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Cleveland National Forest
California

California's southernmost national forest, the Cleveland National Forest, protects a unique, irreplaceable ecosystem. A warm, dry Mediterranean climate prevails over the forest - hot in the summer, mild in the winter. Most of the forest vegetation is chaparral, predominantly coastal sage, chamise, manzanita, and ceanothus. There are magnificent oaks in meadows and along the streams, and Jeffrey and Coulter pine forests at the higher elevations. The land is a haven for more than 20 threatened and endangered plants and animals - this forest is on the front lines of the war to preserve our planet's biodiversity. It is managed to preserve and protect ecosystems so that the habitat necessary for the health and survival of all native species exists.

Cleveland National Forest
Fry Creek campground

The Cleveland is home to the Santa Ana Mountains and San Mateo Wilderness, nearly 40,000 acres of rugged southern California chaparral wildland with steep canyons. Wilderness areas within the Cleveland include the Aqua Tibia, Hauser, Pine Creek, and the San Mateo Canyon.

From high flowered meadows to centuries-old stands of Jeffrey pine to the remarkable color palette of chaparral/oak hillsides, the Cleveland offers landscapes that beckon the hiker, mountain biker, birder, and horse-trail rider.


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