Elfin Forest, California

Elfin Forest is an unincorporated residential community of San Diego County, in the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains. The community is southwest of Escondido and according to the USGS it is located at 33°04′25″N 117°09′51″W [1] in the Escondido ZIP code of 92029. It borders the rural, unincorporated town of Harmony Grove to the northeast, San Marcos to the north and west, Olivenhain to the southwest, and Rancho Santa Fe to the south.

This article is about the settlement in San Diego County. For the botanical preserve, see Elfin Forest Natural Area. For the plant community, see Elfin forest.

This rural suburb contains large homes on rolling hills and many trails for hiking and horseback riding. Most of the properties, which are split between the Rancho Santa Fe school district and Escondido school district, have amenities for horses and/or grow trees like avocado, orange, lemon, and grapefruit.

The community maintains a strict minimum lot size requirement of 2 acres (8,100 m2) and does not allow sub-dividing. The neighboring community of San Elijo Hills has a small downtown with grocery store, restaurant, bar, and gasoline station which serves many of the Elfin Forest residents.

Elfin Forest is said to be one of the most haunted places in the world.[2]

Hiking

The Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve is a family hike through an ecological preserve. The main trail climbs up to 1200 ft elevation and has many tributary trails. The Escondido Creek marks the trailhead. The main trail is 1.6 miles long and meanders up a wall then leads up to numerous trails of varying difficulties. There is a well-marked botanical trail describing the various plant life in the area. One can also extend the hike about 9 miles one way over the mountain to Lake Hodges.

Olivenhain Dam & Reservoir view from an Elfin Forest trail
Rock ledge

Plant community

Elfin Forest is one of the terms used by naturalists to describe the chaparral vegetation which formerly covered much of coastal Southern California. It is variously known as California coastal sage and chaparral ecoregion, bush-forest, elfin-wood, heath-scrub. The coastal scrub was designed as the best possible means for conservation of the land and habitats that support many endangered plants and animals, including the gnatcatcher. This coastal scrub is now endangered and the state government is studying ways to protect it. The Elfin Forest valley contains one of the largest areas of virgin coastal scrub in Southern California. An Elfin forest is also a type of Dwarf forest in coastal California and elsewhere.

References
  1. "Elfin Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/sd-no-haunted-northcounty-20161010-story.html
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