Local guidesLake Elsinore & Perris ValleyCanyon Lake
Canyon Lake
Canyon Lake is a city and gated community in the Inland Empire region of Riverside County, California, built around a reservoir, with a population of 11,082 at the 2020 census.
Where is Canyon Lake, and what is it like?
Canyon Lake is in Riverside County, in the southern foothills of the Temescal Mountains. The city lies east of Lake Elsinore and west of Menifee. The 2020 census counted 11,082 people, and the median age was 45.3 years.
The city covers 4.66 square miles (12.07 km2). Of that, 3.92 square miles is land and 0.74 square miles is water, which is nearly 16 percent of the total. It is a city and a gated community at the same time. It began as a master-planned development, and the reservoir at its center gives the city its name.
Interstate 15 is about 3 miles to the west and Interstate 215 is about 5 miles to the east. Within the city, the property owners' association manages the private streets, and visitors enter through a sponsoring resident. Railroad Canyon Road, which carries the name of the old rail line through the canyon, stays public.
How did Canyon Lake begin?
The story starts with a railroad. The California Southern Railroad built a line along the San Jacinto River in 1882. Floods in 1884, 1916 and 1927 washed out the tracks, and the Santa Fe Railroad later abandoned the line.
Work on a dam began in 1927 and finished in 1929. The reservoir behind it was used for fishing, hunting and camping. From 1937 until after World War II, operators leased it as a recreational concession.
The modern community dates from 1968, when the Corona Land Company started a master-planned development with 4,801 lots. Canyon Lake incorporated as a city on December 1, 1990.
What is the Canyon Lake reservoir?
The reservoir has 14.9 miles of shoreline and can store 11,586 acre-feet of water. The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District owns and operates it.
It also supplies drinking water. The Canyon Lake Water Treatment Plant draws from the reservoir and serves about 10 percent of the domestic water in the Lake Elsinore and Canyon Lake area.
The reservoir was not built for housing. It was part of the dam project of 1927 to 1929, and the community was laid out around it four decades later, in 1968.
How do you get around Canyon Lake?
The city is about 3 miles east of Interstate 15 and 5 miles west of Interstate 215. Railroad Canyon Road is the main public road. It links Canyon Lake with Lake Elsinore and Menifee. Goetz Road connects the east side of the city to Quail Valley and Perris.
Inside the property owners' association, two-wheeled motorized vehicles are not allowed on the private streets. Railroad Canyon Road and Goetz Road are public roads.
What schools and services does Canyon Lake have?
Canyon Lake has no public schools of its own. Students from kindergarten through grade 12 attend schools run by the Lake Elsinore Unified School District.
The Riverside County Library System has a branch in the city. It opened in its own standalone building in August 2021. City Hall is at 31516 Railroad Canyon Road, and city services include animal control, business licenses, waste and recycling, and water and sewer.
What is there to do in Canyon Lake?
A parcel of about 20 acres on the eastern shore of the lake is administered by the Bureau of Land Management. A trail there draws hikers and birdwatchers, especially in winter.
Find a local business in Canyon Lake
Canyon Lake is covered by the Lake Elsinore & Perris Valley guide. Start with the businesses in Canyon Lake itself, or look across the whole guide by what they do.
Businesses in Canyon LakeQuestions about Canyon Lake
- What county is Canyon Lake in?
- Canyon Lake is in Riverside County, California, between Lake Elsinore and Menifee.
- How many people live in Canyon Lake?
- The 2020 census counted 11,082 people.
- When did Canyon Lake become a city?
- Canyon Lake incorporated on December 1, 1990. The master-planned community behind it began in 1968.
- Does Canyon Lake have its own schools?
- No. Students attend schools run by the Lake Elsinore Unified School District.
- Who owns the Canyon Lake reservoir?
- The Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District owns and operates it.
- Is there a local business directory for Canyon Lake?
- Yes. Canyon Lake is covered by the Lake Elsinore & Perris Valley guide from Local Business America. It lists local businesses in Canyon Lake and the towns around it, and it is free to read.
- How do I list my business in Canyon Lake?
- Open the Lake Elsinore & Perris Valley guide and choose Claim your listing. If your business is not there yet, choose List your business. Claiming is free, and a person checks each claim.
- What does a business listing in Canyon Lake cost?
- Every business has a free listing with opening hours, a map and a link to your website. Essentials is $19 a month and adds a photo gallery, an enquiry form and your Google reviews. Premium is $39 a month and adds a boost to the top of your category and a do-follow link to your website.