Riverside National Cemetery

Established in 1978, Riverside National Cemetery is one of 120 cemeteries in the national cemetery system. The 740 acres donated by the Air Force for the cemetery were originally part of Camp Haan, an anti-aircraft training facility used in World War II.

The cemetery currently conducts over 7,000 interment per year, and has sufficient capacity to continue accepting interments through the year 2030. An additional 182 acres is expected to be annexed from the Air Force in the near future.

Although an eligible veteran (or spouse) can be buried in any national cemetery, Riverside National is the closest available national cemetery in Southern California. Cemeteries such as Los Angeles National Cemetery and Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego are at or near burial capacity, and are not accepting new interments (exceptions may be made if a family member is already buried there). For all practical purposes, when we discuss burial at a veterans cemetery, we are referring to Riverside National Cemetery. 

Eligibility for interment at a national cemetery is extended to veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, retired veterans, married spouses, and dependents who are minors or medically dependent for life (eligibility subject to approval). The cemetery will provide a burial or cremation space for the veteran and spouse (and children, if applicable), a minimum outer burial container, a grave marker, and the labor associated with the opening and closing of the grave, all without cost.

The cemetery maintains 25 Memorial Honor Details, to provide military honors such as flag folding, a gun salute, and the playing of Taps. These details may be comprised of American Legion, VFW, ROTC, and reserve or National Guard members, and supplement the limited availability of military honor guards. The types of honors available vary with each group, and full honors are not always available for every service. If full honors are desired, our mortuary staff can help to coordinate a day and time for the service when the requested honors can be accommodated.

Unlike a private cemetery, Riverside National Cemetery does not make arrangements for interment directly with the family. Instead, your funeral counselor will make all the arrangements with the cemetery on your behalf. All that is needed is a copy of the discharge papers so that eligibility can be verified. The cemetery will usually confirm eligibility within 24 hours, and the exact day and time of the committal service can be scheduled at that point.

On the day of the committal service, the procession will gather inside the main entrance at a "staging area", to insure that everyone is together and ready to proceed into the park. Either a cemetery representative or your funeral director will lead everyone by car as a group to the location of the service. The committal service will not take place at the actual gravesite, due to the heavy equipment operating in the vicinity of the grave. Instead, one of seven "shelters" will be used as the location for the service. The shelters are landscaped areas with a permanent, overhead canopy and seats for the family, and provide a visually pleasing setting for the ceremony.

The cemetery is located at the Van Buren off ramp of the 215 Freeway in Riverside. From Orange County, take the 91 Freeway east to Van Buren Blvd, and go east on Van Buren approximately 10 miles. The cemetery will be on the right hand side just before reaching the 215 Freeway. From Los Angeles, take the 60 Freeway east through Riverside, where it will combine with the 215 Freeway South. Continue to the Moreno Valley area, where the 60 and 215 Freeways separate. Take the 215 Freeway south towards San Diego, and exit at the Van Buren Blvd. off ramp. Turn right on Van Buren, and you will immediately see the cemetery on the left hand side. The cemetery's address is 22495 Van Buren Blvd, Riverside, CA 92518, and their phone number is 909-653-8417.

If you have any questions regarding arrangements for interment at Riverside National Cemetery, please contact us.