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| no partners | | | On the last day of my California trip I did two short hikes and capped it off by driving a ways into this pretty canyon. Drove to the site of the old CCC work camp that was one of the staging areas for the construction of the Mason Valley Truck Trail back in the 1930's. This now closed road connects with Highway 79 near Cuyamaca Reservoir, 6 miles south of Julian. Historically, it has long been used as a short cut down from the Cuyamaca Mountains to the desert floor for Native Americans, and was part of the Yuma Trail that served as a trade route between settlements on the Colorado River and fishing villages in the San Diego area. In 1854 horse and mule riders started carrying mail for the U.S. Army through the canyon. This was part of a mail route between San Antonio and San Diego that lasted until probably the outbreak of the Civil War. Butterfield stage coaches could not negotiate this route, and had to use the much longer route through Box Canyon and Warner's Ranch. After my stop in the canyon, it was back on Highway S2 for the drive to I-8 and home. The Ocotillo Wind Farm is new since my last trip through here last spring. |
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