exploration of Felicita County Park September 16, 2010 I'm in the center of the parking lot nearest picnic area 6 at Felicita County Park [I'm going to survey the park on my mountain bike] N 33 4.992 W 117 5.094 [4-992-5-094] 0.00 miles 0-102 I enter what appears to be a loop around the picnic area 20-96 27-104 25-120 unpaved path to R, I turn R 37-137 stairway leading to park entrance to R, I turn R 42-136! top of stairway is on a street [Park Dr] opposite number 834, end of this part, I go back down the stairway I continue on the unpaved path [37-137] 62-165! path comes to an end, end of this part, I turn around the street beside this path is apparently Park Dr back on the paved path [25-120], I turn R 3-108 back at the place where I entered, end of this part [0-102!] I'm going to try to follow the peripheral path that is on the park map 962-115 just N of the bridge carrying the access road over Felicita Creek S of area 6, I begin here, mileage here 0.29 980-116 I turn L just before the handicapped parking slots to cross over a bridge 967-137 other side of the bridge, a T intersection of paved paths, I turn R a tree has fallen across the path, I lift my bike over it 975-159 paved path veers L, to R is an unpaved but well-beaten path, I turn R 995-183 16-202 T intersection of unpaved paths, I turn R 47-207 51-205! path becomes very steep and descends to the creek, end of this part, I turn around back at the T [16-202], I continue SA 998-202 this is probably the high point of the trail, to the R is what may be the high point of the park, but there's only a very narrow and rough trail leading to it, I put my bike down and walk up to the summit 982-203 there's a pavilion at the summit center of the pavilion at 4-982-5-208, end of this part, I turn around I return to my mountain bike and drag it back to the pavilion, apparently that's the continuation of the trail all the way around the park I continue on the access road 978-222 893-191 I turn R at a sign that says Walk Area 5 & 4 I head over to the park boundary fence 823-251 I'm near the boundary fence, I can't find the trail, so I just sort of wing it 861-164 I've returned to the access road and still can't find that trail 843-120 area 7 on the R, and an apparent trail with interpretive plaques, I follow it 834-112 829-105 825-107 821-110 788-111 T intersection of trails, I turn R and cross a small bridge there is a creek to my L, flowing in the direction I am going 741-110 a wier in the creek to my L 705-132 the trail turns L and crosses the creek there is a gangly bird, sort of a crane, on the bridge, I wait and take some pictures I cross the bridge on the other side, my GPS has lost its signal, I head SA to a clear area the trail, however, veers to the L 699-78 trail emerges on what looks like an abandoned paved road it's deadend to the R, I turn L 751-67 this may be an old alignment for Felicita Rd 817-46 838-45 T intersection with the access road to the park, the way I drove in, I turn R to get some pictures of the entrance 4-845-4-983! the entrance on Felicita Rd, end of this part back at the place where I met this access road [838-45], I turn R into a well-worn dirt road with a do-not-enter sign on it 883-13 908-16! this is apparently the driveway to the caretaker's house, end of this part, I turn around 10:13 AM 1.69 miles, back at the picnic area where I parked, I stop for a snack I'm going around again by a slightly different route, I hope I can find that path along the W side 4--979--5--168 previously surveyed junction, this time I bear L and stay on the paved path [change to 4-975-5-159 to match previous reading] 960-178 956-181 953-188 path emerges at a little parking area, I go out the access road 960-201 958-217! I come to a previously surveyed access road, I turn L and stop calling lat/lon I turn R at area 1, 2 & 3 and again try to find that trail 792-193 I'm near the peripheral fence, the trail here, if any, is very faint 794-186 a fenced-off tree, they are probably afraid it's going to fall 790-127! a bridge across a creek, I think I may have been here before, I turn R and follow and obvious path 780--115 yes, this looks kind of familiar yes, I have been on this trail before, so I stop calling lat/lon I've lost lat/lon and regained it 701-85 near the place where I lost my signal and went out to the abandoned road, this time I turn L and follow an obvious trail 710-90 735-88 the other side of that weir 761-89 another weir to my L 761-90 763-86 827-67 850-79 874-77 trail emerges at the junction of access roads, I turn L [the road crosses the creek] 873-104 R into a marked path, a path lined with rocks but without signs 873-105 906-109 918-114 a bridge to my R and the path SA is paved 918-115 966-143! previously surveyed junction, unstable coordintates, end of this part now I go S on Felicita Rd and see if I can find access to Bernardo Mountain I cross Via Rancho Pkwy and enter Quiet Hills Dr I go R on Quiet Hills Farm Rd the road is deadend, I turn around R on Sage Glen this is also apparently deadend, I can see Bernardo Mountain, but there is no access to it from here, I turn around R on Quiet Hills Dr L on Via Rancho Pkwy L into Bernardo Mountain Dr yes, there is access from Bernardo Mountain Dr approximately at 4--338--5--267 there is a no-parking sign here, but no no-trespassing sign mileage here is 4.42, I turn around and go back to Via Rancho Pkwy this part is gravelly at 4.52, the road becomes paved at this point, people going in the other direction should follow the sign to 903, the gravelly part mileage 4.64 back on Via Rancho Pkwy, end of this part 5.63 miles 11:31 AM, back at the parking area, I stop for lunch [I drive to the Highland Valley Trail parking area, park there, and ride over to W Bernardo Dr. I photograph the future closure sign on the Kreitzer Bridge and explore the construction zone on W Bernardo Dr and the new path to Rancho Bernardo Community Park. I continue on W Bernardo Dr and loop back over the bridge over Green Valley Creek to verify that it has been reopened.] 4.77 miles, entering the bike path next to W Bernardo Dr at the entrance to Rancho Bernardon Community Park 4.89 crossing entrance to Bernardo Bay parking area 4.97 pavement ends 5.09 unpaved part ends, and I ride in the closed lane of W Bernardo Dr 5.24 entrance to Kreitzer Bridge [I return the the Highland Valley Trail parking area. I then ride the entire length of Highland Valley Trail and return via Sycamore Creek Rd and Highland Valley Rd]