We are on the east side of the lake! This is a very quiet area! Not much to do as it's more of a boat lunch area! read more

Diamond Valley Lake Visitor Center - It's a beautiful day! - Visitor Centers Near Me - Hemet, California

Beautiful place to visit during wildflower season!! I would recommend getting there a bit earlier in case of a warmer day and to beat the crowds. The day that we went, the parking was very full. You have to pay for parking/entering. The views around the lake were lovely and I would recommend checking it out! read more

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The reason I'm giving this place 4 stars is because they charge you to use parking as well as go on the trail. It was $19 for two of us. $4 each to go on the trail and then $11 to park. I get the parking but to go on the actual trail where there's hardly any wildflowers? Absolutely absurd. And they have multiple workers on the trail checking tickets. As of 4/27/24 there is a small patch of poppy's before you get to the 'wildflower trail' and then one here and there but not an abundance like you see on social media and definitely none you can take photos with, which I didn't care about. I wanted to take photos OF the flowers. There are a few others but they're scattered and very few. The most I saw was brittle bush and caterpillar phacellia. If you're looking for a place to take a walk, this was a good spot. There's no shade, a few tables around the trail if you want to take a break or have a picnic. And I'd highly suggest going to the restroom before you hit the trail because there's only porter potties and I wouldn't even step foot in em. Always remember to stay on the trail and keep the area clean! I picked up quite a few pieces of trash that had clear signs of animal bites. They're wild animals- keep them wild! read more

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A beautiful lake with beautiful views. Unfortunately, you have to pay to hike the trails on the property. I'm not sure the prize as we didn't stop to see. We visited two lakes this day both diamond Valley Lake and Paris Lake. I know Skinner Lake is close byas well. read more

Today, we decided to go on a walkabout adventure. Today was not about fishing but walking. We went left and walked down to the end of the dam and back. My advice is for you to make yourself go pee before going across the dam because there is not a porta-potty in sight on the other end. The most interesting thing I saw was all of the scat and paw prints. There are some big coyotes out here somewhere because their poop is everywhere the further you go toward the mountains. We saw an approx 20lb dead flathead catfish floating by the edge. There are solar charged cameras all down the road also, not sure why they are pointed away from the lake but okay. Do not go farther than you can walk because even if you are hurt they (security trucks) will NOT give you a ride back due to liability issues (Isn't that what a waiver is for? Lol). Make sure to bring water with you. I love hanging out with my husband and on him to help me walk back. I wonder if there are any geo caching spots up here? Happy trails my fellow walkers! read more

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**March 2023: Sunday Morning Visit** I'm behind on my reviews but I really enjoyed seeing the poppies and wildflowers at Diamond Valley Lake. My friend and I visited one Sunday in March and drove in at around 10:30am. There was already a pretty long line of cards (methinks 30+?). I think we got in at around 10:45am. Tips -$11 per car -$4 per person for trail -Porta Potty available The flowers were very beautiful and I got to take many photos/videos of the blooms. Highly recommend! read more

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Parking: $11; plenty available We did the Wildflower Trail ($4 per person), which was carpeted with bright orange, yellow, and purple flowers throughout the landscape. You're given a brochure to help you identify them upon entering. In terms of flora, definitely the most beautiful hike I've been on! Just know no pets are allowed, and there are bugs EVERYWHERE. They're mainly tiny and don't bite. Just a bit of a nuisance to walk through, although some areas had more than others. Porta Potties available. read more

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April 16th 10:30am arrival, about 15 cars waiting but moved fast. Definitely worth heading over to see the wild flowers! $11 per car $4 per person for trail Port a potty available Bring bug spray Sunscreen Hat Water Umbrella for shade Backpack if carrying snacks Camera/charged phone Gym shoes Trail can accommodate strollers but not paved No pets Enjoy!! read more

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Went to Diamond Valley yesterday to do the wildflower trail which is open for the spring. It was worth while loop trail. Got in a good workout on the 2 mile trail but the wildflower have not really bloomed yet. All the videos I have been seeing seem to be from last year. But the customer service at the visitors center was great, very friendly, and the fishing seems plentiful, everyone seemed to be there for that specifically. read more

