Sycamore Creek Interpretive Center  will  be open on Fridays and Saturdays. Any Fridays or Saturdays that we will need to close or have modified hours, will be posted to our Facebook page and website. See below for our monthly calendar.  Please check our website and Facebook page for updates. We apologize for any inconvenience and ask for your patience as we deal with staffing shortages and additional staff commitments. 

The mission of Sycamore Creek Interpretive Center is to cultivate environmental understanding and stewardship through engaging educational experiences that empower all of us to live more sustainably.  

The center is a re-purposed model home trailer, which originally served as the sales office for Sycamore Creek housing development. Our building houses indoor exhibits, displays, nature based learning activities and touch tables to inspire curiosity and engage both young and old in scientific thought and discovery. Staff is continuously developing educational programming about the local flora, fauna, ecosystem interactions, and the Santa Ana River Watershed. School programming, community workshops, and summer programs for youth are also available.

Please contact the center or follow us on Facebook (SCICTV) for more information.

Center Calendar.

Agents of Discovery

Are you looking for a new way to get your kids to interact with the outdoors? Do they always seem to be on their phones? The platform Agents of Discovery, has come up with a way for people of all ages to learn about the world around them while utilizing the power of smart phones. This educational augmented reality app allows individuals, families, students, homeschoolers and anyone else with access to a smart phone to delve into the world of secret agents and embark on place based environmentally centered missions. As an agent, users will work their way through various missions while learning, achieving badges and earning rewards. Agents can find and complete missions placed at parks, nature centers, museums and many other locations all over the world. And now we have missions coming to our Sycamore Creek Interpretive Center! Thanks to a generous grant our center will host two Agents of Discovery missions year. Agents, for your first mission, come help us celebrate Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday, with the Smokey Bear Mission. Search for the Riverside-Corona Smokey Bear. This mission focuses on fire and urban wildland interface.  Agents who successfully complete this mission, are eligible for a Smokey Bear activity book and Happy Birthday Smokey button. Prizes can be claimed during normal business hours. Please see our website, or our Facebook page, SCICTV, for current hours of operation. Agents, if you decide to accept this mission, download the Agents of Discovery app and begin completing missions today!

Community Science

Sycamore Creek Interpretive Center serves as a Community Science Outpost and resource center of the Santa Ana Watershed Community Science Network. The Santa Ana Community Science Network is a  collaborative and community-based effort to organize and train community members of all ages to become community scientists and participate in hands-on science projects that help protect the Santa Ana  Watershed and its ecosystems. Visit SCIC today to help gather scientific data for real science projects occurring throughout our watershed and all over the world. 

Sycamore Creek Preserve

Sycamore Creek Interpretive Center is situated on Sycamore Creek Preserve, which offers inspiring views of the Santa Ana Mountains and the Cleveland National Forest. The preserve functions as a critical corridor between the national forest and the Estelle Mountains. The SCIC provides information about Sycamore Creek Preserve, which is part of a conservation easement held by the RCRCD. This easement is part of the RCRCD's continuing efforts to conserve and protect our natural resources. 

The preserve is home to a variety of habitats including a riparian corridor with a flood control sediment basin. From our deck visitors can view the seasonal Indian Creek, which drains into Temescal Wash, a major tributary to the Santa Ana River. In addition to riparian habitat, the preserve is comprised of other sensitive habitats, such as southern oak woodland, coastal sage scrub and chaparral. These habitats offer refuge to many species of flora and fauna, some of which are rare or endangered. Both the rare Munz’s Onion and California Gnatcatcher have been observed in the upland habitats. Focused monitoring of vegetative cover, species diversity and wildlife help staff assess the health of the preserve and reach long term management goals. 

About Us

Hours:

Fridays and Saturdays from 9am-3pm. (Closed holidays)

Sycamore Creek Interpretive Center is open on Fridays and Saturdays. We are closed on all major holidays. Any Fridays or Saturdays we will need to be closed or have modified hours, will be posted on our monthly calendar. Please check our website and Facebook page for updates. We apologize for any inconvenience and ask for your patience as we deal with staffing shortages. 

Location:

11875 Indian Truck Trail

Temescal Valley, CA 92883 

Find us directly off the Indian Truck Trail exit of the 15 fwy, at the intersection of Indian Truck Trail and Campbell Ranch Rd. Look for the boulder lined driveway.

Contact:

SCIC@rcrcd.org

Interpretive Center-(951) 277-0219 (line currently unavailable, please call main office)

RCRCD Main Office-(951) 683-7691 ext. 218