Superbloom – On the Loose Live

Chasing Waterfalls and Wildflowers: Three Sisters Falls Hike, SD County

May 5, 2019May 19, 2019livevigorously

San Diego County’s 3-tiered seasonal waterfall in Cleveland National Forest is definitely worth a visit when the water is running.

At the beginning of the hike, these 3 lovely trees will greet you.

The falls are much more impressive than you might expect. As you hike down the trail, you can see the frothy, white veils in the distance.

For me, it was vaguely reminiscent of Yosemite. Of course, I was fortunate to experience the area after a rainy season, during the spring super bloom. The hillsides were green and sprinkled generously with wildflowers. If you’ve been following my superbloom posts (Walker Canyon, Diamond Valley Lake, Denk Mountain) this spring, you know I can’t get enough of these wildflowers. (I wasn’t expecting any on this hike and what a wonderful surprise to see the colorful abundance along the trail – perfect wildflower filters for my distant water shots.)

It’s a pleasant single-track, out & back trail that takes you down to the falls and then bring you back up to the parking area.

The falls are a wonderful spot to have a picnic, cool off, and while away the afternoon – that is if you don’t mind being joined by too many humans who have the same idea. (Heavy sigh.) Be forewarned, this is one of San Diego’s most popular hikes so go early or be prepared for the crowds and a full parking lot.

If you want to add on another hike, the Cedar Creek Falls hike is in the vicinity too. Since I’ve done that one already, I decided to take the scenic drive out the other side on Descanso Road.

The Scoop on 3 Sisters Waterfall Hike

Distance: 4 miles RT (out & back)

Elevation gain/loss :1000 ft (downhill on the way out, uphill on the way back)

Difficulty: Easy to moderate, depending on your fitness level. Trail run friendly on a non-crowded morning.

Getting there: From the town of Julian, turn left on Pine Hills Road, right on Eagle Creek, and left on Boulder Creek Road, which will become dirt road for the last 5 miles.

Note: Both Boulder Creek and Descanso are dirt roads with potholes, but no suv or 4-wheel drive needed. A regular passenger car with adequate ground clearance will do the trick as you have patience with potholes and bumps. However, it might not be prudent to attempt it without a SUV or 4-wheel drive after a heavy rain.

Fee: Display a National Forest Adventure Pass – $5 day pass [purchase info] https://www.fs.fed.us/portaldata/r5/ap/r5-ap-vendors.php

On the way home, I added on short, vertical hike / scramble at Flinn Springs County Park on old highway 80 off highway 8. Post to come.

Diamond Valley Lake: Hike, bike, run, or boat this lovely little gem, Hemet, CA

April 14, 2019July 5, 2019livevigorously

Cruising the 21.8 mile Lakeview trail around Diamond Valley reservoir on mountain bike during the wildflower super bloom last weekend was a delight. It’s a flat, family-friendly fire-road with lake and snow -capped mountain views that don’t disappoint. Yes, this was seeing it dressed in its wildflower season best. And no, you probably won’t want to do it in the blazing heat of the summer as it’s all exposed. But it’s just right, right now – for running, hiking, biking, boating, and fishing. (It’s stocked with rainbow trout, large mouth bass, striped bass, bluegill, small mouth bass – catch and release only though.)

Lupine Filter

How many places can you take a scenic, peaceful 21 mile bike ride and have it virtually all to yourself on a weekend? Ok, Catalina, but where else? (Granted the little wildflower hike was much busier, but less by the time I was done with my mountain bike ride.)

mellow yellow bloom dvl — Mellow yellow wildflower extravaganza

birds and the bees dvl — Birds, bees, wildflowers and snow capped mountains

Here’s your wildflower sampling: Poppies, Arroyo Lupine, California Goldfields, Brittlebush, Owl’s Clover, Canterbury Bells, Chia, Baby Blue Eyes, and more!

Did I mention to be on the lookout for rattlesnakes?

[Rattlesnake video courtesy of Ken Wells.]

Fee: $10 per car, $3 per person for trail entry – worth it.

Getting there:

The entrance to Diamond Valley Lake is off of Domenigoni Parkway, which connects with Highway 79 on the west side of the lake and State Street on the east. You can take State Street south from Highway 74 in Hemet.

Mileage and Driving Times to Diamond Valley Lake
	Miles	Hours	Mins.
Anaheim	77	1	24
Los Angeles	93	1	37
Pomona	63	1	10
Riverside	40	0	48
San Diego	87	1	34
Santa Barbara	188	3	06

Can’t get enough of the California Wildflower Superbloom 2019? Neither can I. Check out my Walker Canyon and Denk Mountain posts.

Nature Meditation: Superbloom on Coyote Canyon Road, Anza Borrego

March 22, 2017livevigorously

If you could only smell the air here as I did just after dawn – so fragrant with wildflowers and orange blossoms from the nearby grove. Heavenly…

Nature Meditation: “Ocotillo forest”, Anza Borrego, CA

March 22, 2017March 22, 2017livevigorously

The hike up “Alcoholic’s Pass” begins here in what I’m calling an octillo forest. Ah, the sweet breeze, sprinkles of wildflowers, waving ocotillo, vast mountain vistas and morning light…Truly a magical desert experience – perhaps my most memorable yet. Perhaps even better than the superbloom areas with their boastful beauty. You had to be there. I’ll post more video so you can get a better feel for it in the Alcoholic Pass hike post to come.