Rancho Peñasquitos, San Diego Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Rancho Peñasquitos, San Diego
Community of San Diego
Rancho Peñasquitos
Nickname(s): “PQ”, Rancho Pinoy-quitos
Rancho Peñasquitos and neighborhood boundaries
Rancho Peñasquitos, San Diego Location in Northeastern San Diego Show map of Northeastern San Diego Rancho Peñasquitos, San Diego Location in San Diego County, California
Country	United States
State	California
County	San Diego
City	San Diego

Rancho Peñasquitos is a community located in the northeastern part of San Diego, California. Its name comes from the first Mexican land grant in San Diego County, called Rancho Santa Maria de Los Peñasquitos. The word Peñasquitos means "little cliffs" in Spanish.

This community is often called "PQ" for short. It is next to the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, which is a large open space. This preserve is a great place for hiking, biking, and horse riding. About 60,000 people live in Rancho Peñasquitos. The main ZIP code for the area is 92129, and the telephone area code is 858 or 619.

Exploring Rancho Peñasquitos

Rancho Peñasquitos is surrounded by other communities in San Diego. Knowing its neighbors helps you understand where it is located.

Where is Rancho Peñasquitos?

To the north, you'll find Black Mountain Ranch and Rancho Bernardo.
To the south, it borders the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve and Mira Mesa.
On the east, it's next to Carmel Mountain Ranch and Sabre Springs.
To the west, you'll find Torrey Highlands and Del Mar Mesa.

The highest point in Rancho Peñasquitos is Black Mountain. It stands about 1,500 feet (457 meters) tall.

A Look Back: History of Rancho Peñasquitos

The area where Rancho Peñasquitos is today has a long and interesting history.

Early Native American Life

People have lived in this area for a very long time. The Kumeyaay Native American tribe lived here as far back as 7,000 years ago. They called their settlement Awil Nyawa. You can still find signs of their ancient culture in the area.

The First Rancho

Later, Spanish settlers moved into the region. Rancho de los Peñasquitos was the very first rancho (a large land grant) in what is now San Diego County. In 1823, Captain Francisco María Ruiz was given a large piece of land, about 4,243 acres (17 square kilometers). This land was in the eastern part of the Los Peñasquitos Canyon.

From Ranch to Community

The rancho was an important stop on the old wagon road that went from San Diego to Warner's Ranch. From 1857 to 1860, it was a station for the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line. The ranch continued to operate until 1962. At that time, a real estate developer named Irvin Kahn bought the land. He planned to build a large community with many homes.

In 1964, the city of San Diego officially took over most of the area. This allowed the community to grow and develop into what it is today.

Who Lives in Rancho Peñasquitos?

Rancho Peñasquitos is a diverse community.

Population Snapshot

According to the 2010 census, there were 51,536 people living in the community. About 58.2% of residents were White, and 30.0% were Asian. About 9.8% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Many families live in Rancho Peñasquitos. About 43.6% of households had children under 18 living with them. The average age of residents was 38 years old.

Getting Around Rancho Peñasquitos

Most people in Rancho Peñasquitos use cars to get around.

Roads and Highways

Black Mountain Road is the main road that runs north and south.
Carmel Mountain Road and Rancho Peñasquitos Boulevard are the main roads that run east and west.
State Route 56 goes through the middle of the community.
Interstate 15 is on the eastern side of Rancho Peñasquitos.

Public Transportation

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) has a bus route, #20, that stops on Carmel Mountain Road. The MTS Rapid #235 bus also runs from the Sabre Springs/Peñasquitos Transit Station. This bus can get you to downtown San Diego quickly with only a few stops.

Fun Things to Do: Community Events

Rancho Peñasquitos hosts several exciting events throughout the year.

Mt. Carmel Tournament of Bands: This is an annual competition for high school marching bands. It happens every October and features over 30 bands from the San Diego and Los Angeles areas. Volunteers from the Mt Carmel Music Foundation organize it.
Fiesta de Los Peñasquitos and Parade: Held on the first weekend in May since 1995, this event celebrates the community. It includes a 5K Fun Run, a Street Fair, and a Parade. The 5K Fun Run is a free event sponsored by the Peñasquitos Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
July 4th Fireworks: The Rancho Peñasquitos Recreation Council usually sponsors a fireworks show for July 4th at Westview High School. It is often held on July 3rd.
Christmas Card Lane: Since 1982, families on several local streets create amazing holiday light displays. People often rent vehicles to tour the lights and sing Christmas carols.

Keeping the Community Safe: Emergency Services

Rancho Peñasquitos has dedicated services to help keep everyone safe.

Fire and Medical Help

The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department provides fire and emergency medical services. Fire Station #40 is located at 13393 Salmon River Road in Rancho Peñasquitos.

Police Services

The San Diego Police Department also has a station nearby at 13396 Salmon River Road. They serve the neighborhood and help keep the peace.

Green Spaces: Parks in Rancho Peñasquitos

Rancho Peñasquitos has many parks and open spaces for everyone to enjoy.

PQ Skate Park
Canyonside Recreation Center
Hilltop Recreation Center
Peñasquitos Creek Park
Rolling Hills Park
Black Mountain Open Space Park
Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve
Twin Trails Neighborhood Park

Learning and Growing: Schools in Rancho Peñasquitos

Rancho Peñasquitos is part of the Poway Unified School District.

High Schools

Mt. Carmel High School
Westview High School

Middle Schools

Black Mountain Middle School
Mesa Verde Middle School

Elementary Schools

Adobe Bluffs Elementary School
Canyon View Elementary School
Deer Canyon Elementary School
Los Peñasquitos Elementary School
Park Village Elementary School
Rolling Hills Elementary School
Sundance Elementary School
Sunset Hills Elementary School

Community and Faith: Churches

Several churches serve the Rancho Peñasquitos community.

St. Timothy's Episcopal Church
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The New Hope Church of Penasquitos
Penasquitos Lutheran Church

Famous Faces: Notable People

Many talented people have lived in Rancho Peñasquitos.

Arianna Afsar, actress
Billy Beane, former Major League Baseball player
Eric Chavez, former Major League Baseball star
Troy Johnson, writer, food critic, and TV personality
Adam Lambert, singer and actor
Liza del Mundo, voice actress
Eric Munson, former Major League Baseball star
Kelly Marie Tran, actress
Usha Vance, lawyer

Images for kids

SDFD Fire Station 40
A bicyclist enjoys Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve near the waterfall.
Waterfall in Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.

Rancho Peñasquitos, San Diego facts for kids

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