Visualize a time long ago when California was not even a state in the United States of America. It was early times and California was pretty much in its natural state with no development. This is when a Spanish military Captain asked permission of the Spanish military to find a route from Tubac, Mexico to Alta California which is known as San Francisco today.
With that permission Juan Bautista de Anza lead an exploratory expedition in 1774 that was successful in establishing a route that could be traveled, thus creating a way for settlers to cross that long distance to San Francisco. Upon his return he brought together a group of 200 men, women and children that agreed to travel to Alta California (San Francisco) and settle there.
This expedition began on October 23, 1775 and it reached an area in the now Anza Borrego State Park, known as Coyote Canyon, where the Anza Camp #54 is located. On this site on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1775 a baby was born and now a marker commemorates the birth of the child Salvador Ygnacio Linares. From this point until the expedition reaches Anza Camp Site #56 at Tripp Flats is the area Anza Area Trail Town (AATT) is working on with many stakeholders to create a dedicated/accepted multi-use trail. The county of Riverside has added the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail to the Comprehensive Trail Plan and Map as a regional trail through Riverside County. Currently the National Parks Service has the historical route identified using a historical motor route in the Anza area with signage on the SR371. This road route gives the public and community residents a limited perspective of where the expedition traveled, and it in no way, does it offer these visitors the real interpretive experience a “boots on the ground” trail would offer.
Currently Anza Area Trail Town (AATT) is working on obtaining easements that are located on the dedicated, but unaccepted for maintenance by Riverside County dirt roads that transverse this historical corridor. AATT hopes to obtain easements on private property to create trail corridors that will enhance the community, increase property values while creating recreational opportunities for residents and local visitors.
AATT has divided the trail identification/easement obtainment into three strategic areas located within the Anza area
- Southeastern Section (Coyote Canyon)- This section includes Turkey Track Grade to the Terwilliger Valley. It includes the San Carlos Pass area which includes the Cary/Old Clark Ranch. On the ranch is historical monument CRHL No. 103 Plaque. This section also includes portions of Anza Borrego State Park and private property that could be strategic to making the trail a highlight for recreation. Community Trails could be incorporated in this section for better recreation for residents and visitors alike. There would also be the opportunity to develop a docent lead trail program to incorporate the historical Cary/Old Clark Ranch. Partnerships would need to be developed with The Archeological Conservancy, Anza Borrego State Park, private property owners and road easement holders to ensure the success of this section of recreation trails. This section is approximately 7 miles from the town of Anza
- Anza Township Section- This section would include developing a path that would link strategic recreation areas in the community. This part of the Anza Township has smaller housing lots, commercial areas and larger farming parcels which would be ideal for a trail corridor linking these areas The trail would link the Anza Lions Gymkhana Field, Hamilton Museum and Minor Park and then it would be used to develop a safety crossing for walker, mountain biker and horseback rider to cross SR371 safely to access other community trails. Stakeholders in this section would be Anza Lions Club, Hamilton Museum & Ranch Foundation, Anza Civic Improvement League, large private property owners and local businesses from the community. The small water district and the Anza Electric Cooperative could be other stakeholders as their utility easement could be used as trail corridors. The Anza Cahuilla Indians could be a stakeholder if they would consider trail corridors on their reservation to increase visitor recreational opportunities.
- Tripp Flats/Bautista Canyon Section- This section is in a bowl between Cahuilla Mountain and Bautista Canyon. This section would be developed using road easement trails that could link up to community trails that could link to the BLM Haystring Trails and future trails that could link up to Cahuilla Mountain Trails and Juan Diego Flats area. The stakeholders in this area would include Olivet University, Ramona Band of Cahuilla Indians and private property owners.
AATT believes that the creation of this regional trail will offer the community an opportunity to highlight a valuable historical resource as well as preserving travel corridors for wildlife and humans. With inclusion of the native Indians that historically traveled these trails to trade with other bands. The incorporation of these trails would preserve the areas many faceted histories.
AATT does not enter into this endeavor lightly. AATT respects the community and those that live on the lands of the community. It will take those stakeholders that own land and live on its dirt roads, that have easements that can serve as trails, to be open to giving these easements as trail corridors or alternatively selling them at affordable prices that AATT can fundraise for.
