Natural areas around San Diego

[ian_frazier]

I am moving to San Diego from the eastcoast. Can anyone tell me if

there are any books on the natural areas of southern california, or

if there are any little known secret areas for nature (mostly

landscape) photography.

 

Thanks

Ian

[Ray House]

I would suggest that when you arrive you check out a local library. You will find numerous books on little known areas. I just checked out Backroads of Southern California by David M. Wyman and it's worth reading. When you get moved, email me and I'll point you in some specific directions that might interest you.

[lex_jenkins]

I doubt there are many secrets left in that area but there are several worth visiting anyway. (BTW, all of these suggestions are based on 20-something year old recollections.)

 

Julian, east of San Diego, is beautiful. By now, tho', it may take a bit more hunting around to find less populated areas.

 

The Cleveland National Forest is large, rambling and varied in terrain and flora. Parts are very stark, others hilly and covered in low trees and brush thick enough to make navigation difficult. I routinely saw owls, coyotes, quail, sage grouse, deer and other critters pretty close up, especially early in the morning or just before dark. Watch for crevasses and drop-offs when walking in unfamiliar places. I don't recall the exact locations of these and there aren't that many, but I got my 4-wheel drive vehicle stuck on the edge of one beside a path designated for driving. I thought I was familiar enough with that path but it was dark. Very embarrassing.

[robert_reiss]

Don't forget the coast/beaches. Torrey Pines, for instance. Not secret and well known. In the spring, the Borrego Springs desert area is popular to shoot wildflowers but the quality of the blooms can vary from year to year.

[mark_chappell]

<I>The Cleveland National Forest is large, rambling and varied in terrain and flora. Parts

are very stark, others hilly and covered in low trees and brush thick enough to make

navigation difficult. </i><P>

 

Except for the extensive areas that were burned in the huge wildfires a year or two ago. A

natural process (albeit a violent one), and there are likely some interesting scenics in

regenerating areas. This spring (after very good rains), the wildflower show in some of the

burned areas was stunning -- species not seen for many years grew and bloomed.<P>

 

Don't forget the desert areas to the east of the coastal mountains -- Anza Borrego in

particular has some wonderful spots (and often has fabulous flowers after a wet winter and

spring).

[stemked]

Ian,

 

I have always found the Wildlife viewing guides to offer good advice as to where to start when I come to a new area. If you have been in a part of the country where there is a brown sign with a pair of binoculars, well, that's what I'm refering to. Not every state has one, but California does. You can pick up a used copy for less than $4 from

www.abebooks.com and type in California Wildlife viewing.

[ian_frazier]

Thanks everyone for your responses. Now I'm really looking forward to moving there. It'll be a definite change from New Jersey.

 

Thanks again

Ian

[greg s]

Ian,

 

Buy a copy of "Afoot and field in San Diego County" (I believe that's the correct name). It's the definitive guide to hiking trails and natural areas in the county... a must have.

 

Cuyamaca State Park (alpine) is the crown jewel of parks there... that and its neighboring Anza Borrego SP (desert).

 

Have fun! -Greg- (former long term SD resident)

[craig_gillette]

Given that there are 17 million people give or take in Southern California, the likelihood of too many secrets is slim, nor would folks likely give away their secrets on the net. That's probably the modern version of a National Geographic article for killing a spot. Besides the other suggestions, I'd give a look to the California State Parks website, it covers a lot of areas.

 

That said, there are lots of little highways and byways which can get you into non-populated areas. Check Cleveland National Forest sites as well, also the BLM for desert areas. Really, there is still a lot of open space out here, it sometimes takes some driving to get to it.

[bill sullivan]

When I first moved to San Diego 35 years ago, I was lucky enough to pick up a small paperback called Introduction to the Natural History of Southern California by Edmund C. Jaeger and Arthur C. Smith. It was published in 1966 by the University of California Press, but unfortunately it is no longer in print. I still keep my copy on a shelf by my desk and I continue to refer to it. Even if you can't find one in a bookstore, it's worth trying to buy second hand or checking out of a library. You might also visit the UC Press Web site and look for categories that match your interests.

 

If you are interested in the mountains (our tallest is 6,533') you might look for Nature Guide to the Mountains of Southern California by Bill Havert and Gary Gray. It too seems to be out of print, but Google it anyway.

 

For the desert, look for the Anza-Borrego Desert Region by Lowell and Diana Lindsay. It is published by Wilderness Press and you should check their Web site for other titles. The Lindsay book is available in the bookstores of institutions like the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association and the San Diego Natural History Association (more sites to check) and in stores for the outdoor-minded such as REI and Adventure-16.

 

I don't have any books about the coast, but a good place to look would be http://aquarium.ucsd.edu/ which is the Birch Aquarium of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, a branch of the University of California at San Diego in La Jolla. You can click your way to their bookstore.

 

I don't know about secret areas for mostly landscape photography. It's kind of hard to keep secrets around here, but we do have 4,262 square miles in the county and a lot more territory in the rest of California and more yet down in Baja California. I would think it would be worth your while to find books (or Web material) on the geology of this area. If you are going to do landscapes, you might find it helpful to know how the land is being formed. A favorite title is The Rise and Fall of San Diego: 150 Million Years of History Recorded in Sedimentary Rocks, by Patrick L. Abbott. The publisher is Sunbelt Publications, http://www.sunbeltpub.com/. Sunbelt has other titles that should interest you as well.

[greg s]

OK, I found my old copy of ""Afoot and Afield in San Diego County" by Jerry Schad, published by Wilderness Press, 1986, (415) 843-8080

 

ISBN 0-89997-057-5

 

Not sure if it's still in print, but a SD used bookstore may have it or possibly on auction. San Diego has changed so much since I first moved there in 1972, but there's still a lot to explore and this is by far the best book with descriptions and maps for places that are not so well known. Cheers, -Greg-

[dave wyman]

Ian, welcome to Southern California. Ray House gave you a terrific idea when he suggested you read The Backroads of Southern California. I can say that with confidence because I'm the author/photographer. My pictorial guidebook contains about 115 of my own photographs and about 35,000 words; the book actually covers half the state, exploring areas you can travel to by car or bicycle; it's not a hiking guide.

 

O.k., here's a secret location: the Los Coyotes Indian Reservation, not far from the resort community of Warner Hot Springs and Anza-Borrego state park. I'd recommend visiting there when the mountain landscape is greener than it is now - probably around the first of the year through April. From the paved section of the road leading into the reservation, there are expansive views of the back country, from rocky peaks to the flat lands dotted with oaks east of Lake Henshaw along the paved section of the road leading into the reservation. On my last visit, a brief drive-through, we also photographed a red-tailed hawk and numerous wild turkeys. (And you can find out more about my books at idrivebackroads.com.)

[nadopix]

...and the best thing about California is that you're within driving distance of the country's most diverse and adventurous terrain.