Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve Trip Report, February 8 2014 - Hiking Photos, Trip Reports, Trail Info and Gear Reviews

“The Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve is located at the southern end of the Santa Ana Mountains in southwest Riverside County, near the city of Murrieta. The Reserve consists of 9000 acres. The land has been set aside to protect unique ecosystems like Engelmann oak woodlands, riparian wetlands, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, bunchgrass prairie, vernal pools and more than 200 species of native birds and 49 endangered, threatened or rare animal and plant species, including mule deer, mountain lions, badgers, bobcats, western pond turtles, white-tailed kites and fairy shrimp. Two species of fairy shrimp live in the seasonal vernal pools on the Reserve, but only one is found here and nowhere else on Earth.^[1]“

The Plan

Since it was the first hike of the year for the group, I wanted something that would allow us to log a few easy miles. The Ecological Reserve seemed like a good option. I mapped out a couple of routes, we planned on doing a 10.4 mile. Here’s the outline I sent to the group:

Difficulty Level: Easy – Moderate
Start Time: 7:00AM (leaving Colton @ 6am) at the Hidden Valley TH
Distance: I am planning on doing a 10.4 mile loop, but also mapped out a 6.5 mile loop (map is attached)
Elevation Gain/Loss: Based on the topo map, it looks minimal
Pace: Moderate, but steady (no long breaks) for 4-5 hrs at most. If we have a fast group, we could be done in 3-4 hrs.
Weather: Based on the forecast, it should be mostly sunny and around 45° when we start. The temperature may increase to 60° by the time we finish.
Hydration: 2-3 liters should be sufficient
Food: I won’t bring much – some electrolyte chews and a couple granola bars, and if I get ambitious, maybe a PB&J sandwich
Clothing/Equipment: Layers with a light jacked. Rain is in the forecast for Friday. If you have an emergency poncho, bring it in case some rain clouds stick around.

The Outcome

We ended up doing the 10.4 mile loop. It was as easy as expected, although we were all tired by the time we finished. As shown by the pictures, it was a beautiful day. I highly recommend this hike for anyone looking for an easy hike with nice scenery. There are many trails in this area, so I would definitely recommend printing out a map.

Geek Stats:

Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, 10 mile loop || Distance: 10.4 mi || Duration: 4 hr 5 min ||Elevation Change: ± 1290′