Rancho Peñasquitos is a family-oriented bedroom community of 44,000 residents living on the west side of I-15 bordered to the northwest by the newer community of 4S Ranch and to the east is Poway. The southern border lays the large Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.

Homes in older section are typical late 1960's and early 1970's Southern California tract homes. Homes built in the 1980'  and today are larger, stucco houses similar to product being built in Carmel Valley, its more expensive neighbor. To the western edge newer developments are being established. New section of Highway 56 built in 2002, but funding is still lacking to complete this connection to coast. The only direct connector to coast is now Carmel Valley Road just south of Santaluz.

Rancho Peñasquitos is part of the acclaimed acclaimed Poway Unified School District. Known for its academic excellence and innovative teaching programs, district achievements include:

• High attendance rate averaging 96.01%
• 90%+ graduates attend college
• 1997 high school graduates won more than $7 million in college academic scholarships.
• Three San Diego County Teachers of the Year in the past four years
• More than 15,000 PTA/PTSA members.

Los Peñasquitos (meaning little cliffs) Canyon Preserve, of 2,400 acres, is jointly owned and administrated by the city and county of San Diego. It is ideal for hiking, horseback riding, cycling and picnicking. Park Rangers patrol and manage the Preserve.  They are assisted by several dedicated volunteer groups that include the Friends of Peñasquitos (a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the bio-diversity of one of San Diego's last remaining wild canyons), the Penasquitos volunteer patrol, the San Diego Archaeological Society and the Penasquitos Citizens' Advisory Committee.

Friends of Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve of offers free weekly interpretive nature walks, various conservation and restoration projects and an informative bimonthly newsletter at the preserve located between Mira Mesa to the south and Sorrento Hills and Rancho Peñasquitos to the north. It encompasses 3,270 acres of both Peñasquitos and Lopez Canyons is planned that future wildlife corridors will connect the Preserve to Black Mountain Open Space and the San Dieguito River Valley Park to the north. For more information on current activities or becoming a volunteer please call 858-484-3219 for a recording of their current activities. The trailhead for a geology walk is at Caminito Propico and Calle Cristobal in Mira Mesa. The San Diego County Archaeological Society docents give tours of the Ranch House and grounds every Saturday at 11:00 a.m.

Carmel Highlands Golf Club offers a country club and golf course open to the public.

For more information on Rancho Peñasquitos and all it has to offer please visit http://www.signonsandiego.com/sandiego/communities/northinland/rancho_penasquitos