Wading...
Splashing...
Sweating...
If you've trekked or biked through Trabuco Canyon, you know that the lush, verdant landscape does not lack for scenic vistas. The route begins on a dirt road, tracing a fairly broad wash from Live Oak Canyon Road up to the Holy Jim Fire Station. The road narrows to a single track past the fire station, coursing through a dramatic section of the canyon toward the divide. This single-track section winds through a dense canopy of majestic oaks and then climbs along a shale-laden hillside replete with mature manzanita and scrub oak. A healthy patch of pine trees blanket the path as it reaches Main Divide Road.Sure, there are many beautiful patches of manzanita in the Santa Ana mountains. There are also other pine groves in the range - along the Indian Truck Trail, along Maple Springs Road and near the top of the Holy Jim Trail to name three. However, as far as waterways are concerned, Trabuco is by far the largest in the area. It seems improbable for a stream to flow year round in semi-arid Orange County. The county's largest natural lake, Lake Laguna, seems hardly larger than a duck pond in the summer months. Yet, Trabuco continues to flow even in the hottest days of summer. It does so because it sources from a fairly large watershed, stretching from the canyon to the top of Santiago Peak. For the record, Santiago Peak has recorded 53 inches of precipitation this year. That adds up to a substantial flow in narrow Trabuco Canyon.
On the heels of our relatively wet winter, the canyon seems full of water. It is difficult, for now, to stay dry when traveling the Trabuco Trail. But why would you want to? The water is part of the experience. The sound, the smell and the rush of the creek is always present. It's really what makes this canyon special. The abundance of water also fosters thick and healthy collection of vegetation (including, unfortunately, the devil weed -poison oak). In the coming weeks, expect wild flowers to sprout on the sunny hillsides of the canyon. Healthy winters typically bring a glorious spring. As the buds break, the sun warms and the leaves grow greener, I know exactly where I want to be.
