22 Wilderness Gardens Preserve: Combined Trails Loop

OVERVIEW

LENGTH: 3 miles

CONFIGURATION: Two connected loops with short out-and-back at end

SCENERY: Trees, pond, animal tracks, flowers, views of lower meadow and San Luis Rey River when the water is running

EXPOSURE: Mostly shady

TRAFFIC: Light

TRAIL SURFACE: Packed dirt

HIKING TIME: 2.5 hours

ACCESS: $2 self-pay parking fee

MAPS: Available at trailhead kiosk

FACILITIES: Chemical toilets at parking lot and on the trail

SPECIAL COMMENTS: Open Thursday–Monday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.; closed Tuesday, Wednesday, and Christmas Day; closed during the entire month of August due to heat. No drinking water available. Pets are not permitted in the preserve. No horses, bicycles, or motor vehicles are allowed. Visitors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. For information, call (760) 742-1631. A recorded message gives current conditions, such as preserve closures due to rain or heat. Callers can leave a message to schedule a guided tour with the ranger.

SNAPSHOT

The pond, quiet forest, meadows, and hillside scenery make this preserve a relaxing retreat that doesn’t require a long drive. Even on weekends, you may be the only hiker on these seldom-used trails.

CLOSE-UP

What’s great about Wilderness Gardens Preserve is that there are several individual trails for hikers wanting to make a number of short visits. This description covers three trails that make a loop, giving you a 3-mile trek that enables you to see nearly everything the preserve has to offer.

Peaceful and tranquil best describe the 700-acre Wilderness Gardens Preserve in Pala. For thousands of years, this area was used only by Native Americans. The Upper Meadow Trail seems untouched by modern civilization. And when walking along the narrow path, one can almost imagine going back to that very time.

To begin, head west from the parking area across the San Luis Rey riverbed, which, in California’s drought conditions, is usually dry. A wooden footbridge was put here five years ago when heavy rains washed away the concrete. Except in very wet years, water stays underground, surfacing farther to the east rather than here, but the footbridge remains. Hop on or walk alongside it to enter Pond Trail, which is where the loop begins.

Continue northwest through the shady oaks, cottonwood, and sycamores. You’ll pass the exit marker for Upper Meadow Trail on the left. Keep going. About 0.25 miles in, you’ll see a portable, chemical toilet restroom. A picnic table nearby on the north side of the trail in a small outlet overlooks the riverbed to the north. Stop and listen to the birds in this enchanted place, which was the first preserve owned by San Diego County. Saved from condominium builders in the 1970s, the land represents the county’s first attempt to preserve a natural habitat and wilderness. Park rangers, along with the statewide organization Small Wilderness Area Preserves (SWAP), have worked hard to maintain the atmosphere that Ranger Judy Good calls “magical.” Continue west toward the pond on this quiet, woodsy trail where poison ivy grows beneath the trees. Posted regulations encourage speaking softly, and forbid pets, loud music, or barbecues to protect the preserve’s natural serenity.

A short distance ahead, a southward bend passes the ranger residence. The trail then heads west again, passing a kiosk with maps and information about ticks, which are common here. There is another chemical toilet to the south of the trail. A picnic table overlooks the man-made pond. The water level is kept low. In the 1950s this property was owned by Manchester Boddy, who intended to cultivate a botanical garden. He built the pond as part of a recirculating system to irrigate the camellias he planted. Take the short offshoot that leads around to the north edge of the pond for a closer look at the water. Here, the breeze causes the cattails to rustle softly and stirs up ripples in the sun-glinted water. The rapid music of the elusive wrentit and the low, vibrating sound of frogs fill the air. In summer, the cattails bloom in long, compact clusters that later open, releasing fluffy seeds that the wind blows around like cottony snow. Enjoy the peace before heading back to the main trail.

Head northwest where the trees grow thicker, pass by the Camellia View Trail exit marker, and, a little farther, that same trail’s entrance. You’re likely to see signs of wildlife here along the last 0.25 miles of the main trail. Raccoon and bobcat tracks, perhaps enlarged by gentle rains or nighttime moisture to look like bear or cougar tracks, mark the same trail you tread. Coyotes, deer, possum, and foxes also live here, but their natural shyness makes spotting them a rare occurrence. You’re likely to see their droppings, though, and perhaps even get a whiff of skunk scent lingering somewhere along the path.

The trail halts at the end of the forest. Turn around and head southwest back to the Camellia View Trail entrance, now on your right. Enter the trail and head south. My family calls this area the “Tarzan” trail. Old-growth grapevines twist up through the trees. The deciduous vines turn to weathered, knotty ropes stretching up through oak branches in the winter, so no matter what the season, this section looks like a jungle. A rustic bench where the trail curves east provides a resting spot. Just be careful of poison oak amid the tangled foliage. In spring, the camellias bloom all around. In summer, clusters of grapes hang from the vines. The fruit is especially abundant in wetter years. Continuing along the trail, you’ll cross a two-foot concrete spillway and then a wooden footbridge over a larger spillway. They were part of the irrigation system designed by Boddy but are now dry. Exit the 0.75-mile Camellia View Trail back near the pond and take the main trail south several yards to the entrance for the Upper Meadow Trail.

The Upper Meadow Trail heads southeast, gradually ascending through the trees along a river rock–lined path. You’ll see holly-leaf cherry, toyon, and large boulders covered with sea foam–green lichen. The trail narrows, crosses a split-log bridge over a ravine, then becomes steeper as it briefly heads north. Curving east again, the trail opens up to meadows on the south side, then begins to descend. A set of steps made from railroad ties aids you in the steepest section. The ridge path overlooks the pond and the forested area below. Ferns cascade from the steep hillside wall like waterfalls, and moss covers sections of trail, tree trunks, and boulders. You’ll hear the wrentit and woodpeckers, and see birds flitting among the trees. The route descends to level ground, meanders through a rocky section, and makes its way back to the main trail. From the Upper Meadow Trail exit sign, go right and head back across the wooden footbridge to the parking lot.

MORE FUN

After experiencing the peace and tranquility of nature, perhaps some excitement is in order. At nearby Pala Casino, 5 miles west on CA 76, the shrill sounds of slot machines advertising jackpot winnings will provide a contrast. Even if you don’t gamble, Pala has six restaurants that offer everything from Asian food to steaks. The Terrace Room features an exhibition kitchen with 12 chefs preparing more than 60 food items. For more information, see www.palacasino.com.

TO THE TRAILHEAD

Take I-15 North past Escondido. Turn right on CA 76 East and drive about 10 miles, then turn right into the preserve.