North County : Chino Hills State Park Open for the Summer

Chino Hills State Park--with more than 9,700 acres of rolling hills, wide grasslands and oak woodlands--will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through Sept. 7, park officials announced.

The state’s largest urban-area park remains undeveloped, providing a nearby escape from the surrounding sprawl for hikers, campers, picnickers and horseback riders.

Eight primitive campsites, picnic tables, hiking trails and an equestrian staging area are available in the park.

Getting there takes some concentration. Take California 71 north from the Riverside Freeway, then turn left on Pomona Rincon Road. (From the north, take a right on Los Serranos Road, then a quick left on Pomona Rincon.)

After half a mile, watch for a brickyard and a mailbox for the Rolling M Ranch. Head west two miles on the dirt road there. Day use is $2 for each vehicle, $1 for each horse and 50 cents for each dog. Overnight camping costs $3.

For more information, call the park at (714) 597-1541 on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.