Saddle Up—Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve East

Farmer Road/Julian Orchards Road, Julian 92036
Thomas Bros.: 1136-A1 and 1134

Phone Number: (760) 765-4098

Directions to the preserve: 

East - Farmer Staging: Take Highway 78/79 into Julian, to Main Street. Going north, Main Street turns into Farmer Road. Take Farmer Road to Wynola Road and turn right, then a quick left back onto Farmer Road. Pass the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve sign on your right. Santa Ysabel Preserve will be on the left side, approximately one mile from the Volcan sign. Parking is available in the staging area.

East - Hwy 79 Trailhead: Take Hwy 78 into Santa Ysabel. Turn north onto Hwy 79. Trailhead is 1.5 miles north of Santa Ysabel or just south of the Santa Ysabel Mission. Parking is available along Hwy 79.

There is an open-space preserve very near Ramona, in Santa Ysabel. Gal-pal Shawn and I loaded up our equine partners Cricket and Casey then hit the road to check out this area to ride. Filled with excitement, we were not disappointed. It is beautiful, with all 3,800 acres rolled out before us. We readied our equines, mounted, and started out to ride the 18 miles of trail. 

At the staging area (which is really small by the way and somewhat difficult to navigate) I would not recommend a trailer bigger than a three-horse, and that size should probably have a very skilled driver—and backer-upper. There are typically porta-potties at the staging area which is nice, but there is no water, so take plenty for you and for your horse. The entry gate to the staging area is a  little narrow, as is the entry to the preserve. The U-shaped entrance to the actual preserve also contains a step-over gate and I have seen this combination cause a mental block for some horses, including Casey on this given day. 

The gelding tried and tried to go through but he was stuck. His mental block was growing so Cricket and I rode through first—boy I love my horse—and Casey followed cautiously. We made it into the preserve and off we rode. 

What a wonderful day filled with wild turkey, gorgeous blossoms and cattle dotting the landscape. Wild turkey are larger than I thought, and when some hens flew into the trees above us, our horses had to think, “are those gonna eat me?” They decided not, thankfully. Tree-lined trail, open space and sunshine were all we could see. This area is open to equestrians, hikers and mountain bikes. The few folks we ran into were very nice, and we stopped to chat a few times. 

Something I also feel the need to mention regarding the cattle: From horseback they are big, but standing on the ground they are huge. On this day ride a few of the cows had calves alongside them, and cows are very protective mothers. A human family was walking along and one of the cows got very upset and started yelling, yes yelling. She was walking toward the family bellowing something fierce so we rode our horses between the family and the cow, who slowed her pace but kept up the noise

We told the family to walk in front of us until we were far enough from the cow that they would be safe. They asked what they might do if they were walking and they upset a cow and there was no one on horseback around to play go-between. I advised them first to be very aware of their surroundings and look for calves, and to look low as they often lay in the grass near their mothers. If a cow were to begin this sort of behavior, continue to move away. Don’t run, and even find a tree to climb if at all possible, as they would not be able to outrun a cow, especially if she’s angry. 

Santa Ysabel Open Space is easy to find, and mostly easy to ride. The staging area lies off of Farmer Road in Julian. I will add that there is a space beside Hwy 79 in Santa Ysabel in which you can pull over, park and get into the preserve. I do not recommend that equestrians attempt this roadside parking (staging) as it is literally right on the highway, which you then have to cross.

There are no amenities at this roadside parking and no fencing for safety. With the amount of traffic often going along at about 60 miles an hour, unless you are absolutely certain your horse will be fine, it's best to go up into Julian to the official staging area. The roadside parking along Hwy 79 would be more suitable for hikers or bicyclists.

The trailhead and trails are all well-marked. There are trail maps and points of interest along the way. There are some inclines that could be slightly challenging, but the trails remain wide enough for a safe journey and almost all are rock free. Much of the trail system is old fire roads and still used by rangers who patrol the area. There are a few water crossings, fallen trees and other minor trail obstacles—all good for the mind of your equine. It keeps them on their toes!

For more information and maps please go the SD County Parks website.