Photo: West Side Road

Hello Hikers!

Well, we had a nice mix of light rain and sunshine this weekend, I hope everyone had the chance to get out. It looks like we’re in for some more rain next weekend so you might want to get out early in the week if you are able to.

Next Monday, February 20, is President’s Day, and is also a free entrance day for National Parks and National Forests.

Remember that in inclement weather, some of the area’s trails may be temporarily closed. Fox 5 posted a report early last week showing washed out bridges at Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve.

Next Saturday head on over to Daley Ranch for a Discover Daley Ranch Hike. Meet Naturalist William Sherrard for a slow to moderately paced hike on the trails of Daley Ranch. The planned hike is between five and seven miles in length and will last about 2.5 to 3.0 hours. I will be happy to map out a hike for those wishing to go longer distances. Choices are hikes of 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16 or 18 miles in length. Check out the City of Escondido web site for more information, or visit our Events Page to find even more upcoming hikes and events.

The US Fish & Wildlife Service recently released endangered Quino checkerspot butterfly larvae onto the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge in an attempt to help increase the population.

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Have a good week!

Photo: Roadrunner on the Highland Valley Trail

Photo: La Cima Trail/Soapstone Loop

Hello Hikers!

I hope everyone got out to enjoy the fantastic weather this weekend. It looks like we should continue to have good hiking weather for the near future.

It’s almost February, so mark your calendars for President’s Day, February 20, when there will be a fee-free day in National Parks and National Forests.

Next Sunday, head on over to William Heise County Park for a ranger-led Sunday Hike. Join Ranger Dave for an easy-to-moderate hike on the beautiful Fern Trail. Our final destination will be the bubbling waters of Cedar Creek where sights and sounds of nature dominate the surroundings. This hike will cover approximately 1 mile. Bring water, wear hiking shoes and dress in layers. Start at the ranger station. Inclement weather will cancel this event. Visit the San Diego County Parks and Recreation Program Guide for more information, or check out our Events Page for even more upcoming hikes and events.

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Have a good week!

Photo: Bighorn Sheep along the Moonlight Canyon Trail

Photo: West Sycamore, Mission Trails Regional Park

Hello Hikers!

Is anyone tired of the rain yet? Hopefully today will be the last of it and we should have some sunshine in our future.

Remember that during wet weather, some parks and trails may be temporarily closed. You can check the latest status of parks operated by the County of San Diego on their website here. They’ve also recently published an informative video explaining why it is necessary to close some trails.

San Dieguito River Park has also announced that all of their trails are closed until further notice due to the rains.

Next Saturday, join the San Diego Natural History Museum Canyoneers to hike Batiquitos Lagoon. A pleasant walk on level terrain provides ample opportunity to enjoy lagoon plants and shorebirds. Along the way visit a native plant garden. This is an easy 3 mile hike with an elevation gain/loss of up to 200 feet. Visit their website for more information, or check out our Events Page to find even more upcoming hikes and events.

The 5th Edition of Afoot and Afield: San Diego County is available for pre-order now from Amazon!

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Have a good week!

Photo: PCT to Eagle Rock

Photo: Morena Butte

Hello Hikers!

I hope everyone is having a nice long weekend and getting some trail time in. Enjoy the good weather because it looks like there’s more rain on the way later this week.

Today is a fee-free day at National Parks and National Forests, so you can check out one of the many great hikes in the Cleveland National Forest today and skip the Adventure Pass. If you’re looking for something closer to town, you can head over to Cabrillo National Monument to hike the Bayside Trail.

If you remember last fall when a hiker found a sick bald eagle at the Ramona Grasslands, you may also remember the Fund for Animals Wildlife Center who helped rehabilitate the eagle and release it back to the wild. If you’d like to help support this fantastic organization, mark your calendars for Friday, February 17th for their “Paint a Bobcat” fundraising event: “Come enjoy an afternoon of painting, snacks and a tour of our facility. We will be painting a picture of Kruger, one of our resident sanctuary animals here. Included in the price of $75 are supplies, instruction, tour, and snacks. $50 of your fee will go directly to the facility to help the animals.” For more information, contact Casey Buonaugurio or visit www.caseybuonaugurio.com/paintandwine.html.

