May 4, 18: Wilderness Gardens Guided Hikes 9-11am, Parking is $3. Check out Wilderness Gardens for more information.
May 18: VCTA led hike on private property in the beautiful West Lilac area on Saturday, May 18 at 9:00 AM. Join us for a one hour hike with spectacular views, spring vegetation and a waterfall. We are limited to 50 hikers so registration is required. Contact Steve Jacobs at 760.214.8017 or stevetjacobs@sbcglobal.net to make your reservations, details and directions.
May 25: Valley Center Western Days, join VCTA for the parade!
June 8: VCTA led hike. We will be returning by popular demand to the Stone House on Keys Creek. If you have not made this short hike, do not miss this opportunity to visit a beautiful Valley Center landmark.
June 22: VCTA lead hike will take us on a hike on the historic Rancho Lilac. The ranch house hosted the team that drafted much of the United Nations Charter following WWII. We are planning for a representative of the Valley Center Historical Society to be with us for details of the history. This beautiful 900 acres has been purchased by Caltrans as mitigation land and will be forever open space. Details of our hike are still pending. We are hoping to be able to provide a trail ride for equestrians and a ride for mountain bikers but as of this writing we are not certain because the property is still a working cattle ranch.
July 20: VCTA sponsored GPS class at the Library 2-4pm
Backcountry Land Trust Summer Flashlight Series Walks
Beat the heat this summer by hiking with us at night! For June, July and August, our 1st Saturday Nature Walks will be twilight adventures, taking you into the darker side of nature. From insects, to the night sky, to the spiritual side of our landscapes, these walks promise to be great fun for the whole family!
But, don't forget your flashlight....
These FREE family-friendly events are casual docent-guided walks through beautiful Wright's Field Preserve in Alpine. Each month's walk will explore different topics of interest, ranging from history to geology, native plants to birds & bugs...
All are welcome to join! Group parks and meets at Joan MacQueen Middle School, 2001 Tavern Rd in Alpine. [Please leave pets at home.]
New schedule for Summer 2013 is up on the web!
http://bclt.org/index.php/entry/1st-saturday-nature-walks-summer-2013
VCTA TO LEAD HIKE ON SUNDAY MARCH 24
Location: BLM land near the Hell Hole Canyon Parking lot.. The Trailhead is on Santee Lane 0.5 mile from where you turn off Kiavo Dr. The views are spectacular and the Lilac is in full bloom.
Click HERE for more information!
TIPS FOR SHARING MULTI-USE TRAILS
This link is courtesy of the Irvine Ranch Conservancy. It is an excellent reminder to us all how to share the trails with others and worth the read! As we continue to grow trails in Valley Center, we are reminded to be courteous to our fellow trail walkers, riders and bikers so the trails can be enjoyed by all.
KEYS CREEK CANYON and STONE HOUSE HIKE MAY 12 WAS A HUGE SUCCESS!
The Valley Center Trails Association lead a one-hour hike into Keys Creek Canyon to the Old Stone House on Saturday, May 12. A wonderful time was had by all. We hiked through chaparral and riparian woodland across the creek to the historic stone house. Many thanks to the property owners, who generously allowed us to host this great event.
Click here to see photos of this years hike along Keys Creek.
Go to www.vctrails.org to see photos of last year’s hike to the Stone House.
BE SURE TO FIND OUR GEOCACHING SPOTS ALONG HERITAGE TRAIL! For more information, visit www.geocaching.com Sign up for a free geocaching membership and you can find our cache along with several others in Valley Center. It's local treasure hunting fun!
SUPPORT VALLEY CENTER TRAILS with a t-shirt! T-shirts and other merchandise can be purchased at:
North County Times Article on Valley Center Trails
The VCTA has its first priority to help the county to acquire voluntary easements for a staging area and trail branching off Heritage Trail along Keys Creek for more than a mile into the canyon. Eventually, that trail may extend for six miles, connecting through the canyon along the creek to the future Lilac Ranch project.
Other high priorities include safe trails/pathways to and from our schools and the town center, entry into Daley Ranch from Mirar de Valle, and trails on the western edge of the Rincon Reservation. These, and other map additions are very exciting opportunities for the community and VCTA. It takes a lot of time, effort and money --anything you can do to help is a great community contribution!
Any individual, business, or organization sympathetic to supporting non-motorized trails in Valley Center may join VCTA by contacting Membership Chair Fred Wollman at 760-518-8545 or fred@fwollman.com.
Annual dues are $10 for students and seniors over 55, and $25 for households or businesses (only one vote per membership please). Reciprocal memberships with Friends of Hellhole Canyon are also available for only $15 in addtion to your VCTA membership. Let's support Valley Center as a community. Thank you!
