe marine and aquatic recreation opportunities. The program is designed to provide quality water safety education while improving young people's physical conditioning, their understanding  and respect for the environment, and their respect for themselves, their parents, and their peers. Students of all abilities and skill levels may participate.

What do Junior Lifeguards do?

All Stages of the junior Lifeguard program have safety as a primary consideration. Junior Lifeguards will accomplish activities through instruction including: Team building, open water swimming, beach running, paddle boarding, hiking, kayaking, first aid / CPR training, aquatic rescue techniques all while having FUN!

First time participants MUST attend a swim competency test:
5/11/2023  2:00 pm

Lake Perris SRA
17801 Lake Perris Dr, Perris, Ca. 92571

Moreno Beach - In Front of parking lots 9&10                            
Canyon Lake Participants: Contact CLEAR Foundation

Try-out swim test:

100-yard swim under 3 minutes, and 2-minute continuous water tread
Participants must be able to swim 100 yards without stopping and tread water for five minutes.

This program does not teach swimming.  It is for competent swimmers to enhance their aquatic skills and learn the fundamentals of lifeguarding.  
For 2023 we will be offering one two week session limited to 70 participants:

June 17-June 28, 2024

Monday-Friday 9am to 3pm

Cost:

  • $260 per child per session which includes a sun/swim shirt
  • All participants must wear blue swim trunks (Not provided)
  • Female participants must wear a blue or black one piece swimsuit (Not provided)
  • If you would like your child to participate, please register and pay with the link below.   If your child has not been a junior lifeguard before they will be required to tryout prior to start of program.  If your child does not pass the tryout physical fitness requirements, you will receive a full refund of your registration payment.   

How to register:     Registration begins 4/1. 

Session Dates: 6/17 - 6/28  Monday - Fridays

Questions?  Email:  Aquatic Sgt. Johnson  or Aquatic Captain Corey Alderson

Phone: 951-933-6281

 

.

 

The Marina is now open with limited services

Marina Trailers 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rec-Out SoCal is the new 30 year concession operator at Lake Perris.   With plans to build a store, new docks, and resturant we look forward to this business growing and bring awesome ammentities to our visitors.  With plans to build a store, new docks, and restaurant we look forward to this business growing and bring awesome amenities to our visitors.  Currently they have a temporary store onsite offering tackle, bait, snacks, drinks, camping gear, ice, and firewood.   Dry storage is available.  They also have a mobile food truck with amazing options to satisfy your hunger.   There are no jet ski or boat rentals at this time.  Docks will be constructed in future years.  For current hours, menus, and visit them at: Rec-OutSocal


WELCOME TO LAKE PERRIS SRA 

fb ig YouTube Icon

Connect with us on Social Media!

Travel Advisory

If you’ll be traveling to the park on a weekend during the Summer, consider coming to the park at opening hours.

Opening hours in the Summer is 6:00 a.m.

The park goes into closure to all vehicle traffic when the lake is at boat capacity, 450 vessels, or when all the parking areas are full.

All vehicles must wait in line for park entry. 

No priority can be given to pass holders or to reservations.

State Park admittance and use are subject to available space.

Attention Boaters!

Lake Perris wishes to remind everyone of California's new law requiring boat operators to have a California Boating Card. The card is required for all persons age 45 and under to operate a boat in California's waters, which includes Silverwood Lake, Lake Perris, and all other inland waterways as well.

January 1, 2025 All persons regardless of age

California Boater Card

https://californiaboatercard.com/about-the-card/ 

All vessels entering Lake Perris SRA will be inspected for standing water and quagga mussels. Vessels that fail inspection will not be allowed to launch and may be turned away from the park. Please ensure your vessel is cleaned of vegetation and organic material, drained of any and all standing water (including the outdrive and live wells), and completely dry. Any amount of water found may constitute a failure. 

We do not want you to fail this free inspection!   

Please learn more by visiting Lake Perris Quagga Inspection Information

Did you know that Lake Perris brings educational ADVENTURES directly to your home?

We offer professional, engaging, and fun park videos on our YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram (@lakeperrissra) pages!

Adventures include: Virtual Hikes, Lectures, Jr Ranger Programs, and the popular "Lake Perris Adventures" series!

About Lake Perris

Lake Peris

"A sparkling jewel and a land of mystery..."

The untended areas of Lake Perris may seem rocky and barren at first glance, but an amazing variety of natural wonders are waiting to be found by those who seek them out. The predominant plant community, coastal sage scrub, is home to a variety of birds and wildlife. Mule deer, roadrunners, bobcats, coyotes, cotton tail, jack rabbits, quail, gopher snakes, and rattlesnakes may sometimes be seen by day, though they tend to shy away from people. More frequently seen are a wide variety of lizards, rodents, water fowl, and birds of prey. Beautiful displays of wildflowers occur during the rainy season- generally November through April.

Lake Perris is ringed by various hills and small mountains. The coastal sage scrub community is predominant on the south-facing slopes of the Russell Mountains and Bernasconi Hills and is characterized by shrubby plants including desert encelia, brittlebush, sagebrush, black sage, white sage, buckwheat, and cacti. Conditions are somewhat shadier on hillsides that face north or northwest so that chaparral plants such as chamise, penstemon, and--caution!--poison oak are apt to be found. Remnants of the original perennial grasses that once flourished in this region can still be found in the flat interior of the park surrounding the lake, but the majority of plants that now make up the valley grassland community (including Russian thistle) were imported from Europe by early settlers. Riparian areas near springs and seeps, and on east and south lakes include willows, cattails, elderberry and nettles.Killdeer

Most plants and animals at Lake Perris are well adapted to the hot, dry environment. Chamise leaves are tiny and waxy to maximize water retention when encountering evaporation. Some grasses and wildflowers rush from bloom to seed in just a few short weeks and are able therefore to complete their life cycle within the brief wet season. Kangaroo rats are so well adapted to dry environments that they seldom drink water, and manage to extract the moisture they need directly from their food. The plants and animals of Perris valley have changed considerably over the last two hundred years due to human activity, but the natural history of this area can still intrigue the observant visitor.

Burrowing OwlMore than a hundred different species of birds have been spotted at Lake Perris. Many are migratory, and stop at the park briefly during their travels, while others make their permanent residence here. Larks, loggerhead shrikes, roadrunners, California thrashers, quail, wrens, sparrows, hummingbirds, golden eagles, several varieties of hawks, ospreys, and even bald eagles may be seen. In addition, many varieties of waterfowl use the lake including pintails, widgeons, teals, mallards, shovelers, various geese, and sometimes whistling swans and pelicans. Blacknecked stilts, avocets, killdeer, willets, kingfishers, egrets, and herons are attracted to the water’s edge.

Day and night, hawks and owls are frequently seen hunting for mice, moles, wood rats, and other rodents. These animals provide food not only for hawks, owls, and snakes, but also for coyotes, long-tailed weasels, skunks, badgers, and bobcats. The bike trail offers an easy and convenient way to see some of the birds and other wildlife of Lake Perris. Early morning or dusk are the best times. Ranger-led hikes are conducted during the spring and early summer months.

For your safety, and the safety of the animals please do not harass or interact with the wildlife and always tred carefully.

Gopher Snake


Made with Padlet