Silverwood Wildlife Sanctuary
Lakeside, CA
By Simir Shah
★★★★★4.6(59 Google reviews)
A 785-acre sanctuary of chaparral and riparian woodland with more than 120 recorded bird species, plus deer and bobcats. Open just two days a week and strictly no dogs — bring binoculars, and check for heat closures before driving out Wildcat Canyon Road.
Happening near here
- Santee Certified Farmers MarketSantee · 8 mi · 3pm–7pmFree
- Ramona Farmers' MarketRamona · 9 mi · 9am–1pmFree
- Poway Farmers MarketPoway · 10 mi · 8am–1pmFree
- Downtown El Cajon Certified Farmers' MarketEl Cajon · 10 mi · 3pm–7pmFree
13003 Wildcat Canyon Rd, Lakeside, CA 92040, USA
Hours via Google — confirm before a special trip.
Free
Map
What visitors say
- Rahima Clevers★★★★★
Such a beautiful sanctuary tucked in to the local hillside. We went for the flowers but stayed for the bobcat!
2 months ago
- Daniel Neale (DSeerpropheticT.I.)★★★★★
I love this place. great for hiking, massive views, steep hikes, very educational. Philip Lambert, is a very hard worker, silverwood's resident manager. I've never seen anybody work harder. I have volunteered out here and I'm a very hard worker, but Phill, he puts me to shame. The pictures below are from our Trail clearing just a few months ago, while I was volunteering. Sincerely. Daniel Neale.
2 years ago
- Vien R. Guenther★★★★★
One of the best places to hike in San Diego County. The trails are well-maintained, interesting chaparral, huge rocks and fantastic views. My husband and I hade a great day exploring the trails.
3 years ago
- Samantha Kelly★★★★★
We had an absolutely wonderful experience at Silverwood! Our guided tour with Dylan was truly outstanding. He was incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and so kind to our kids. As homeschoolers studying the chaparral, this was the perfect hands-on learning day. Dylan taught us how to identify animal prints and scat, helped us explore native plants, and even provided binoculars for bird-watching—such a thoughtful touch that made the experience even more engaging. We learned so much and left feeling inspired. Highly recommend Silverwood and especially Dylan for any families looking for an enriching outdoor education experience!
8 months ago
- marquist cooper★★★★★
I don't know how to best describe this place. I'm not much of a hiker, birder, a trail Blazer or a plant guy, but after taking that tour and talking when the the staff I think I could have have found a new passion. I don't want to tell anymore because I think that being on site tells so much more than any pictures I e posted or reviews online. The tour guide draws you in and explains at a very fast detailed level (So be sure to ask questions about everything and regret nothing). I couldn't type fast enough and think you should take an audio/video recording just to go back over. It was fun. You will see what I mean when you get there.
7 years ago
Reviews from Google · See more on Google Maps
Nearby places
Love finding spots like this?
Get our best family things to do near you in one weekly email — free outings, weekend picks and local tips. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.