Hogwallows Preserve

Getting There

Directions

The Hogwallows preserve is not open to the public, but can be viewed from the perimeter and viewing point.

21224 Ave 314, Exeter, CA 93221

What Makes Hogwallows Preserve So Special?

Hogwallows Preserve offers a glimpse into the Tulare County landscape as it once was—rugged, rich with life, and shaped by time itself. Nestled near Lindcove, this 10-acre preserve protects an ancient and vanishing landform known as hogwallows, or mima mounds. These low, rounded mounds and seasonal vernal pools are estimated to be over 150,000 years old and once stretched across thousands of acres in the region. Today, only a handful remain—and this one, thanks to the Buckman family, has been preserved in its natural state for future generations.

Dr. Phil Buckman purchased the land in 1943, not for profit, but for its profound beauty and ecological significance. With panoramic views of the Sierra Nevada and seasonal displays of wildflowers like mariposa lilies and brodiaea, the property offered more than grazing land or clay for adobe bricks—it offered peace, wonder, and a deep connection to place. As nearby lands were flattened and developed, Dr. Buckman held fast to the idea that preserving this unique topography was far more valuable than any crop or sale.

Thanks to the foresight of the Buckman family, Hogwallows Preserve was donated to the Tulare County Historical Society in 1979 and is now protected in perpetuity. Today, soil scientists continue to study the mounds and swales, and visitors are invited to explore this rare patch of Central Valley land much as it looked before farming began—quiet, curious, and full of stories waiting to be discovered.

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Hogwallows