The Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve is a popular spot for both hikers and mountain bikers. The Way Up Trail, the main path into the Reserve, is a busy, well traveled trail. Once at the top of the Way Up Trail, however, one can choose from a number of destinations. The Equine Incline Trail on the west side of the reservoir is one of the quieter sections of the Reserve. This loop can also lead you to the Elfin Forest Overlook point – also known as Mount Israel.
The Elfin Forest can get really hot during the warmer months, so we chose what should have been a cool February day for this excursion. Of course since winter wasn’t entirely cooperative this year, we were still in for some heat on the more exposed sections of the trail. We also broke our cardinal rule of “get to the trailhead early” and consequently had to park on the road about a quarter of a mile from the entrance. We were in training mode, so the extra distance didn’t bother us, but if you’re trying to be efficient, I suggest arriving very close to opening time (8 am) to get a good parking spot.
We finally got to the entrance and picked up the Way Up Trail just past the port-a-potties.
A cement footbridge took us across the idyllic Escondido Creek.
From there the trail began to ascend immediately.
Thanks to the angle of the mountain, the first part of our climb was in cool shade.
But before long we were exposed to the warm sun, and things began to warm up quickly.
Around .35 mile we came to a “Y” junction. The Botanical Loop trail split off to the left, leading back down towards the start. We took the right fork, continuing on the Way Up Trail.
We had some nice views towards the northeast.
We continued uphill, making our way up a series of switchbacks.
Around the 1 mile point, we reached the Harmony Grove Overlook – a shaded bench which provided a spot to catch one’s breath and enjoy the views.
The trail continued to climb, although at a gentler grade than previously.
Around 1.2 miles the Me-Xal trail branched off on the right. This is a short little spur loop that connects with the Equine Incline Loop further up, so you can take this as an alternate route if you’re feeling ambitious. We went ahead and stuck to the main trail for now.
A short distance ahead the Equine Incline Trail branched off to the right. This is the first of several points that the Equine Incline Trail connects with the main trail. You can go ahead and take the right fork here, but for no particular reason we went ahead and stayed left along the main trail again.
Around 1.3 miles we came to a large 4-way intersection with a prominent sign post. We turned right onto the Ridgeline Maintenance Road.
In a very short distance we found another intersection and turned right onto the Equine Incline Trail.
The trail led a short distance to a “T” junction where we met the portion of the Equine Incline Trail that had branched off previously. We turned left and began heading west.
While the Way Up Trail and Ridgeline Road had been heavily populated and rather noisy, the Equine Incline Trail was practically deserted.
The trail descended through the quiet chaparral.
We continued to descend until about 2.4 miles, when we crossed a dry creek bed.
Then we once again started climbing, regaining all of the elevation we had just given up.
Looking back across the canyon we had traversed, we could make out the trail on the other side.
We continued uphill, enjoying the scenery and solitude.
Finally, around 3.45 miles we reached a “T” junction. The Equine Incline Trail continued straight ahead. We’d be continuing on the loop in a bit, but first we turned right to visit the Elfin Forest Overlook on the summit of Mount Israel, just a short distance uphill.
At the overlook we found a couple more shaded benches.
There was also a memorial to “our loyal and faithful friends and companions,” where people had hung the collars and tags of their departed dogs.
Just a bit further up the hill we found a viewfinder which identified nearby peaks.
After taking some time to explore everything on the summit, we headed back down to the Equine Incline Trail and turned right to finish up the loop.
Around 3.7 miles the Chaparral Trail split off to the right. This is an alternate path back down to the Ridgeline Road, so you can take that route for a change, but we continued straight on the Equine Incline Trail.
We caught a glimpse of the Olivenhain Reservoir in the distance as we descended.
Around 3.9 miles we reached the Ridgeline Road and turned left.
Just a short distance ahead was the other end of the Equine Incline Trail where we had begun our loop, and the junction for the Way Up Trail was on the left just a short distance beyond. From there, we retraced our route back to the start.
Directions:
From I-15 take the Valley Parkway exit and go west on West Valley Parkway. Turn right onto Avenida Del Diablo and continue for approximately .6 mile. Turn right onto Citricado Parkway, which turns left and becomes Harmony Grove Village Parkway. Turn left onto Harmony Grove Road and continue for 2.2 miles to the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve on your left. The parking lot is small, so you may need to park on the side of the road or in the overflow parking area. map
| Total Distance: | 5.3 miles |
| Difficulty: | Moderate |
| Total Ascent: | 1340 feet |
| Dog Friendly?: | Leashed dogs allowed; certain areas are off-leash on weekdays |
| Bike Friendly?: | Bikes allowed |
| Facilities: | Port-a-potties and drinking fountain in parking area |
| Fees/Permits: | None |
For more information, visit:
Escondido Creek Conservancy: Elfin Forest Recreation Reserve
Olivenhain Municipal Water District: Elfin Forest Recreation Reserve
Trail Map
View route or download GPX from CalTopo
