By Michael Misselwitz, Contributor
There is a place, not even an hour’s drive from campus, where hunters are firing their rifles, rock climbers are ascending granite boulders, off-road vehicles are bouncing down unmarked trails, hikers are cliff-jumping down vacant waterfalls and hikers are setting up camp beneath thousands of stars.
The Cleveland National Forest is rich with natural resources for thrill and beauty seekers alike. To get there, visitors travel east on Interstate 8 to the Sunrise Highway and mosey the twisted two-lane road about 10 miles north, to 5,000 feet above sea level.
Once home to only the Kumeyaay Indians, the region now houses the Laguna Mountain Recreational Area with campsites open year-round and more than 11 main hiking trails. The park is embedded within mountainous territory open for hunters, hikers and mountain bikers, and at night the stars pulse bold against untainted blackness.
Maureen Anderson has worked in the Descanso Ranger District for many years and hasn’t lost her sense of excitement for the place.
“There are so many different quirks to the park,” she said. “The best features depend on what you’re interested in most, but there’s something for almost every type.”
Anderson recommended Laguna Campground for group campers endeavoring weekend trips because of its central location and year-round opening.
“It’s real nice, popular, available first-come-first-serve and has access to a lot of the trailheads,” Anderson said. “It even has showers and flush-toilets.”
An alternative to Laguna Campground exists in Burnt Rancheria Campground, a large site nestled among the Laguna mountaintops. Cibbets Flat and Boulder Oaks campgrounds “are neat, quaint little campgrounds tucked away from the main highway,” Anderson said, adding that they present a smaller, more isolated feel.
For the hardcore bicycle enthusiasts, Noble Canyon Trail begins near Laguna Campground (at almost 6,500 feet above sea level) and winds steeply downhill for more than 10 miles of rugged off-road terrain.
“It’s pretty hairy,” Anderson said.
The park is littered with granite boulders, some as big as a small house. These giant rocks complement steep escarpments across the mountain that mark the area as a popular destination for rock climbers.
Yet another offering of the park exists at the Mount Laguna Star Observatory, which is operated by the San Diego State astrology department. Here, astronomy students take group tours of outer space through a high-power telescope lens.
The Descanso adventure extends beyond park boundaries, in areas where remote camping is encouraged with the prevision that all campers carry a visitor’s permit. Here visitors can trek from the Sunrise Highway directly to Cottonwood Creek Falls, or take the rugged Pacific Crest Trail to a remote cascade called Kitchen Creek Falls.
It is not uncommon to see visitors plummeting from the cliffs into waterfall basins when water levels are high enough to safely permit cliff jumping.
The region is also home to a variety of mountain critters. Mountain lions, coyotes and foxes are some of the rarer sights of the area, while deer, squirrels and a variety of birds including eagles and woodpeckers are abundant throughout.
Where there is beast, man will kill, and during hunting season deer, turkey, furbearers and quail are all fair game for the enthusiast and his rifle (obviously far beyond park boundaries).
“Early June is the best time of year to camp and hike the trails,” Anderson said. “This is when there’s the most water, the creeks are full and the weather makes it warm enough to really enjoy them.”
For more information about the Cleveland National Forest, visit the volunteer website at lmva.org, call the district ranger’s office or take a drive up the Sunrise Highway to the Mt. Laguna Visitor’s Center. Conditions are currently perfect for a variety of the park’s exciting activities.
