Hiking Santa Ysabel Preserve East

By Sanjiv Nanda

This article was originally published in The Sand Paper, the membership newsletter of the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association

We are fortunate in San Diego County that day hike destinations are a short drive away. If you can go on a weekday, there are many hikes where you will be rewarded with peace and solitude, even as cabin-fever is driving up visitations to popular hiking spots on weekends.

One wonderful and lightly visited hiking destination that I would like to recommend is the Santa Ysabel Preserve near the corner of Highways 78 and 79 in Santa Ysabel. A new backcountry Nature Center that opened in December provides an overview of our region’s history, geology and habitat. It’s air conditioned, and so a welcome spot for a post-hike cool down to check out the exhibits and use the clean restrooms. Pre-hike, a modern water fountain is designed to accommodate your water bottle. A ranger is available to answer questions and provide hiking tips.

There are two parts to the preserve and at least four separate places to park and hike. Most of the preserve is donated ranchland, and the hiking trails are old ranch roads. Many trails and hiking loops should be characterized as steep and moderately strenuous. A little later I will mention a couple of easy hikes as well.

The newest trail begins right behind the Nature Center and immediately starts on a steep uphill climb on a historic dirt track that was part of a trail used by pioneers to drive cattle from Santa Ysabel to Julian. It climbs over 500 feet in elevation over the first mile. Before you start on the hike, I recommend that you take a picture of the trail map on your smartphone or remember to carry the preserve’s brochure with the trail map. Distances and turnoffs are clearly marked. Beautiful trail signs were completed by a volunteer woodworker in time for the grand opening of the Nature Center.

Our hike this summer was about 4.5 miles with over 850 feet of elevation gain and loss. We chose to go out and back on the trail behind the Nature Center (one mile each way) and complete a 2.6-mile loop using portions of the Coast to Crest and Santa Ysabel Loop trails. There are many other interesting options, but note, most of them involve steep climbs. A hiking stick comes in handy.

As we hiked, we saw hawks and turkey vultures circling overhead, and heard the tap-tap-tap of woodpeckers on the pine trees. A large rattlesnake was blocking the right half of the trail. We waited patiently. Only after it moved off the trail and was hidden in the brush did it let off its eponymous rattle that lasted almost a minute and indicated the seriousness of the situation. We felt that the rattler’s complaint wasn’t fair, the warning should have been delivered to us as we approached, not after we had already paid our respects.

	Bees appeared to have their choice of blooms, in different colors, and I assume varying taste and flavor of nectar: thistle, and purple and yellow varieties of Mariposa lilies, among many other blooming plants, including profusions of white and pink flowers on the native manzanita.

The highlight of the hike for me were the singularly attractive flowers of the yellow Mariposa Lily with brown markings on the tips of the petals. Interestingly, for this variety, we found that more of the blooms had opened up on our way back after noon than in the morning.

An easy to moderate hike with minimal elevation gain in the preserve is accessed from the Farmer Road Parking Area. From Wynola Road, head north on Farmer Road, the Santa Ysabel Preserve East parking area is a little over a mile on the left side of the road. A moderate 1.5-mile hike brings you to your destination, the stream crossing of Santa Ysabel River. Mature oaks and sycamores provide shade on this hike and at the stream crossing. The round trip is 3 miles. Across the stream, a steep trail connects to the Coast to Crest Trail and the Kanaka Loop Trail.

*WHEN YOU GO

Santa Ysabel East Preserve
Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset, 7 days a week

Santa Ysabel Nature Center
22135 Highway 79, Santa Ysabel, CA
April - October: Mon Thurs 10–6; Fri–Sun 9–7
November - March: Mon–Thurs 10–5; Fri–Sun 9-5

*Be sure to check open days and hours, as they may have changed.

Text and photos by Sanjiv Nanda

Sanjiv Nanda is a hike leader and a member of ABDNHA's Board of Directors.