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The lake is nice, the water is clear and is peaceful but in order to fish you have to go down a slope/trail/hill. Unless you have a boat then you will use the ramp. My parents like to fish so I came to this lake to fish not to climb slopes , hills ect. In order for you to go fishing you have to go down a slope. My elderly parents had some difficulties but definitely I don't recommend this place if you think there is no climbing. We managed to go down the slope/hill but there was some branches around the water area so we had some issues with the fishing lines and at the end one got stuck We didn't catch anything we only saw another couple at the beginning and it seemed they didn't have any fish. They do have porta potties around the trail so that's nice. Overall, I think this place is nice to fish if you have a boat or if you want to just walk around and see the area. I think this place is a bit overpriced and when I asked to see if they have any discount like military or senior discounts the lady at the front desk said no (which I think is crazy cause the majority of places have some type of discount) Again, the views are nice and is very peaceful but I don't recommend this place if you are just looking into go regular fishing. read more

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Beautiful wild flowers with the deep blue lake and mountain in the back drop. Perfect place to hike and take in the scenic view! read more

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The hype around DVL's super bloom was not overrated. It was my first time here and it did not disappoint. You don't need to go on much of a hike to see the flowers. I was scared there would be Disneyland crowds after reading the Yelp reviews but thankfully, we didn't have to wait in a line. We went last Thursday at 4:30pm so it may have also been less crowded because the super-bloom has been going on for awhile with the longer than usual storms we've had so people probably went to see it early. Anyways, take a deep breath & smell the flowers! read more

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Definitely worth a visit. We went near closing time during one of the heat waves (8/6/23), so we had to cut our visit short. When the weather cools down, we look forward to checking out the trails, but on this visit, we parked & walked up the paved path to the top of the hill. Beautiful views of the lake & new developing parts of Winchester. Interesting to see how this whole valley will look in 20 years. Bottom line: free to visit, but closes around 4:00pm.. maybe hours change during different seasons, but not sure. Check it out if you're looking for outdoor things to do. read more

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I made the long haul from the SFV because DVL has the best bloom around. You never know the true story of pix online, but I'm happy to say that this season DVL has one of, if not the best, bloom and it was worth the drive. There are A TON of people heading there to see the bloom, so I got there early and was maybe 20 cars back in line once I arrived, but I was amazed at how positive and professional the single person in the booth was despite the very long line behind me and that was a very positive start to the day. The parking lot is large and the trails are very well kept. I arrived early, so it wasn't quite Disneyland crowds yet, but everyone on the trail seem to be respectful of each other and sharing the path as well as pausing or leaving room for people to take their photos; even with the large crowds, you can still get very good photos without having to wait for people to get out of the way. read more

Review from 03-26-23 COME EARLY IN THE DAY OTHERWISE YOU WONT GET IN. I learned my lesson. I came by 4:30 PM, sunset is at 7:04 PM, but the line to get into the park is way too long at that point, not moving (see my photos), and you will have to turn around and leave. They also close the park gates at 6PM, even though sunset is currently at 7:04 PM. You do not want to get locked in because they will fine and tow you. Because I could not get into the park at the top, I exited the first set of gates, parked near the sign (see photos), and I decided just to walk in the gates just a small amount to see a small patch of poppy flowers. The road that you can walk to get to the top of the mountain where you pay to enter is VERY FAR, so it's not really walkable. It's miles long. I wanted to just walk 30-50 feet inside the lower gates to see a patch from the side of the road, and a white, male employee in a white truck stopped to tell me they were closing the gates in 45 minutes, so I had to be out by then. I told him okay and I kept walking about 20 feet more. He decided to park his truck on the side of the road just 40 feet in front of me so that I could not walk any farther. I wasn't planning to anyway, but he hovered over my partner and I while we were simply taking photos of flowers from the side of the road. We did not step into the grass or on any flowers, ever. We respect nature and know you aren't supposed to step into the flowers, just look. The man drove away for a minute to close half of the entry/exit gates so no more people would come back, then he drove over again and parked closer in front of us. I definitely was not a fan of this man hovering over us. We only stayed for 15 minutes, and we left by 5:05 PM, an entire hour before the gates were going to close. It was weird this employee hovered like this, and did not make us feel welcome. We are an LGBT couple, if that was part of it. The flowers were beautiful and I would love to come back, I just hope the employees leave us alone next time. read more

