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APG subcommittee to release local trails guide
By Christy Scott
The Alpine Sun
ALPINE — The Alpine Planning Group’s
Trails and Conservation subcommittee has been working for nearly
a year towards the establishment of a community trails brochure,
highlighting the various trails and walking areas available
throughout Alpine. The endeavor is finally coming to fruition,
with the soon release of the compilation of a many local trails
and hikes.
“This was the Trails and Conservation Subcommittee’s
2007 goal, and is almost done,” said subcommittee chairperson
Linda Richards.
The brochure will include more than 10 local trails and
hiking paths, featuring walks for all skills levels and ages.
Ranging from easy walks with little or no climbing, which
stretch one to 2 miles; to difficult hikes through rough terrain
and or large elevations and rock for up to four or five miles.
The trails subcommittee will be reviewing the nearly
finalized brochure at this week’s meeting, with hopes of
releasing the local list in the near future.
Listed here are just a few of the local hikes that are
going to be featured in the Alpine Trails Brochure:
Crestridge Ecological Preserve:
Difficulty * to **
Length 1.5 mile to 4 miles
This preserve contains several trail options. At the
entrance, go past the greenhouse and education hut (check out
the native plant demo garden on the right) to where two trails
start. The left one takes you through the riparian and Englemann
Oak woodlands and beyond that are two old roads that loop for a
several mile hike. Or you can go up one and back for a shorter
trek.
Directions: go 2.2 miles west on Arnold Way to Harbison
Canyon Road. Turn right and go 2.1 miles to Frances Drive (which
becomes Mountain View Road). Turn right and continue 1.6 miles
to Horsemill Road. Turn right and go to end, parking in the
cul-de-sac. (total 6.4 miles)
Horsethief Canyon (Espinosa Trail):
Difficulty **
Length 3.2 miles
The trail goes downhill through chaparral covered
hillsides and leads down to Pine Valley Creek, boulders, and a
small waterfall in the spring and winter.
Directions: East on Interstate 8 to Japatul Valley Road
(Hwy. 79). Turn right (south) and after about 5 miles turn left
onto Lyons Valley road. In about one mile, the trailhead is on
the left at mileage marker 16.4. From the parking lot hike north
along a dirt road for about 300 yards to the Espinosa trail
marker and go right onto the trail. Note this is a US Forest
Service fee area.
Viejas Mountain Trail
Difficulty: ****
Length 3.5 miles
This path climbs with nearly every step, and has a
total rise of 1,000 feet, taking 45 minutes to 1 hour for most
hikers to reach the top, or you can walk a shorter distance. Any
distance along this US Forest Service trail provides great views
of Alpine and the coast most of the way.
Directions: Take Alpine Blvd. east of Tavern 1 1/2
miles, then turn left (north) onto Victoria Dr (South Grade Rd
goes south at intersection) for 1 mile , then right on Anderson
Truck Trail Rd past the water tower and onto the dirt road for
another 1/2 mile. Where the road widens considerably, park on
either shoulder of the road. The trailhead, slightly south of
the widest part of the road, is on the east side of the road up
a small embankment, and is marked by two posts.
Wrights Field Trails
Difficulty *
Length 1 to 2 miles
There a number of unmarked loop trail options on nearly
level ground. You can do a loop in the grassland area or head
north down an incline for a longer walk through coastal sage and
chaparral until you take one of the paths to the right (south)
to return to the grasslands. The shortest is 1 mile long and the
second nearly doubles the distance.
Directions: Take Tavern Rd 1/2 mile south of Alpine
Blvd and park in the front parking lot of Joan McQueen Middle
School. Trailhead is on the northeast corner of the school
property and is best reached by walking down the street (called
Tavern Road) north of the school.
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