Visit the Kumeyaay-Ipai Interpretive Center

Trails

The trail takes visitors around the site, past ramadas, interpretive signage, native gardens, irrigation systems and a Kumeyaay house (‘ewaa). These were constructed by various Eagle Scout candidates and adult volunteers. Visitors will see plants used by past inhabitants, ramadas that provided shade from the hot sun, milling stations where they ground acorns, and large boulders which provided them with shelter and security. As you walk through the site, please do not disturb the exhibits or grounds so future generations can enjoy the area.

Education Center

At the edge of this heritage site, along an all-weather road, now sits a modern modular building to house and protect important displays. Other upgrades include parking for the handicapped, an ADA accessible walkway to the ‘ewaa, and a low-water irrigation system for a demonstration garden of drought-tolerant plants often used by the Kumeyaay. These features were funded by the City of Poway, the Friends of Kumeyaay Ipai Interpretive Center, the Metropolitan Water District, and a grant from the Cultural and Heritage Commission of the State of California. The nearly $800,000 investment allows the city of Poway to preserve and interpret the history and culture of Kumeyaay people who named the valley Pauwai.

The Center’s exhibits highlight artifacts of the site, replica items of Kumeyaay daily living, and a striking photographic exhibition of North County rock art still visible today. There is also an extensive research library and a special section on native plants and rock art.