Historic Dam to Santiago Creek Trail (Santiago Oaks Regional Park)
Historic Dam to Santiago Creek Trail is just one part of Santiago Oaks Regional Park:
Santiago Oaks is filled with various trails to explore, Nature Center, restrooms (in front of the playground), small playground and picnic area with BBQs.
After the Canyon fire in 2017 some of the stairs & trails were closed – Windes and Pacifica Trails are back open to the public.
To try the kid friendly 1 mile nature loop with that leads to a Dam with a small waterfall with turtles, fish and water snakes and then leads to the steeping stones to cross the creek –
There are two ways to take the loop to get to the two main features of the trail:
To see the Dam & Waterfall first:
Start in the parking lot and follow the ramp up into the park. You will find the Nature Center and restrooms with playground behind. Picnic tables below.
Within the picnic tables you will see an entrance in between the wood fence to go down. Follow this and turn right onto Historic Dam Trail.
Follow this along the creek to the few stairs down to the Dam with the waterfall (it was lightly flowing when we went). Look for turles, fish and water snakes.
Follow this trail and take the stairs up. Go the right & where you see the information sign you will see a look out of the Dam from the top.
Turn back around and head left from the stairs to continue the path. This will lead to the stepping stones across the creek. Over the stones and head up into the parking lot.
To do the stepping stones first:
Look for a set of picnic tables in the middle of the parking lot, follow the dirt trail down to the stepping stone (short walk from the parking lot).
Go over the stepping stones and turn right and follow the path and turn down at the stairs by the Dam and take that back around and go up into the picnic table area.
Restrooms, playground and short walk to the right to the Nature Center here.
Parking:
Pay at the parking booth as you enter $3 Monday – Friday & $5 Saturday & Sunday
Parking lot with Orange groves
- Dog & horses welcome here
- Gazebo & events/wedding area
- Ampitheater
- Bird watching
- Horse shoes