Located in northern San Diego County, astride the San Luis Rey River, is a hidden gem. Wilderness Gardens County Preserve is a beautiful reflection of the rich cultural and natural diversity of the region.
Brady discovered this treasure and was kind enough to share it with me. Besides a German Shepard owners' group, walking its pups, we were mostly alone. And the $3 parking fee was worth every penny.In 1973, Wilderness Gardens became the first nature preserve for San Diego County Parks and Recreation. Today a combination of natural vegetation types including oak woodland, riparian, chaparral, and coastal sage scrub, provide habitat for a variety of indigenous wildlife. Many bird species, including migratory birds, resident waterfowl and birds of prey are abundant. Coyotes, rabbits, snakes, and other wildlife life are commonly seen in the preserve.
The flora's beauty was abundant, we just had to look a little closer.Throughout are these markers, indicating history happened here. There is evidence of countless generations of human habitation. For thousands of years, the Luiseño Indians inhabited this area and gathered acorns from oaks growing along the San Luis Rey River. Evidence of this is reflected by the grinding rocks located along the main trail. The Luiseño were hunter-gatherers who moved between the mountains to the coast as the seasons changed.In the 19th century, the area started to see new inhabitants. One of the most notable reminders of this period is the rock foundation of the 1881 Pala Grist Mill. Established by the Sickler Brothers, this was the first grist mill in northern San Diego County. Farmers and their families from all over the region brought their crops to be ground into flour. Because grinding wheat and corn into flour was a slow process, families spent several weeks camping out, meeting with neighbors and enjoying each other's company.The Sickler Grist Mill cost approximately $5,000, including lumber and machinery. The lumber for the upper part of the mill was transported from nearby Palomar Mountain. The grinding stones were made in France and were originally shipped to the family mill in Missouri. Following the brothers move to California, the stones were shipped to Oceanside and transported to the mill site. The water wheel was made in San Francisco by James Leffel & Sons and this turbine produced 48 horsepower. The mill's wooden structure, including the stone foundation, reached approximately 32 feet tall. Can you imagine? We were really in the middle of nowhere. Wild.
In 1930, the property was sold to the Long family who built the existing house and barn. During World War II, wood from the mill structure was used to build a private home. Manchester Boddy, noted editor, publisher, and owner of the Los Angeles Daily News, purchased it in 1954. Boddy was an avid horticulturalist. He cultivated camellias, azaleas, lilacs, and other shrubs that he grew for sale. It was Mr. Boddy who coined the name “Wilderness Gardens.” In 1973, with the help of an organization called Small Wilderness Area Preserved (S.W.A.P), money was raised so that the property could be purchased and turned over to the County of San Diego. It is definitely a place I will return to.
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| Me, the rockhound. |
Besides our friends who reside there, what we miss about Tahoe is the nature. While this is not the same as the spectacular Sierra, it is a pretty wonderful substitute.
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