Kaweah Oaks Preserve
A 324-acre preserve protects one of the last remaining valley oak riparian
forests in the San Joaquin Valley.

This 324-acre preserve protects one of the last remaining valley oak riparian forests in the San Joaquin Valley, where the Yokut Indian tribes once harvested their acorns. It is where four creeks carrying water from the Sierra converge. The same landscape once covered 400 square miles in the Kaweah, Tule and Kern River Deltas and now only exists in small pockets. The park contains Deep Creek, a natural tributary of the Kaweah River.

Kaweah Oaks was preserved through the efforts of local citizens who realized the land’s biological and historical value. It was purchased in 1983 with help from The Nature Conservancy, and today it is maintained by the Sequoia Riverlands Trust who manages the preserve for research, public enjoyment, education, and livestock grazing. The cows you will see grazing at Kaweah Oaks Preserve are being used as a conservation tool to help promote native plant communities and discourage non-native, invasive plants. By carefully controlling the number of grazers and the amount of time livestock are allowed to stay in each pasture, native plant communities can benefit from grazing. Sequoia Riverlands Trust also leads curriculum-based, educational tours for over 1,000 students annually, and biology students from local high schools and colleges use the preserve throughout the year as a living laboratory.

Kaweah Oaks Preserve is home to more than 300 plant and animal species including the gray fox, great horned owl, Nuttall’s woodpecker, wood duck, great blue herons, red-tailed hawks, wild grapevines, native blackberries, willow thickets, sycamores and majestic valley oaks. For a checklist of native and introduced birds – click here.

There are four easy self-guided trails – each less than a mile in length.

* The Sycamore Trail: ¾ mile. This trail features the grandeur of California Sycamore trees, which are usually found along waterways. Himalayan blackberries, and cone flowers are common along this trail. The Sycamore Trail also features a nature observation/seating area for visitors to enjoy the sounds of nature.

* The Swamp Trail: 7/8 mile.  During wet years, this trail boasts a freshwater pond with willow trees and pond turtles. During dry years, when the pond is no more than a seep, observe California wild grapes, blackberries, and magnificent Valley Oaks.

* The Grapevine Trail: ¼ mile.  This trail features trellises of three-story-high California grape vines growing up into the canopies of valley oak trees.  Look for ripening grapes as you hike this trail.

* The Wild Rose Trail: 1/3 mile. For part of the year, enjoy the fragrance of wild roses along this trail.  The trail also provides opportunities to observe wild grapes and valley oaks.

Amenities include parking, picnic tables, trail benches and restrooms.  Please tread lightly. It is open the public year-round, from sunrise to sunset. Admission is free, but Sequoia Riverlands Trust uses donations to keep the Preserve open to the public and to preserve other land. Please note that The Sequoia Riverlands Trust prohibits horses, dogs, firearms, audible music equipment, bicycles, fireworks, fishing, hunting, fires, and collecting of plants, animals or wood.
Kaweah Oaks Preserve is located on Road 182, about 7 miles east of downtown Visalia, via hwy. 198. Drive north on Hwy. 182 one-half mile. The parking lot is on the west side of the road. Walk past the gate to enter.

To find out more about the Sequoia Riverlands Trust and to listen to a SouthwestBlend.com radio interview with Erica Tootle  - Click Here.

For more information contact the Sequoia Riverlands Trust at (559) 738-0211 or visit www.sequoiariverlands.org

Special Programs & Events at Kaweah Oaks Preserve – 2008