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This is a late post for 4/2/23 Diamond Valley Lake hiking. Beautiful day with beautiful view, it was expected to wait in the line with the crowds. Hiking was a bit short but the scenery was priceless! read more

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This is a hidden gem. I hesitated on writing a review as I don't want everyone to know how beautiful this lake is...but.... We are frequent visitors to another Lake that is nearby and head about Diamond Valley Lake from a staff member at the other lake. And wow was she right, this place is BEAUTIFUL and so peaceful! We made a reservation for a boat online, and showed up at 7am. Easy to find, easy to park, easy to get situated on the boat, easy to get out on the water. I can not explain how peaceful it was ON A SATURDAY! There were a few other fishing boats, and a couple speed boats, but it was so quite. So quiet that we could hear the high school ROTC group who came to hike singing, laughing and occasionally doing their chants. There are even floating restrooms if you need to go! The waster was SO clear you could see stright down to the bottom. It was a warm day (about 85 degrees outside and water 60), but there was a breeze! The staff there is amazing. VERY helpful, VERY good at communicating with you (while giving directions of the lake etc)...just an awesome day! We will def be back soon! read more

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Just lucked up and found this beautiful lake. From the reviews I missed Wildflower season but nonetheless, the scenery of this hidden gem was relaxing and peaceful. Not sure the pricing for fishing but parking is $11 and to hike is $4 per person. The trail itself is 21.8 miles total. That would be hard no for me lol, but have at it for all my runners out there. Smooth, wide dirt trail with a small incline, wasn't woodsy at all which I loved most. Didn't have to worry about my legs getting scrapped from bushes. It was a great exercise, my daughter ran for awhile and she enjoyed the view of the lake. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, park your car at the park and walk up the road going towards the lake. It's a 1.3mile steep incline that'll definitely work the butt and thighs!! I'll be trying this route the next time. read more

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The LA Times is right: Diamond Valley Lake offers fantastic wildflower viewing! As of mid-March 2019, the rolling hills overlooking this picturesque man-made reservoir are dotted with vivid superbloom fields of flowers. FLOWERS (5/5) For sheer volume and variety of flora, Diamond Valley Lake beats out Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, Carlsbad Flower Fields, and Anza-Borrego. Also, the lake views and flowers made for an irresistible combination! I especially appreciated the handy wildflower guide handed out with ticket purchase: http://www.dvlake.com/Wildflowers.pdf. Our group saw: - Purple Canterbury bells, Arroyo lupine, blue dicks, and chia - Yellow California goldfields, brittlebush, rancher's fiddleneck, and tidy tips - Orange California poppies: arrive between 9am-3pm when these gorgeous blooms are open - Bright baby blue eyes - Light pink caterpillar phacelia - Pink red maids - White forget me nots TRAIL (5/5) Total length for the main wildflower trail loop is 1.8 miles, including the .4 mile in and out trail to and from the parking lot and the actual 1-mile loop. The hike/stroll is easy to moderate. It's also dusty, unshaded, full of swarms of gnats at the top, and has uneven uphill parts that looked to be a struggle for families with strollers and younger tots. Good walking/hiking shoes, water, and a hat and sunscreen if you burn easily will go a long way! LOGISTICS AND VALUE (4/5) With traffic, expect a 2.5-3 hour drive from Los Angeles. Based on other online reviews of DVL and the "poppy apocalypse" at nearby Lake Elsinore, we arrived mid-afternoon prepared to wait for 20-40+ minutes to enter the pay parking lot. Luck was on our side, though. There was no line at the pay booth! Entry fees are $10/car for parking plus $3/person for trail access. The booth is cash-only, but the small general store on the parking lot will sell you a parking pass and tickets for credit card payment. Multiple staff were on hand to direct parking, collect payment, check tickets, and keep visitors from straying from designated trails. We thoroughly enjoyed our day of wildflower viewing! NOTE: Dogs are not allowed at Diamond Valley Lake. We saw one or two dogs - assuming they were service animals. read more