Next Sunday afternoon, head on over to Stelzer Park to hike with a ranger! Tucked into Wildcat Canyon, the trails at Stelzer County Park offer a broad range of habitats. Join us as we trek through an oak woodland, meander through a riparian zone and explore the chaparral. This 1-mile walk takes about an hour. Please RSVP by calling 619-561-0580. Visit the San Diego County Parks and Recreation Activity Guide for more information, or check out our Events Page for even more upcoming hikes and events.

The County Board of Supervisors voted last week to buy 82 acres of land to add to the Hellhole Canyon County Preserve in Valley Center. This acquisition will help maintain a wildlife corridor of protected land in the region.

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Have a good week!

Photo: Santa Ysabel East Preserve

Photo: Mountain Palm Springs in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Hello Hikers!

While Northern California has been getting pummeled with rain causing major floods, we had a beautiful weekend, perfect for hiking. It looks like we’ll be getting our turn this week, although things won’t be nearly as dramatic as up north.

At long last, the 5th Edition of Afoot and Afield: San Diego County is available for pre-order on Amazon! It is scheduled to be released on March 14th. This book has long been considered the bible of San Diego hiking, but after Jerry Schad’s passing in 2011, the future of the Afoot and Afield legacy was nebulous. Current co-author Scott Turner has picked up the mantle and fully updated the book by re-hiking each of the routes and adding numerous new hikes. I’ve hiked with Scott and I have no doubt the new edition will be as valuable a hiking resource as the previous editions.

Next Sunday, head on out to the West Sycamore section of Mission Trails Regional Park for a West Sycamore Nature Walk. Join Ranger Andrew Miller at 8 a.m. at the Goodan Ranch Staging Area (located at the very east end of Sycamore Canyon Road at 16281) in Poway (zipcode 92064) for a 90-minute guided nature walk. He will focus on the plant communities commonly found at West Sycamore. Please be sure to bring bottled water and wear comfortable shoes and sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen). Rain cancels. For more information, visit the Mission Trails Events Calendar, or check out our Events Page for even more upcoming hikes and events.

Don’t forget next Monday, January 16th, is a fee-free day in the National Forests and National Parks in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Speaking of National Forest passes, the US Forest Service has announced that Adventure Passes that expired in 2016 or January 2017 can still be used through February 28, 2017, due to a shortage of new passes. Day passes can still be purchased for $5. More information on Adventure Passes and where they are acquired can be found here.

Fox News has a report about a hiker who found a body of a woman believed to be between 40 and 50 years old on a dirt path near the road in Jamul on Saturday. Sheriff’s Detectives are investigating the case as a possible homicide.

Much of the Miner’s Ridge Loop Trail at Black Mountain Open Space Preserve has been temporarily closed due to higher than normal arsenic readings at a nearby abandoned arsenic mine. Research and thorough testing is expected to take several months, but there is no conclusive evidence that there has been or is an imminent threat to the health of the public, plants or wildlife in and around the mine or along nearby trails as a result of this discovery. A map showing the trail closures is available here. You can still climb Black Mountain via other routes, including the Nighthawk Trail.

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Photo: Blue Sky Ecological Reserve

Photo: The Boulder Loop Trail at Daley Ranch

Happy New Year, Hikers! Welcome to 2017. I do believe we are experiencing that thing the rest of the country calls “winter.” Looks like today might be wet but hopefully after that it will clear up for a couple of days. There’s snow in the mountains if you’re looking for the real winter experience. Where ever you’re headed, check the forecast before you go.

We have a fee-free day in the National Forests and National Parks this month, on January 16th for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Hopefully you get the day off and can take advantage of the free day by heading to Cabrillo National Monument or one of the many trails in the Cleveland National Forest.

Next Sunday, head on out to Agua Caliente County Park for a hike along the Marsh Trail. Meet Naturalist Birgit Knorr at the Ranger Station for a leisurely hike at Agua Caliente County Park. Discover the plants and animals that thrive in this desert oasis. Hikers will learn how the hot summer and rainy winter seasons impact the park and all of its inhabitants. Visit the San Diego County Parks and Recreation Program Guide for more information, or visit our Events Page to find even more upcoming hikes and events.

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Photo: Lopez Canyon

Photo: The PCT in Mount Laguna

Hello Hikers!

I hope everyone had a Joyous Festivus, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and nice weekend! It looks like we should have some pretty decent weather for the next few days, so you can break in all the new gear Santa brought you.

