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 Reporter |
Summary: This pleasant path winds in and out of oak woodlands and chaparral before it descends 600 feet to a broad meadow filled with bunch grasses, yarrow, and buckwheat. Chiquito Basin is named after the horse of the discover. Guidebooks speak of Indian morteros in the rock along the north side of the glade, but we were hard-pressed to find these. Even if you do not find the grinding rocks, this hike is worth your time. Many campers enjoy it as a Saturday morning walk. We visited it on a Sunday afternoon in June and had it to ourselves except for two trail bikers. In the spring, expect explosive displays of chamise, white sage, and monkeyflowers. Enjoy the shade but bring ample water and bug spray. Trailhead: From Interstate 5: Take the Ortega Highway (California 74) exit in San Juan Capistrano and proceed east for about 22 miles to Long Canyon Road (unsigned -- the first paved road on your left about .40 miles past the candy store). Follow Long Canyon for just under 2 and a half miles to the Blue Jay Campground. Park outside the Blue Jay Campground. From Interstate 15: Take the Central Avenue (California 74) exit in Lake Elsinore and proceed west about 11 miles to Long Canyon Road (unsigned). Turn right on Long Canyon Road. Follow Long Canyon for just under 2 and a half miles to the Blue Jay Campground. Park outside the Blue Jay Campground. The trail begins in the day use parking lot just south of the campground entrance. (Lat:33.64493 Lon:-117.45956) Trail Guides for Chiquito Basin, Cleveland NF: Afoot & Afield in Orange County by Jerry Schad (Wilderness Press) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Winter, User Groups: Hikers, Bikes, Ranger Contact: Trabuco Ranger District, Cleveland NF, 909-736-1811 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Joel Sax, who has posted 51 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Mike on 5/12/2008 The directions to this hike are a little off. The road to get to blue jay campground coming from the 5 freeway is about 2.5 miles past the candy store (not 0.4 miles as listed). Then you make a left where the sign says Los Pinos Conservatory, and continue another 2.5 miles or so to get to the campground. We hiked this on a cool day and it was still pretty hot in the canyons. Nice hike overall, but nothing spectacular from what I saw. I'm not sure if I followed this exact route because the elevation gain/loss seemed less then the listed 1100 feet. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: California Hiking, California Trails, California Hikes, Orange County Hiking, Orange County Trails, Orange County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||