| Chino Hills | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | San Juan Hill |
| Elevation | 1,781 ft (543 m) |
| Geography | |
  Chino Hills Chino Hills (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Country | United States of America |
| State | California |
| District | San Bernardino County |
| Range coordinates | 33°56′2.051″N117°44′16.199″W / 33.93390306°N 117.73783306°W /33.93390306; -117.73783306 |
| Topo map | USGS Prado Dam |
TheChino Hills (/ˈtʃiːnoʊ/CHEE-noh;chino beingSpanish for 'curly')[2] are amountain range on the border ofOrange,Los Angeles, andSan Bernardino counties,California, with a small portion inRiverside County.Chino Hills State Park preserves open space andhabitat in them.[3]
The Chino Hills are separated from theSanta Ana Mountains to the south by theSanta Ana River (Santa Ana Canyon). On the northwest,Brea Canyon separates the Chino Hills from thePuente Hills.[4] To the north of the Puente Hills andSan Jose Creek lie theSan Jose Hills.[5] The onlypaved road crossing the Chino Hills isCarbon Canyon Road (State Route 142).[4]
The Chino Hills are in theCalifornia chaparral and woodlandsecoregion of theCalifornia Floristic Province. TheCalifornia native plants here are in thechaparral andoak woodlandplant communities, with remnant stands ofnative grasses of California.
On July 29, 2008, amagnitude 5.4earthquake was located 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Chino Hills that was felt throughoutSouthern California and felt as far east as theLas Vegas Valley and as far south asSan Diego. It occurred at 11:42 amPDT and caused structural damage to buildings, including to St. Jude Centers for Rehabilitation and Wellness and to thePomona City Hall.Water mains were ruptured in limited areas ofLos Angeles, and superficial damage was done to the facades of businesses and other buildings. Many businesses, includingWal-Mart, reported damage to merchandise which was knocked to the floor andSouth Coast Plaza inCosta Mesa suffered damage to a portion of the ceiling which was knocked to the chair of a restaurant.
There were reports of minor injuries but no fatalities.[6]
Thecliff swallows ofMission San Juan Capistrano nest in Chino Hills. Thousands of the small birds, up from 'wintering' inArgentina, have built their mud nests in the eaves of the Vellano Country Club, a community situated around agolf course in the hills.[7]
