SANTA MARGARITA TRAIL

Hidden beach welcome surprise at preserve

By Priscilla Lister, SPECIAL TO THE UNION-TRIBUNE

Sunday, June 6, 2010 at 12:04 a.m.

It seems improbable, but I came upon one of the county's sandiest beaches about 15 miles east of the Pacific Ocean.

It's wide open, with deep, soft sand, lots of shells and not a single beachgoer in sight.

It fronts the Santa Margarita River in Fallbrook and was the highlight of the 2.5-mile trail in the Santa Margarita County Preserve.

The 220-acre preserve is part of the county's Multiple Species Conservation Program. In partnership with the Fallbrook Land Conservancy, the trail is open to equestrians, mountain bikers, hikers and dogs on leashes.

However, I can't imagine mountain biking, at least on the part of the trail I hiked, since it was so deeply sandy most of the way.

From the trail's southern entry point off De Luz Road, hikers enter a dense riparian habitat, where arroyo willows make bushwhacking off the trail virtually impossible, and where big old sycamore trees and coastal oaks provide some welcome shade.

Lots of yellow wallflower blooms add color to the trail, with an occasional purple phacelia and evergreen wild grape vines clinging everywhere. A little more color popped in with a blue Western scrub jay, while a little black crested Phainopepla bird perched on a limb.

The Friends of the Santa Margarita River website (fsmr.org) notes that the Santa Margarita River basin boasts impressive diversity, including more than 500 plants, 236 species of birds, 52 species of mammals, 43 species of reptiles, 24 species of aquatic invertebrates and 26 species of fish.

I hiked on the sandy trail heading straight ahead for about a mile, crossing the river at one point across a line of rocks, following the map offered at the trail head. But the dense willow and other foliage made it impassable beyond that point.

I retraced my steps and followed a trail spur to the west, where a sign is posted with the preserve rules.

This short spur led directly to that wide-open beach and the free-flowing river - a genuine surprise.

Deer and other large mammals are said to make their homes here, relying on the fresh water from the Santa Margarita River.

It's one of the last free-flowing rivers in Southern California , according to Friends of the Santa Margarita River. The river's upper watershed begins at the confluence of Temecula and Murrieta creeks in the Santa Margarita Mountains, Santa Rosa Plateau and Palomar Mountain, eventually emptying into the ocean on Camp Pendleton.

It's also one of the largest riparian systems in Southern California, according to the county, covering about 1,500 acres along its 27 miles. A primer on its ecology on the Friends of the Santa Margarita River website notes that riparian is derived from the Latin word, "ripa," meaning bank or shore. A riparian habitat characteristically surrounds a stream, creek or river.

"Nowhere else in Southern California is there a comparable unbroken length of riparian environment and its complement of plant and wildlife species," the website says.

After walking the length of the sandy beach, I had to return to my entry point and continue along the main trail.

Reaching the parking area again, I took the smaller trail just to the south of the main trail to see where it led. Again through thick willow groves and heading right at the T-intersection, this trail was far rockier, as though it were once a creek bed. It quickly ends up at another point on the river itself, where I could see a trail on the other side of the deep water but couldn't navigate my way there.

I retraced my steps, and this time took the left at that T-intersection, which wasn't a very good idea. This was a short spur, filled with spider webs and dense foliage, evidence that it doesn't get much traffic, and it quickly dead-ended anyway.

SANTA MARGARITA TRAIL

Trail head: To reach the main trail head, from Interstate 15 north, exit at Mission Road/Fallbrook, heading west. At the light, turn right onto Mission Road. Continue for about five miles, turning right onto Pico Avenue (one block after Main Street), which immediately turns into De Luz Road. Continue about two miles; at the intersection with Sandia Creek Road, stay on De Luz Road (which curves left), where you'll see the sign for the Santa Margarita Preserve.

To reach the northern trail entry, at the intersection with Sandia Creek Road, turn right onto Sandia Creek Road, continue for about a mile and you should reach another preserve parking area.

Hours: Open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. from now through summer; at other times of year, it closes half an hour before sunset.

Difficulty: Easy. Allow at least an hour and a half.

Priscilla Lister is a freelance writer from San Diego.