SPOTLIGHT : THE HILLS ARE ALIVE : Take a Closer Look at the Santa Ana Mountains and You See Hikers, Bikers and Other Critters Having Fun

It’s tempting to call the Santa Ana Mountains a well-kept secret, but then how discreet can a mountain range really be, especially one on the very edge of urban Orange County?

The twin peaks of Old Saddleback (5,496-foot Modjeska and 5,687-foot Santiago) lend the county its most familiar landmark, a comforting presence but one that doesn’t necessarily command a lot of day-to-day attention. Perhaps it’s most accurate to say that people know the mountains are there, but generally don’t pay them much mind.

That’s too bad. Though they may be short on flash--no ski resorts, no reservoirs full of power boaters, no granite spires--the Santa Anas are long on more subtle pleasures. For those who know where to look, and are willing to get off the freeways, there are lush canyons, dense oak woodlands, year-round streams with tumbling waterfalls and even Olympic-size swimming holes, tree-shaded campgrounds, sweeping views and, especially, miles and miles of surprisingly pristine and roadless wilderness.

“The Santa Ana Mountains is the closest region of really wild California,” said Allan A. Schoenherr, a professor of ecology at Fullerton College and author of “A Natural History of California” (University of California Press, 1992). “So many people don’t even have a notion of how close we are to some really beautiful country.”

While summer can be hot above the tree-shaded canyons, May remains a great month for hiking, particularly in the mornings. Many of the wildflowers are still blooming, the streams and waterfalls are still flowing, and the temperatures aren’t overwhelming. Good hiking can continue through June, when the overcast mornings cut down on the heat.

The Santa Anas occupy most of the southeastern corner of the county, rising a few miles inland from the beach and stretching into Riverside and San Diego counties. Most of the mountainsides are blanketed with the fragrant, mostly evergreen plants of the scrub communities (coastal sage scrub and chaparral), with scattered stands of coast live oak, canyon streams lined with Western sycamore and arroyo willow, and even a few coniferous forests at the higher elevations, with big-cone Douglas firs and Coulter pines.

Grizzly bears once roamed the range in abundance, but the last one was killed in 1908 near the hamlet of Holy Jim (it was the last wild grizzly killed in California, according to historian Jim Sleeper). Among the big mammals that remain are mountain lions (rarely seen), bobcats, gray foxes, coyotes and mule deer, along with a host of smaller mammals ranging from several species of mice to skunks and raccoons.

The mountains are home to some botanical curiosities, including stands of the rare Tecate cypress, along with the only Southern California stands of madrone (a manzanita-like shrub) and the knob-coned pine. Marine fossils, evidence that the area was once under a shallow sea, can be found in some of the road cuts.

Most people who experience the Santa Ana Mountains do so through a handful of county parks (such as Irvine, Santiago Oaks and O’Neill on the edge of the range or Caspers, closer to the heart) or by driving Santiago Canyon Road, which skirts the canyon towns of Trabuco, Modjeska and Silverado. Others know Ortega Highway, which cuts across the heart of the range from San Juan Capistrano to Lake Elsinore.

While Ortega Highway is a beautiful drive, some of the wildest and most pristine areas of the Santa Ana Mountains can be found on the less-beaten paths. “The best advice I can give is to get off the main roads and get onto the dirt roads and trails, if you really want to see what’s back there,” said Kenneth S. Croker, author of “The Santa Ana Mountains Trail Guide,” now in its fourth edition (Whale & Eagle Publishing Co., 1991).

This slim volume was the first trail guide, when originally published in 1976, to give serious attention to the Santa Anas, and remains the essential guide to trails that lie within the Trabuco District of the Cleveland National Forest (which encompasses most of the range). Croker started hiking the range about 30 years ago and as a member of the Sierra Club began organizing volunteer trail maintenance and construction on National Forest Service land, a task he continues.

The main season for serious hiking in the range stretches from late autumn to late spring, but that doesn’t mean the mountains are off-limits in summer. “The canyon bottoms can be quite pleasant year-round,” Croker said.

Trails in the Santa Anas include some that stick to shady canyon bottoms and others that climb to ridgelines with commanding views. Truck trails and other dirt roads, most of which are open to vehicles at least part of the year, can make for good, accessible hikes.

A part of the Santa Anas that Croker particularly champions is the San Mateo Canyon Wilderness Area, which he says is possibly the least-visited federal wilderness area in Southern California, 40,000 acres of rugged wilderness in Orange and Riverside counties that is closed to all vehicles, including bicycles.

