USE AT YOUR OWN RISK
Location: San Diego County, 13 miles southeast of Temecula, 112 miles from Los Angeles
Maps
| Auto Club | San Diego County |
| Forest Service | Cleveland National Forest |
| USGS Topos | Vail Lake 7½, Boucher Hill 7½, Aguanga 7½ |
| Official HPS Maps |
TPO file - Save to your computer then open with National Geographic TOPO! |
| | Viewable PDF file - Approximately 2.5 megs |
| | GPX file or Google Earth KML file to
download to GPS units and other map software (How to use GPX and KML files) |
| | Routes as shown on
CalTopo using the above files (How to use CalTopo) |
ROUTE 3
(USFS Adventure Pass may be required)
- Distance: 26 miles round trip on trail, road, and cross-country
- Gain: 5500' total, 4500' out plus 1000' on return
- Time: 12 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 1, very strenuous
- Navigation: Intermediate
- Leader Rating: "I", normal conditions
Original: John Backus, March 1982
DRIVING ROUTE 3
HIKING ROUTE 3
- Walk to the south end of the campground where a sign and trail register
are located. Sign the register, then proceed across a seasonal stream
(flooded after heavy rains). Just past the "Agua Tibia Wilderness"
sign, the trail
reaches a trail junction with the Wild Horse Trail on the left and the
Dripping Springs Trail on the right.
- Turn right onto Dripping Springs
Trail (1W03) and follow it for 7 miles to where it joins the former
Palomar-Magee Truck Trail (now trail 2W01) at a signed saddle just west of Agua
Tibia Mountain (near the "T" in "Tibia" on the Vail
Lake topo): One may want to climb to the summit of Agua Tibia Mtn (Lower Peaks list), a very short but very brushy climb.
- Turn left and follow it 2 1/2 miles as it contours on the
northwest shoulder of Agua Tibia Mountain and descends to Crosley Saddle,
junction with Wild Horse Trail.
This portion of the road is often poorly maintained.
- Continue as in Route 2.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
The Forest Service is planning a seasonal closure of the Dripping
Springs Campground because of the endangered green toad. This may prevent
the use of Routes 2 and 3 during closure periods. Please contact the
Cleveland National Forest Palomar Ranger District Office
at 760-788-0250 for current closure information.