WELCOME!
You are about to begin the Ruth Merrill Children’s Interpretive Walk, which travels along the Highland Valley Trail. On this walk, you will discover the importance of the San Dieguito River to the plants, animals, and people that live here. You will also explore the habitats found along the way. Habitats are local natural areas where specific plants and animals are found. San Diego County has a remarkable variety of habitats to explore. Just a few of these are found along the Highland Valley Trail.
This interpretive walk is 1.5 miles round trip, with a 2-mile option for those who want to learn more about the area. This is not a loop trail. You will travel out and back on the same path.
As you begin the walk, look for numbered posts along the trail. These are Discovery Points. At each of these Discovery Points, which are described in this pamphlet, you will learn how a river influences the land, and about the plants, animals, and people that share the environment.
THE SAN DIEGUITO RIVER
The San Dieguito River begins as a small stream up on Volcan Mountain near Julian. As the stream flows down the mountain, it is joined by many other streams and soon is large enough to be called a creek. This creek, called the Santa Ysabel Creek, continues to flow down into the San Pasqual Valley.
Just to the east of this trail, the Santa Ysabel Creek and the Santa Maria Creek merge to form the San Dieguito River. The San Dieguito River continues to travel west until it meets the Pacific Ocean, just south of the Del Mar Fairgrounds.
The Highland Valley Trail is located within the San Dieguito River Park. The River Park gets its name from the San Dieguito River, which flows in the valley below the trail. Even though you can’t see the river from the trail, you will see evidence of how the river benefits and influences this area. A river plays many roles.