page_title: Elfin Forest, California
section_title: Hiking
hierarchical_section_title: Elfin Forest, California / Hiking
caption_attribution_description: English: This is a photo of the Olivenhain dam &amp; reservoir, which is located within the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve. It is visible from part of the 11 miles of hiking that the reserve offers.
context_page_description: Elfin Forest is an unincorporated residential community of San Diego County, in the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains. The community is southwest of Escondido and according to the USGS it is located at 33°04′25″N 117°09′51″W in the Escondido ZIP code of 92029. It borders the rural, unincorporated town of Harmony Grove to the northeast, San Marcos to the north and west, Olivenhain to the southwest, and Rancho Santa Fe to the south.
  This rural suburb contains large homes on rolling hills and many trails for hiking and horseback riding. Most of the properties, which are split between the Rancho Santa Fe school district and Escondido school district, have amenities for horses and/or grow trees like avocado, orange, lemon, and grapefruit.
  The community maintains a strict minimum lot size requirement of 2 acres and does not allow sub-dividing. The neighboring community of San Elijo Hills has a small downtown with grocery store, restaurant, bar, and gasoline station which serves many of the Elfin Forest residents.
  Elfin Forest is said to be one of the most haunted places in the world.
context_section_description: The 750-acre Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve is a family hike through an ecological preserve. The Way Up trail climbs up to 1200 ft elevation and has many tributary trails. The Escondido Creek marks the trailhead. The main trail is 1.6 miles long and meanders up a wall then leads up to numerous trails of varying difficulties. There is a well-marked botanical trail describing the various plant life in the area. The hike passes next to the Olivenhain dam and can also be extend about 9 miles one way over the mountain to Lake Hodges.
caption: Olivenhain Dam & Reservoir view from an Elfin Forest trail
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