Box Springs Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Box Springs Mountain |
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 Box Springs Mountain
Location in California
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,083 ft (940 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 1,160 ft (354 m) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Riverside County, California, United States |
| Parent range | Box Springs Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Riverside East |
Box Springs Mountain is the tallest peak in the Box Springs Mountains range. It stands about 3,083 feet (940 meters) high. This mountain is located in northwestern Riverside County, in Southern California. It is a very noticeable landmark in the area.
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Exploring Box Springs Mountain's Location
Box Springs Mountain sits just east of downtown Riverside. It is also northwest of Moreno Valley. The mountain acts as a natural boundary between these two large cities.
Most of the mountain is part of the Box Springs Mountain Reserve. This park covers about 1,155 acres (4.67 square kilometers). The county manages this special area.
UC Riverside also helps manage a part of the Box Springs Reserve. This section is next to their campus. It is part of the University of California Natural Reserve System. This reserve protects a special area where two types of plant communities meet. These are coastal sage scrub and chamise chaparral.
Because the mountain is one of the most visible spots in the Inland Empire area, its top is used for many communication towers. These towers help send out radio signals. For example, they are used by radio stations like KOLA 99.9 and KGGI 99.1.
The Story Behind Box Springs Mountain's Name
Box Springs Mountain got its name around the 1880s. Back then, people driving horse-drawn wagons would stop at a natural spring on the mountain. They would let their horses drink water there. One teamster built a wooden box around the spring. This helped keep the water clean and easy to reach. This "box spring" then gave its name to the nearby town, Box Springs, and later to the mountain range itself.
The "Big C" on the Mountain
You can see a large letter "C" on the side of the mountain that faces Riverside. This "Big C" was built in 1957. Most of the work was done by students from UC Riverside. A person named E.L. Yeager gave the materials for it.
The "C" is about 1,500 feet above the UC Riverside campus. It was once the world's largest letter made from poured concrete. It is 132 feet high and 70 feet wide. Sometimes, the "C" gets marked up with graffiti, and it needs to be cleaned.
The "M" for Moreno Valley
Another large letter, an "M," was placed on the side of the mountain facing Moreno Valley. This happened in 1966. It was a symbol for Moreno Valley High School, which was in a town called Sunnymead at the time.
The City of Moreno Valley officially became a city on December 3, 1984. It included Sunnymead, Edgemont, and the small town of Moreno. The mountain with its "M" became part of the new city's logo. In December 2009, Moreno Valley and Southern California Edison lit up the "M." This celebrated the city's 25th anniversary.
Wildlife and Nature on Box Springs Mountain
Box Springs Mountain is an important home for wildlife. This is especially true in the fast-growing Inland Empire Metropolitan Area. Many animals live here, including snakes, lizards, coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, deer, and burros. Sometimes, these animals might wander down into the neighborhoods below.
You can also find several large eucalyptus trees at the base of the mountain. These trees were planted long ago to show where water sources were located.
The mountain can experience wildfires. These fires burn the hillsides and can be dangerous for homes at the base of the mountain. However, wildfires are a natural part of the fire ecology in the chaparral and woodland habitats found here.
