The Ameal Moore Nature Center will be closed the weekend of April 20th and 21st. We will resume regular operation hours Thursday, April 25th. Have a wonderful, sunny weekend!
Originally we thought we’d be closed for the weekend of Friday, February 22nd to Sunday, February 24th due to the potential damage of the parking lot. But our lovely Parks staff has reassessed the parking lot and have decided it’s ok to park on! So please come in and visit us this weekend at the Ameal Moore Nature Center during our regularly scheduled open hours of Friday-Sunday 9am-5pm!
Decomposed granite (DG) is a wonderful material and something very special to us at the Ameal Moore Nature Center- it’s what the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park trails and our parking lot are made of. Unfortunately, when it gets over saturated with water, it can become easily damaged and get very large ruts. People are light enough not to bother it but cars are just too heavy. In an effort to conserve the lot, Parks staff had to make the hard call to lock the gates. But after the sun’s come out, it’s been decided it’s ok to park on!
We’d like to thank our City’s staff for their efforts to always preserve our beautiful park and facilities. They do a lot and we appreciate all they do in the early hours of the morning in the cold and rain!
We hope to see you this weekend!
The Ameal Moore Nature Center and the parking lot will be closed February 16th and 17th. Unfortunately, the parking lot has been assessed as being too saturated for cars to drive and park on without causing damage. Parks staff will reassess the lot this week. Updates will be posted as they become available.
The Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park will remain open during regular operating hours of 30 min before sunrise to 30 min after sunset. The staff would like to remind visitors that parking along Central Ave. is not permitted by the City. Staff would like to wish everyone a happy weekend and safe hikes!
The Ameal Moore Nature Center is closed today, Thursday February 14th due to parking lot and park conditions from the rain. Unless otherwise stated, we’ll resume regular hours tomorrow, Friday February 15th 9am-5pm. Thank you!
Happy holidays! The Ameal Moore Nature Center will be closed with all Parks, Recreation and Community Services buildings in observance of the 2018 Thanksgiving holiday Thursday, November 22nd and Friday, November 23rd.
The Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park will still be open and free to all visitors during regular hours (30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset). The nature center will resume regular hours on Saturday November 24th.
Have a wonderful holiday!
The Ameal Moore Nature Center will be closed Friday November 10th and Saturday November 11th in observance of the Veterans Day holiday.
The center will also be closed on Thursday November 23rd and Friday November 24th to observe the Thanksgiving holiday. We will reopen Saturday November 25th.
We wish everyone wonderful holidays!
This past Second Saturdays we focused on the grizzly bear! Grizzly bears are no longer found in California, but educating ourselves about them and their cousins is still both wise and fun.
Grizzlies are found in the northern parts of North America but at one point were as far south as Mexico. Their scientific name Ursus arctos Horribilis translates into horrible bear bear (this is said to be for their character and personality). Though their name suggests a scary animal, grizzlies are excellent for the environment. Grizzlies help with seed distribution, soil improvement, population regulation, and even help feed the birds!
Visitors were invited to make a craft and to learn about grizzly habitat, diet, and just were they all went. If you missed our fun bear day, don’t worry! There’s always something fun coming up at the nature center! Visit our EVENTS page for upcoming programs.
As summer draws to a close we’ve hosted our last summer evening event this past Friday night. For our final Canyon After Dark event we talked all about canine senses! Dogs have some amazing senses that help them function in both the wild and our neighborhoods.
Did you know:
Visitors learned about canine sight, hearing, and smell and got to test out their own senses and learn just how they measure up to a dog’s. If you missed this fun event, don’t fret! There’s always a fun event coming up at the nature center! Visit our EVENTS page to see what’s coming up!
This past Second Saturdays event we focused on fire! Fire has the potential to be a very destructive force, but it is also nature’s tool for renewal and maintenance/disaster prevention! Visitors joined staff at the Ameal Moore Nature Center and learned that fire:
Visitors learned fire information, took the Smokey Bear pledge, received Smokey certificates, and made take home fire benefit booklets on key rings!
If you missed out on this fun event, don’t worry! There’s always another event right around the corner! Our next event will be the last of our summer evening Canyon After Dark series on August 25th from 8-10pm. Join us for a night all about canine senses! Our next Second Saturdays program will be Saturday, September 9th from 11-2pm on Grizzly bears! Check out our EVENTS page for more upcoming events.
Summer is in full swing! Our second Canyon After Dark evening event went great! The Riverside Astronomical Society (RAS) joined us with their telescopes for this fun, family friendly, free night event in the park. If you’ve never seen the rings of Saturn or counted the craters on the moon, we’d suggest you attend one of their events- they’re out of this world! Outside visitors spoke with RAS volunteers and were welcomed to view a number of astronomical bodies through their telescopes while inside visitors made galaxy glow jars to take home.
If you missed this fun event, don’t worry! We’ve got one more Canyon After Dark event coming up next month on August 25th from 8-10pm. Join us as we focus on canines and their senses. Learn about canine sight, smell, and hearing and meet some of our friends from the Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center at this free informational night. Check out our EVENTS page for more upcoming events.