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#superbloom2019! We decided to come to diamond valley lake to observe all the CA wildflowers from the recent rains. w/ some careful research - we found Diamond Valley lake! and what a great experience it was. PROS: - greeters prior to toll booth - explained the process to follow - plenty of parking [ $10 per car ] - admission [ $ 3 per person ] - bathroom facility near parking lot and porta potties through the loop hike - pamphlet explaining with names and pictures of all the flowers. here is the link: http://www.dvlake.com/Wildflowers.pdf - beautiful view of the lake - attendants - monitoring to ensure people are not damaging the flowers CONS: - not enough benches throughout hike ;) map trail found here: http://www.dvlake.com/DVLTrailsMapFlower.pdf TIPS: arrive early, could get warm later in the day, bring water and snacks and pack a light lunch. read more

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No Super bloom this year! But it's still nice place hike around Diamond Valley Lake. There are a few patches of wild flower along the trail. I had taken some pictures and shared them here along with this review. Getting there was a long drive from LA. But once you get there, you will be relax with the beautiful surrounding of nature. Before heading to the trail, you need to pay for entrance fees and parking at the DVM store. There is also toilet facility next to the store. The hike is uphill and there is a close loop hike that's specifically designed for wild flower viewing. Once you hike about 5 minutes into the trail, you will see a sign of " Wild Flower Trail". It's a one way hiking trail. Even though there is no super bloom this year with lack of rain so far, I was able to see some patches of wild flowers that are native to California. You can get a brochure from the store and be able to learn a bit more about the flowers. Besides the wild flower, the lake scenery is very pretty. I believe you can rent a boat and cruise around the lake. I saw many people brought their own boats. I am sure this place would be packed on the weekends with temperature expected to go up in the 80s. It's a worthy trip to make on a weekend. But coming from LA, it was a long drive for us. When this place is in super bloom season, it would be definitely a place to visit. read more

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Very disappointed after driving more than a hour to this place and found no flowers to see at all, and "wildflower" trail is so naked no shades from trees got sun burn and nothing to enjoy in the trail, $19 for 2 people and my car is waste of money and my gasoline, I can rate 0 star if possible. Don't go! read more

We visited the visitor center yesterday. It is a small museum, but it is full of so much information and history on the area as well as the lake and where the water comes from. The decoration is really neat, there are 3 mermaids as soon as you enter. Then in the main area of the museum they have giant lilies, fish, frogs, birds, all kinds of animals and plants. My children enjoyed this museum. They have kinetic sand and other hands on things for kids, as well as interactive videos. Also it is Free! read more

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Very nice place... worth the wait to get in. Grounds were well kept. If you need to use the restroom make sure you do that before you get here. There was a dog left outside of a car- locked in a kennel..... and it was hot. Thankfully some nice people gave the poor dog water and moved it into the shade.... when we let staff know they didn't seem to care much and that left a bad taste in my mouth. Do you think its acceptable to leave a dog in a parking lot black top ? - in a small kennel - tons of cars zooming around and temps between 80- 90. I don't. read more

Diamond Valley Lake Visitor Center - Not cool - Visitor Centers Near Me - Hemet, California

I went to see if there was any wild flower bloom in April and unfortunately went on a glommy day. Poppies only bloom when it's sunny and towards the late morning so we did not see any. The trails had gnats everywhere so it was not very enjoyable to walk. I did like the wildflower loop is very easy to walk and very easy to find from the parking lot. There is a fee per person and also the car fee. read more

I am in love w this place.This is my first time to see super bloom.I did research before I decided .So I end up here and impressed. Because I like the flower w the lake background,easy Parking ,nice hiking trails and not too crowded. Can't wait to go back ! read more

Diamond Valley Lake Visitor Center - Visitor Centers Near Me - Hemet, California

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Such a beautiful place! Highly recommend. Can go at your own pace. Not difficult. Flowers were wonderful. read more

Diamond Valley Lake Visitor Center - Visitor Centers Near Me - Hemet, California

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No dogs allowed?!? Not even on leashes?!? You idiots have to be kidding, right?!? Many reservoirs in Southern California do not allow dogs in the water (obviously) but don't BAN ALL DOGS! Thank God I read the rules before I took the drive... oh, and this ridiculous rule spreads to the hiking trails as well you guys are a joke! read more

