| About Cleveland National Forest |
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| Cutca |
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Beginning Elevation:
3,800 Feet
Difficulty:
Difficult
Elevation Gain:
1,000 Feet
High Point:
4,800 Feet
Length:
10.4 Miles
Reservation:
No
Season:
Early Spring - Late Fall
From LA Basin, Take I-15 south to Highway 79 near Temecula. Take Highway 79 south toward Warner Springs. About .25 mile past the junction with Highway 371 take Forest Road 8S05 west (on right). This is the same turnoff used to reach Rancho California RV Resort. At about 5 miles the trailhead sign will be found on the right side of the road. Parking is in the wide area along the road. (Vehicles must display a Forest Adventure Pass.) From San Diego take I-15 north to Highway 79 near Temecula. Follow previous description.
Location Information
GENERAL INFORMATION: The first 0.5 mile is downhill through switchbacks. The trail then climbs back out of the small valley following the bottom of a small drainage. The trail continues west across a number of meadows and then climbs again into the Cutca Valley. After wandering north down the valley for about 0.5 mile, the trail turns west again and climbs into the SE corner of the Agua Tibia Wilderness. The trail climbs up the bottom of a drainage for about 1 mile and then starts a steep climb up a ridge toward Eagle Crag. The climb ends at the 4730' elevation and begins a contour west across the face of the peak to a ridge which runs northwest. The trail then descends this ridge to Crosley Saddle and its terminus with the Wildhorse Peak and Palomar-Magee Trails. The trail traverses a wide variety of landscapes including chapparal, oak woodlands, big cone douglas fir, and coulter pine stands. Animals include lizards, snakes, deer, mountain lions and much in between. Water sources are scarce. The meadow areas provide good camping (A visitor pass is required for overnight stays in the backcountry. Campfires are not permitted at any time).
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