The parcel is so vast that it can accommodate multiday backpacking trips without duplicating trails (see story, page 19). “It offers opportunities for serious backpackers and exploring sorts of persons, as well as some beautiful strolls,” Croker said.

Although Croker’s guide is geared to hikers, many of the Forest Service trails (outside San Mateo Canyon Wilderness) are open to mountain bikers as well. Favorite trails include the San Juan Trail, which starts at Blue Jay Campground, and the Black Star Canyon Trail, off Santiago Canyon Road. A good introduction to the trails for bicyclists is Jerry Schad’s “Cycling Orange County” (Wilderness Press, 1989).

Following are a couple of introductory day-trip itineraries for the Santa Anas, combining driving with moderate hiking and nature stops. Pack a picnic lunch and bring plenty of water. It’s best to get an early start (8 a.m. or earlier) especially as the weather warms.

ORTEGA HIGHWAY, SAN JUAN LOOP TRAIL

This roadway heads uphill from Interstate 5 in San Juan Capistrano and into the heart of the Santa Anas. After about 12 miles, you’ll pass the entrance to Caspers Wilderness Park, worth a day trip in itself, although the park is not open to those under age 18 (the restriction stems from mountain lion attacks on two children a few years ago).

As the road ascends, drivers should save the sightseeing for scenic stops (for good reason, the local cars often sport bumper stickers that read, “I Survived Ortega Highway--One More Time”).

You’ll enter a deep canyon and pass a sign marking the Cleveland National Forest boundary, then pass, in succession, the Lower San Juan Picnic Area and the Upper San Juan Campground. Shortly thereafter, you’ll see a local landmark, the Ortega Oaks store (usually called simply “the candy store”) on the right; park at the trail head across the highway.

This is the San Juan Loop Trail, an excellent introductory hike of 2.1 miles, built by the County of Orange and the National Forest Service. Start with the trail on the north end of the parking lot. The trail descends alongside San Juan Creek, with an overview of a cascading series of waterfalls (still flowing strongly) coming about 100 yards into the walk.

The trail continues to switchback down until it reaches the tree-lined canyon bottom, then starts to climb back, passing through oak-shaded Upper San Juan Campground and returning to the trail head. (There is a signed fork in the trail; it’s possible to extend the walk by taking in part of the Chiquito Trail).

Stop in at the candy store for something to drink and to ogle the homemade candies and fudges. Continue up Ortega Highway to the village of El Cariso. The ranger station here has a small visitor center, with wildlife displays and trail information. Just beyond the town, there’s an intersection; turn left on North Main Divide Road and proceed to Blue Jay Campground.

The elevation here is about 2,600 feet, and there are spots in the road that offer sweeping views of the valley that contains Lake Elsinore. The narrow road climbs, then drops to the campground (closed until later this month). The trail head for the San Juan Trail is just beyond the campground, a good place for a short stroll, although you’ll have to watch out for mountain bikes on weekends.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can descend on the dirt road beyond the trail head, which is a bit rough but passable for most passenger cars. If you do this, turn left when you hit pavement again after about a mile, then fork right for the final stretch back to Ortega Highway. If you don’t want to drive on the dirt, retrace your route along North Main Divide Road.

(If you want to extend the outing, cross Ortega Highway onto South Main Divide Road and head to the Morgan Trail parking lot. This beautiful 5.2-mile walk crosses into San Mateo Canyon Wilderness through stream-side woodlands and meadows).

Head back down Ortega Highway for lunch at Lower San Juan Picnic Area, a tree-shaded spot (the creek here has been recently stocked for fishing, if you have your license). From here, it’s back to civilization, although a stop at the Caspers Park visitor center is worthwhile for learning about the local plants and animals. Parking is $2.

SANTIAGO CANYON ROAD

AND TRABUCO CREEK TRAIL

This tour of the canyons involves a little rough driving, but should be fine for most passenger cars (compact cars may have a problem). Start at the El Toro Road exit off Interstate 5 and head north; it turns into Santiago Canyon Road after several miles. After the last of the suburban tracts you’ll see Cook’s Corner, the county’s premier roadhouse and biker joint, on the right; turn just before onto Live Oak Canyon Road.

