Del Dios Highlands County Preserve

• Adjoining properties north of Del Dios Highway overlooking Lake Hodges is now protected
  
  
• Provides habitat and potential trail connection between Lake Hodges/San Pasqual corridor and Elfin Forest Recreation Area
  
  
• San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy worked with the County of San Diego and Escondido Creek Conservancy to protect these properties

Location & Access

• On ridgeline above Lake Hodges, north of Del Dios Highway – just west of the Via Rancho Parkway intersection
  
  
• Newly opened Del Dios Highlands Trail runs across property – from Del Dios Highway to connection with trail in the Elfin Forest Recreation area
  
  
• Access requires parking south of Del Dios Highway and unprotected crossing of the highway

Resource Values

• Portion of property overlooks Olivenhein Dam (Emergency Water Storage projects), with views on a clear day south to Mexico, west to the ocean, and north to the San Bernadino and Laguna Mountains, including to Volcan Mountain
  
  
• Properties adjoin large Elfin Forest Recreation Area and provide connections between the Escondido Creek and the Lake Hodges/San Pasqual habitat corridors
  
  
• Foraging and nesting area for raptors, including Golden Eagles
  
  
• Potential trail and protected habitat connection from Coast-to-Crest, along Lake Hodges to Elfin Forest Recreation Area

Conservancy Role

• San Dieguto River Valley and Escondido Creek Conservancies coordinated funding to purchase both portion of Del Mar Highlands and Bernardo Mountain
  
  
• Conservancy provided some funding for the County of San Diego to purchase a 235-acre, eastern and northern portion of the parcel
  
  
• Conservancy initiated negotiations for the purchase of the western parcel with the representative of the Mexico City-based owner; the County of San Diego assumed the lead role and purchased the property

Management & Related Work

• Property is managed by the County Department of Parks and Recreation
  
  
• Conservancy is funding the engineering feasibility analysis of a potential trail and habitat corridor undercrossing of Del Dios Highway that would connect the Del Dios Highlands, Elfin Forest Recreation Area, and protected parcels along Escondido Creek with Lake Hodges and the Coast-to-Crest Trail
  
  
• Conservancy and River Park are exploring the purchase of property that would improve the potential trail and habitat corridor link between Lake Hodges and the Del Dios Highlands