In 2023 I decided to start the #Myvirtualmission Pacific Crest Trail instead of doing the Land’s End to John O’Groat’s trail (LEJOG) for Country Walking magazine’s #walk1000miles challenge. Periodically #Myvirtualmission provides a postcard and what follows comes from this sent via e-mail.
Leaving Campo, the trail passes through Lake Morena County Park, a lakeside camping site known for its fishing, picnicking, hiking and boating. Located southwest of Laguna Mountains the park is a combination of desert, coastal and mountain habitat. Bobcats, bald eagles and waterfowls can be seen within the park’s thick and dense shrubs.
The trail swings beneath Interstate 8 at Boulder Oaks and snakes its way through to the rim of Mount Laguna. A small town of 57 residents, Mount Laguna sits at 5,777 ft (1,761 m) within a forest of Jeffrey pines (Pinus jeffreyi), which are large coniferous evergreen trees that grow between 82-131ft (25-40m) tall. The trees were named after 19th century Scottish botanist John Jeffrey, who discovered this species of tree in 1852. With a general store in town this is a perfect place for restocking supplies.
Skirting around Monument and Garnet Peaks the trail occasionally travels along county highway S1 until it veers right around the base of Granite Mountain and meets up with county highway S2. Highway S2 is known as the Great Southern Overland Stage Route because it follows the former route of the Southern Emigrant Trail, an immigration route into California from the eastern United States during the gold rush era in the mid-1800s.
Crossing highway 78 in the San Felipe valley, the trail winds its way through the San Felipe hills all the way to Warner Springs. About 3mi (5km) before reaching town, to the right of the PCT is the natural formation known as Eagle Rock. Made of a collection of giant boulders, this formation takes the shape of an eagle with its wings spread as if ready to take flight. It stands majestically on a hill surrounded by a expanse of grassland and mountains in the distance.
Leaving Eagle Rock, the grassland trail eventually merges into a thicket of shrubs followed by groves of old oak trees before it reaches a town at Hwy 79.
Warner Springs was originally occupied by the Cupeno people, a Native American tribe. When the Spanish missionaries arrived they founded a small community in 1818. St Francis of Assisi chapel was established in 1830 which continues to exist today and still conducts service.
Near Warner Springs is the historical landmark Warner Ranch House. Built in 1849 it served as a way station for the emigrants on the Southern Emigrant Trail between 1849 and 1861. It was owned by American citizen John Trumbull Warner who was a fur trader from Connecticut. He became a Mexican citizen in 1844 and changed his name to Juan Jose Warner. Shortly after he obtained rights to Rancho San Jose del Valle where he established a successful cattle ranch. Most of his workforce was made up of the Cupeno people who were living in a nearby village.
Juan Jose lost his land and ownership transferred to John G Downey in 1880 who began legal proceedings to have the Cupeno people evicted from the ranch. The Cupeno lost the case and in 1903 were relocated to Pala Indian Reservation.
As February comes to a close I have so far I have travelled 4% of the 2,485.5 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail.
chrisnavigator 