Next Sunday you can kick off the New Year with one of several First Day Hikes! Hikes are happening at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, South Carlsbad State Beach, Torrey Pines State Natural Preserve, and the Tijuana Estuary. Visit the California State Department of Parks and Recreation web site for more information (scroll down to San Diego County).

Last week the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted to purchase 118 acres of property which will be part of the future San Luis Rey River Park.

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Have a good week and a Happy New Year!

Photo: Santa Ysabel East Preserve

Photo: Sunrise from Cowles Mountain

Hello Hikers!

I know it’s winter in San Diego when I have to shut all the windows in the house. It looks like the cool and clear weather should persist for a little while, so make sure you layer up before heading out!

This Wednesday, December 21, is Winter Solstice! Ditch work, get up early, and join the San Diego Natural History Museum Canyoneers for their annual sunrise solstice hike on Cowles Mountain. Ascend Cowles Mountain in near-darkness to watch the sunrise on the first day of winter. The viewing spot is a Kumeyaay solstice observatory, about halfway up the mountain. Bring a flashlight with a a red lens cover. This is a difficult 3 mile hike with an elevation gain/loss of up to 1000 feet. Check out our write-up from a couple of years ago to see what you can expect. For more information, visit the Canyoneers’ web site, or check out our Events Page to find even more upcoming hikes and events.

You may remember a story from last summer about a California State Parks proposal to limit off-trail use in certain sensitive areas of Parks. Many users and groups felt the proposal was overly broad and restrictive and did not allow individual parks to decide where off-trail access should or should not be allowed. California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) has revised their proposal and has initiated a new comment period from December 7, 2016 – January 18, 2017. The new proposal verbiage seems to make it clearer that individual parks will have the authority to decide if and where to implement restrictions. Visit the DPR Notice of Proposed Rulemaking web page to view the revised text and find details on how to submit your comments.

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Happy Holidays!

Photo: Sunrise Trail/Big Laguna Loop

Photo: The Way Up Trail at Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve

Hello Hikers!

We’ve had some lovely hiking weather for the past few days, hopefully you’ve been able to enjoy it. Right now the forecast is calling for a few more days of awesome, but rain appears to be on the way starting Thursday. As always, keep your eye on the weather reports if you’re heading out.

Next Saturday, join the San Diego Natural History Museum Canyoneers as they hike Font’s and Inspiration Points in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Hike crosscountry along ancient lakeshores and plains that hint at life a million years ago. Climb to Burk’s Knoll in the midst of the badlands, then traverse the rim of Mammoth Cove to end at the sweeping vista into forever from Font’s Point. This is an intermediate 6 mile hike with an elevation gain/loss of up to 500 feet. Visit the Canyoneers’ web site for more information, or visit our Events Page for even more upcoming hikes and events.

If you’re interested in volunteering to improve trail in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, next Sunday, December 17th, there will be a work day from 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Free camping is available for volunteers Friday – Sunday. Go to the Park Champions web page to sign up to volunteer and camp.

The San Diego Union Tribune has an interesting commentary about how the San Diego County Board of Supervisors is considering changing the County’s General Plan to allow smaller lot sizes for private property within the Cleveland National Forest. Smaller lot sizes encourage development and can negatively impact the local floral and fauna by disrupting otherwise contiguous habitat.

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Photo: Blue Sky Ecological Reserve

Photo: Black Mountain via the Miner’s Ridge Loop

Hello Hikers!

It’s been some great hiking weather, so I hope everyone’s been taking advantage of it. Looks like we might have some clouds and a little drizzle early in the week, but things should be back to perfect by midweek.

Next Sunday head on over to the West Sycamore portion of Mission Trails Regional Park for a West Sycamore Nature Walk. Join Ranger Andrew Miller at 8 a.m. at the Goodan Ranch Staging Area (located at the very east end of Sycamore Canyon Road at 16281) in Poway (zipcode 92064) for a 90-minute guided nature walk. He will focus on the plant communities commonly found at West Sycamore. Please be sure to bring bottled water and wear comfortable shoes and sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen). Rain cancels. Visit the Mission Trails Events Calendar for more information, or check out our Events Page for even more upcoming hikes and events.

Two meteor showers will be lighting up the night sky over the next few weeks. Beginning December 4th, the Geminids Meteor Shower will peak around the 13th and 14th, and should last until around the 16th. The Ursid Meteor Shower should peak around the 21st and 22nd. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park with its dark skies should offer some of the best viewing.

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Have a good week!

Photo: Lake Hodges