Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve

Delighting in embarking on new adventures, when we learned of this park it checked off so many boxes: nature, history, birds, flowers, streams and wide paths in which to frolic safely. And frolic we did!

Los Peñasquitos (meaning little cliffs) Canyon Preserve is known as a Resource Based Park. It encompasses some 4,000 acres of both Peñasquitos and Lopez Canyons. The Preserve attracts people with its natural beauty and abundant natural resources -- both today and in the past. Native American history within the Preserve dates back as far as 7,000 years ago.

We came to hike and to learn a little more about its more recent history.

And to feed Nubian Goats, it turns out!

San Diego County's first Mexican land grant includes an 1823 adobe ranch house constructed by the Commandante of the San Diego Presidio. In 1846, Rancho los Peñasquitos was the first place of rest for General Stephen Watts Kearny and his Army of the West after the Battle of San Pasqual.

The original adobe was enlarged in 1862 as the gracious home of George Alonzo Johnson (49er, Colorado River steamboat entrepreneur, and California politician) and his wife, the niece of California's last Mexican governor, Pio Pico. The residence, and later additions, were used as a hotel, bunkhouse, and quarters for a working cattle ranch into the 1960s. The property was acquired by the County of San Diego in 1974, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It is good to know a little about those who came before you.

This outbuilding houses an artesian well. What an idyllic place to have a ranch.

It is always odd (and interesting) to find a gravesite all on its own. John Joseph Eichar (1825-1882) was believed to be a ranch house cook here in the later 1800s. He came from Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania, though his life is more complicated than just that. He is the great grandson of a younger prince of the House of Eichar in Eichstädt, Bavaria, Germany. It is a very long story of how John ended up here but it is believe he was greatly admired due to the high quality of his gravestone. One never knows what one will find. Interesting!

In addition to all that human history, the rich biodiversity of the canyon includes over 500 plant species, more than 175 types of birds, and a great variety of reptiles, amphibians and mammals. Many of these species are rare or endangered and are protected within the Preserve.

And if you want to know a little more, plaques along some of the paths inform. Did you know that Laurel Sumac have taco-shaped leaves which lessen sun exposure? Wild.

The Preserve had so much going on! I was pretty giddy.

Did you read that there are 175 species of birds. Oh man, I tried to find them all!

I think this beauty was my favorite. I am pretty certain I have never seen anything like him before. Wow.

Other critters were on parade to delight. We kept seeing these weird tracks in the sand and then Steve discovered what was causing it. This cool snail.

This big, scary spider crossed our path and as I squatted down to get a better view of him, he came at me really quickly, hence the blurry image. Wild stuff at the Preserve.

Many different geologic formations and soil types make up the steep slopes, riparian stream corridors, flat mesa tops and grassy hillsides of the Preserve. The varying terrains and soil types, in conjunction with continually flowing water, form more than 14 habitat types and support a diverse collection of flora and fauna.

This river crossing is named for Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson, the American frontiersman/soldier who fought with Kearny in the San Pasqual Battle. It is here where his men camped and hydrated. Wild.