Tip: Terrain view is the default and doesn't zoom as close as Satellite or Hybrid views.

Blue: Trailhead to return path intersection - 1.141 miles
Green: Santa Margarita trail loop - 3+ miles

• A. Trailhead parking lot
  • From the trailhead to the Santa Margarita River crossing the trail is an easy, flat hike except for some boulders at the beginning.
• B. 1.14 miles from the trailhead to fork in the trail
  • Continue east toward the river toward the horse crossing.
• C. River crossing
  • Either ford the shallow river or make your way across the boulders
• D. Bee hive in rock crevice
  • There's a huge bee hive in a rock crevice around here. Just go by quickly and they won't bother you.
• E. Willow Creek Road river crossing
  • Ford the shallow river
• F. Mortreros
  • You can't miss the depressions in the boulders in the trail. Native americans used to grind acorns for grain here.
• G. Rainbow Creek crossing
  • Ford the shallow creek
• H. Intersection
  • Head uphill to get to the higher, more open trail. The trail right next to the river is nice, but very narrow. Also can be quite muddy in winter/spring.
• I. Old Ford
  • Make your way downhill and go past the picturesque wreck of a 1950's Ford 2-door station wagon on the river bank.
• J. Head up the trail
  • Uphill, past the roadrunner ranch and back down to the river trail toward the trailhead.

Interesting plants along the trail - early June 2010 Shrub or small tree with flat-topped clusters of small pale yellow blooms - Mexican Elderberry Leggy shrub with pale pink blossoms budding from stems - bushmallow (malacothamnus fasciculatus) Rambling bushy plant with pale pink blooms - branching phacelia Tall and leggy plant with buds in clusters on the tips, not blooming yet - Sacapellote Small and bushy plant with flat-topped clusters of off-white blooms - Buckwheat Tubular orange flowers on arching branches - heart-leaf penstemon Tall plants with many yellow blooms on ends of straight bluish stems - Golden ear-drops Erect plant less than 3' high with blue flowers attached to stem - Nuttall snapdragon Lots of invasive weeds like black mustard, italian thistle, and grasses Other stuff to see along the trail Red-tail hawks Great blue heron California crows Mallard ducks Various birds depending on season Squirrels Lizards Snakes - watch out for rattlesnakes in  the rocky areas

SM River Trail loop Santa Margarita River trail Hike 2 photos Some of the plants along the trail in June: Buckwheat Bushmallow Branching phacelia Chalk Lettuce Winecup Clarkia