After several miles, the road becomes a tunnel of overhanging oak branches, making for one of the prettiest drives in the county. You’ll pass O’Neill Regional Park on the right; at a sharp bend, the road changes names to Trabuco Canyon Road. Just after crossing Trabuco Creek, look for Trabuco Creek Road, a dirt road marked by a dirt parking lot.

This dramatic six-mile drive is an event in itself, crossing the main creek and several side streams along the way. Go to the end of the road, which serves as a trail head for the Trabuco Canyon Trail.

Trabuco is one of the prettiest, and most heavily forested, canyons in the Santa Anas, with Coulter pines and big-cone Douglas firs in the upper reaches. The trail follows the canyon for about two miles past the trail head, with several stream crossings before reaching Yeager Mesa, an ideal picnic spot.

From here you can either turn back or continue upward to Los Pinos Peak, 4,510 feet high, making for a round trip totaling 11 miles (a walk of several hours). From Yeager Mesa, continue upward, bearing right at the Horsethief Trail junction to a saddle near the Main Divide Truck Trail; here the trail turns sharply right up to the peak.

Back at the car, head down Trabuco Creek Road again to Trabuco Canyon Road and turn right. Turn right again on Trabuco Oaks Road and park at Emory’s General Store, an old-fashioned country market, for something to drink and a bit of conversation.

Take Live Oak Canyon Road back to Santiago Oaks Road and turn right at Cook’s Corner, continuing a few miles to Modjeska Canyon Road and another right turn. Follow the signs to Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary, operated by Cal State Fullerton. The sanctuary has several well-marked nature trails and lots of bird feeders set around a wildlife observation deck.

Retrace your route to Santiago Canyon Road and turn right again, this time continuing several miles to the Silverado turnoff. Turn right and head back into the canyon, and where Ladd Canyon Road forks to the left, find a place to park and examine the cliff face. It’s full of shells and other marine fossils laid down about 300 million years ago.

From here you can head to the end of the paved road for a stream-side picnic, or stop in “town” for lunch at one of the two local restaurants, located within a stone’s throw of each other. Back on Santiago Canyon Road, you can either continue along the same direction to the Newport (55) Freeway or backtrack to El Toro Road.

On the Range

Given their location in recreation-hungry Orange County, the Santa Ana Mountains remain a surprisingly little-used resource, a forgotten corner whose streams, canyons and woodlands remain largely secret. Hiking is the best way to take in some of the sights, but driving Ortega Highway or Santiago Canyon Road offers a quick introduction to the range.

* CAMPING

Overnight tent and RV camping is available at a number of locations in the Santa Ana Mountains.

County parks: Camping at county parks is $10 a night on a first-come, first-served basis.

* Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park requires that visitors be 18 or older. (714) 728-0235.

* O’Neill Regional Park is undergoing an extensive renovation of its camping areas, and is due to reopen for camping June 1. (714) 858-9365.

National Forest Service: The service operates several campgrounds at higher elevations in the mountains, including several on or near Ortega Highway. Prices are $7 a night, plus $2 for an extra vehicle. Information for all campgrounds: (909) 736-1811.

* North El Cariso and South El Cariso are open.

* Tenaja, near the Tenaja Canyon trail head in Riverside County, is open.

* Blue Jay is currently closed but due to reopen at the end of this month.

* Upper San Juan is closed because of storm damage.

SAFETY

There are three main hazards to be aware of while hiking in the Santa Ana Mountains.

* Poison oak. With leaflets that grow in groups of three, poison oak grows as both a vine and as a bush, and is ubiquitous near streams and in canyon bottoms in the lower elevations. Have an experienced hiker point it out to you; better yet, avoid crashing through the brush.

* Ticks. A small percentage of ticks found in California carry Lyme disease, according to Orange County Vector Control, so be aware. Ticks can be common in some brushy areas, so post-hike tick checks are a good idea. Wear long pants for any cross-country hiking.

* Rattlesnakes. These poisonous reptiles are occasionally spotted on trails and dirt roads, where they like to sun themselves. Just be aware of where you step, and if you see a snake, give it lots of room. If you’re bitten, get to a hospital; it’s usually best not to try to treat a bite yourself. Fewer than 25 people a year die in the United States from snake bite, if that makes you feel better.

Always carry water, no matter the length of the hike. The Sierra Club suggests these as essentials for any hike: sunglasses, extra clothing, extra food and water, maps, compass, flashlight, first-aid kit, candle, matches, knife and toilet paper.