Hiking Calendar

Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve
Temecula Gorge Hike

This exclusive docent-led hikes is a fun way to visit this special place which is not open to the public. In addition to protecting local flora and fauna, the reserve provides environmental research opportunities for students and researchers worldwide.

Saturday, February 15th, 2025
This hike begins promptly at 9:00 am

The Temecula Gorge Hike is 61⁄2 miles with a 1,400 feet elevation gain and loss, from the Reserve’s South Field Station to the Temecula Gorge and back.

This moderate hike, on a dirt road with several challenging hills, winds through an avocado orchard, shady oak woodlands, chaparral and finally down into the riparian area of the Santa Margarita river.

Dogs are not permitted on this hike.

To sign-up for this hike, please click here: Temecula Gorge Hike Sign-up
For questions about this hike, email Beth Cobb at smerdocenthikes@gmail.com.

For additional information about the reserve, please visit the SDSU Field Stations website at fsp.sdsu.edu.

Directions to the South Field Station Entrance

Click the link to get directions: South Field Station Entrance (Google Maps)

Written Directions:

  • Take the Mission Road exit on I-15 and follow Mission Road west toward Fallbrook.
    Drive 1.6 miles to Willow Glen Road and turn right.

  • After 2.2 miles, Willow Glen Road intersects with Stage Coach Lane and turns into a dirt road, virtually at the River.

  • Turn right (your only option) onto Stage Coach Lane and drive 1.7 miles to the
    locked gate of the Reserve. The gate will be opened for tour participants, who will| park in a dirt parking lot at the entrance to the citrus grove, about a half mile past the gate.

    NOTE:

  • You MUST go down WILLOW GLEN ROAD to get to the reserve. Very often a GPS will send you in a wrong direction.

  • The dirt road that parallels the river is beautiful but winding and slow driving.

  • We start promptly at 9:00 am. Please allow 25 minutes to drive from the 15
    Freeway / Mission Road off-ramp to the Reserve trailhead.

Daley Ranch Series 3-part Daley Ranch Series this season!

More Winter Hikes to be Announced!     

Third of Daley Ranch Series with Lori and Laury

Hellhole Canyon Hike 

May 31st 2025 Valley Center Trails 5k
before Western Days Parade

All are welcome to our hikes. Hikes are subject to cancellation if there is a heat warning in effect, if there is steady rain one hour before, or if there has been substantial rain during the 24 hour period before the hike. Dogs are not allowed on hikes unless otherwise specified. Contact infovcta@gmail.com to get on our email list and receive emails about our events. We update this page as new hikes become available.

Follow us on Facebook at Valley Center Trails Association
Valley Center Trails Association is a 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to the creation of non-motorized trails and pathways in Valley Center.

Membership in the Valley Center Trails Association is open to all individuals/households and businesses in the community. A modest membership fee is charged. Please support our efforts with your Membership or Donation. Thank you!

Membership Options

Past Events:

Celebration Picnic in the Park

Thanks to the help of our local community and our friends throughout the San Diego area who supported the efforts of Friends of Hellhole Canyon Open Space Preserve and the Valley Center Trails Association, we have added 959 acres of park and preserve land in Valley Center. Butterfield Trails Ranch, and Rancho Lilac Preserve when developed and open to the public will have multi-use trails. This celebration is to thank everyone involved for supporting these projects, including Supervisor Jim Desmond and his staff. It takes a community effort: Thank You!

To view photo from this event click here!

Featured Speakers for Celebration Picnic in the Park Oct. 14, 2023

Stephanie Holbrook, Founder of Wings of Change is a guest speaker at our Celebration Picnic in the Park on Oct. 14th. Wings of Change is spreading the word about the importance of butterflies and how they ultimately affect everything in our environment. At the Wings for Change booth, you can create a native seed ball that will create butterfly habitats.
Stephanie will be speaking about the Monarch Migration.

Krista Brown will be a featured speaker at our Celebration Picnic in the Park on October 14, 2023. Krista Brown is a licensed wildlife rehabilitation professional with over 35 years of hands-on rescue work.  She rescues sick, hurt and orphaned wildlife & cares for them until they are healthy and then she releases they back to the wild.  Meet Krista and learn what you can do if you see injured or sick wildlife. 

Hillary Hankey and Katie Pnewski & their owls from Avian Behavior International are guest speakers at our Celebration Picnic in the Park on Oct. 14th. They are speaking on “Coexisting with Owls in San Diego County”.

Our Appreciation and Thank You to:

  • Our property hosts: Wayne Hilbig and his family

  • Musicians: Marsi & Charles Carr for today’s music

  • Event sponsor: Rincon Tribe

Celebration Picnic in the Park is made possible by Friends of Hellhole Canyon Open Space Preserve & Valley Center Trails Association – Your local open space and public trails advocates.

Picnic in the Park
October 8, 2022

Our Picnic in the Park was a very successful community event to support Butterfield Trails Ranch becoming a San Diego County Park. We had over 600 people attend the event, and gave out over 400 Ice Cream Treats. More importantly we raised support for Butterfield Trails Ranch becoming a San Diego County Park.
Butterfield Trails Ranch a key element of our vision for more recreational open space in the Valley Center area. Valley Center needs a large, beautiful Park for picnics, family outings, easy walking trails, and the preservation of natural beauty in the middle of our town. Together, we were able to show our community support for this parkland purchase to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

Click to see photos from our Picnic in the Park 2022!

VCTrails 5K @ Western Days 2023

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS FROM OUR 2023 5K

November 9, 2024
Palomar Observatory Tour Photo