No Events are planned due to the heat!
Check back for the Fall Hiking Schedule.

Past Events at Butterfield Trails County Park

Arbor Day Video at Butterfield Trails County Park April 26, 2025

Celebrates Butterfield Trails County Park at an Open House
November 16, 2024

Watch: Video of Butterfield Trails County Park:

Celebration Picnic in the Park 2023

Thanks to the help of our local community and our friends throughout the San Diego area who supported the efforts of Friends of Hellhole Canyon Open Space Preserve and the Valley Center Trails Association, we have added 959 acres of park and preserve land in Valley Center. Butterfield Trails Ranch, and Rancho Lilac Preserve when developed and open to the public will have multi-use trails. This celebration is to thank everyone involved for supporting these projects, including Supervisor Jim Desmond and his staff. It takes a community effort: Thank You!

To view photo from this event, click here!

Our Appreciation and Thank You to

  • Our property hosts: Wayne Hilbig and his family

  • Musicians: Marsi & Charles Carr for today’s music

  • Event sponsor: Rincon Tribe

Celebration Picnic in the Park is made possible by Friends of Hellhole Canyon Open Space Preserve & Valley Center Trails Association – Your local open space and public trails advocates.

Featured Speakers for Celebration Picnic in the Park Oct. 14, 2023

Stephanie Holbrook, Founder of Wings of Change is a guest speaker at our Celebration Picnic in the Park on Oct. 14th. Wings of Change is spreading the word about the importance of butterflies and how they ultimately affect everything in our environment. At the Wings for Change booth, you can create a native seed ball that will create butterfly habitats.

Krista Brown will be a featured speaker at our Celebration Picnic in the Park on October 14, 2023. Krista Brown is a licensed wildlife rehabilitation professional with over 35 years of hands-on rescue work.  She rescues sick, hurt and orphaned wildlife & cares for them until they are healthy and then she releases they back to the wild.  Meet Krista and learn what you can do if you see injured or sick wildlife. 

Hillary Hankey and Katie Pnewski & their owls from Avian Behavior International are guest speakers at our Celebration Picnic in the Park on Oct. 14th. They are speaking on “Coexisting with Owls in San Diego County”.

Picnic in the Park October 8, 2022

Our Picnic in the Park was a very successful community event to support Butterfield Trails Ranch becoming a San Diego County Park. We had over 600 people attend the event, and gave out over 400 Ice Cream Treats. More importantly we raised support for Butterfield Trails Ranch becoming a San Diego County Park.
Butterfield Trails Ranch a key element of our vision for more recreational open space in the Valley Center area. Valley Center needs a large, beautiful Park for picnics, family outings, easy walking trails, and the preservation of natural beauty in the middle of our town. Together, we were able to show our community support for this parkland purchase to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

Click to see photos from our Picnic in the Park 2022!

Valley Center Trails Past Events!

Valley Center Trails 5k & Kids 1/2-mile Fun Run
before the Western Days Parade

VCTrails 5K @ Western Days 2024

Palomar Observatory Tour Photo 2023

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS FROM OUR 2023 5K

We have many great Parks and Preserves in San Diego County. Here are a few you many want to check out.

Daley Ranch
Los Penasquitos Canyon County Preserve
Ramona Grasslands County Preserve
Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve
San Dieguito River Park
San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve
Santa Margarita County Preserve
San Diego County Parks

Follow us on Facebook at Valley Center Trails Association
Valley Center Trails Association is a 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to the creation of non-motorized trails and pathways in Valley Center.

Membership in the Valley Center Trails Association is open to all individuals/households and businesses in the community. A modest membership fee is charged. Please support our efforts with your Membership or Donation. Thank you!

Membership Options