It is one of many Reservations fragmented from 1852's Reservations. Pala CDP (census designated place) is located adjacent to Pauma-Yuima Reservation and is 5.5 miles south of Pechanga Reservation and is just under 3 miles north of La Jolla Reservation and Rincon Reservation and just under 8 miles northwest of San Pasqual Reservation which was brought under chief Rocky Boys control a few years after Pala was. Fallbrook is 10 miles to the west. The Pacific Ocean is 21 miles to the southwest. Pala is located at the Little Rockies of southern California. It's situated at a beautiful somewhat narrow mountain valley. By Little Rockies I'm referring to the small boulders or rocks that cover the mountains. They're nothing like the majestic Rocky Mountains. According to the 2020 census, Pala has a population of 1,490. Pala Reservation has a 2020 population of 1,541. Like other Reservation communities, many of the people living at Pala are having problems identifying their race. Natives accounted for 58.8% of the population. Mexicans 40.4%. Mixed bloods 9.3%. Whites 6.2%. Asians 0.3%. Blacks 0.2%. There are 391 housing units at Pala. The average household size is near 4.0 persons per housing unit. Elevation is 400 feet above sea level. Pala has hot summers and mild winters. Winter weather does happen at Pala every few years, as it does at Los Angeles. Heavy rain storms often sweep through cooling the temperatures. However, most years precipitation is below normal. About every three or four years precipitation is above normal. Winter maximums in the 50's or colder does happen. At Coachella Valley (Little Shell Valley) winters are more uniform. Lack of precipitation and most days being clear, keep Coachella Valley very nice during winter months. The Little Rockies Mountains prevent most precipitation from reaching Coachella Valley. On the contrast Pala is about 20 miles from Pacific Ocean! However, summers at Pala are about same as at Los Angeles or a couple of degrees warmer. Adjacent to Pacfic Ocean, summers are much cooler. Possibly as much as 10 degrees cooler than summers at Pala! Chief Rocky Boy took control of Pala's Ojibwa's during 1902's forced relocation. Below are google earth photos of Pala.