I found affordable boat rental options, place to fish, no over-crowding, clean & stocked public restroom, and although the lake is manmade I saw MANY native scenic nature views and sounds made possible by the lake being protected as a native wildlife sanctuary refuge location. read more

Very well organized program to see wildflowers They're still in bloom no crowd on Thursday read more

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This lake is gorgeous and definitely worth a visit. The superbloom was an extra treat! Bring water and a hat- there is no shade or covering on the trail! There is a small store before the trail that sells drinks and granola bars but save money and bring your own. They were charging $13 cash for parking but if you have card they let you drive thru and trust that you will pay in the store. They don't check the cars for parking passes tho so if you don't pay in the store you should be fine. $13 is pretty steep IMO and they were definitely cashing in on all the superbloom crowds. We didn't pay and were fine ;) Superbloom was beautiful! Be mindful of the no trespassing signs and watch for rattlesnakes- we saw a few when we were walking the trail! read more

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This is the most beautiful place to hike and enjoy the blooming wild flowers. Beautiful trail and 360 degrees view on the valley and lake, the trails are marked and staff are on site, 5/6$ per person. read more

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This is a hidden gem in Hemet. The Science Center is large and very interesting. The lake up the hill from the Visitors Center has a daily charge for the parking lot with the fee paid at the store. The store rents an array of boats with special rates on Wednesday's. Bass fishing year round and large trout planted in the winter months. A Trail and fishing fee is required to pay for stocking and Trail maintenance. This year had a spectacular wildflower show in March. Possibly the best in the West. read more

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Some things worth mentioning specifically for the wildflower trail: We went this past Sunday (3/17/19) around 12 noon and there was a line of cars waiting to get into the parking lot-we waited about 20 minutes to get in. Plenty of parking; they've got a large lot. When we left around 2pm, the line getting in was longer...about 40 mins I'd say. There were tons of people but many were respectful of staying on trail, throwing trash in bins, etc. There were a few porta potties spread out along the trail and staff walking around making sure everyone was following rules. Also a few picnic tables spread out along the trail. Although there were lots of people, I never felt that it was too crowded or chaotic. Loved how they provided a pamphlet that listed the types of flowers to look out for and a description of them. And yes, the hills were covered with wildflowers and the backdrops of the lake and snow capped mountains made them even better. Highly recommend going, just get there early or go on a weekday. read more

Diamond Valley Lake Visitor Center - Parking lot - Visitor Centers Near Me - Hemet, California

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Pay for parking inside the convenience store. In addition, its $2 per person. Came on a Friday afternoon (they close the trails at around 6pm, I believe) and it wasn't crowded at all. Not sure how it's like on the weekends, esp with the superbloom crowd. It's a bit of a walk upwards into the wildflower trail with lots of loose sand and rocks, so dress appropriately! I wore sandals and it was difficult to say the least! Lots of park benches to eat while enjoying the view. The superbloom was amazing and I'm definitely lucky I got to see it. I took my grad photos here and the view was beautiful! Lots of pretty areas to take pictures. read more

Diamond Valley Lake Visitor Center - Visitor Centers Near Me - Hemet, California

Beautiful place to visit and very informative host and people. I was in the area and visited the museum and was greeted very well and informed on all to look at and what to start seeing. Will be returning to visit the lake and see poppy flowers. read more

I was there around three weeks ago. Lucky to see the flower bloom. It's fantastic view, lake, flower with beautiful sky . Have taken several photos . Great hiking place . It took me around 1 hour to drive there from San Diego but worth it . read more

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I love Diamond Valley Lake, especially when the flowers are in bloom. It can be a tough lake to fish if you don't know where to go, but when you figure it out it is rewarding. If you get their when they open the sunrise is amazing. read more

Diamond Valley Lake Visitor Center - Visitor Centers Near Me - Hemet, California

Nice biking trail along the lake. Thank you for having those canopy at rest area (picnic area). The lady at the marina shop was friendly and knowledgeable. Be back there again soon..!!! read more

Out of My Favorite Riverside County lakes, this one being the newest is a great Scenic place and lots of mixed sized Bass too. Some use their boats other fish from the shores(like Me). Some of the shores are slippery and you can land in the water with feet sliding off small rocks. (So be careful)Hiking around this lake is nice too. You can bicycle on the Dam like I did. read more