Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve

Heather and I decided to take the scenic route home after the Group Shoot lunch today, in this case that meant Rancho Sante Fe Road to San Elijo Road to Elfin Forest and eventually Harmony Grove Road.  Lots to see along that route, including the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve, which is a rather large complex of hiking trails up to and around the Olivenhain Dam & Reservoir.  I knew the reservoir was there, but had never figured out how to get up there. The trail starts at an interpretive center just off of Harmony Grove Road, at 492' elevation. We went about 1.5 miles up to a picnic area overlooking the reservoir at 1,140'. 

On the way back down we came to a sign that showed 0.4 mile back to the start if we went the way we came up, or 0.6 mile if we took an alternate trail.

It was not a tough decision to decide on the alternate, since it would be new.  Then we saw this sign, just a few yards down the trail.

This is Southern California, it's basically a desert, how hard could the "unimproved creek crossing" be?  After about 0.5 mile, almost all down a pretty steep hill, we found out.  Maybe if Heather and I didn't both have such short legs we could have made it across the last group of rocks, but we could tell it would not have ended well.

So, back up the hill to the junction, and back down the way we came. 


Click here to see more from our little (and a mile longer than we expected) hike this afternoon.