Saturday, February 18, 8 - 11 a.m. (Rain cancels)

 Join naturalist and Director of The Chaparral Lands Conservancy David Hogan for a 4-mile hike to vernal pools and scenic views on the Del Mar Mesa Preserve. Learn about the conservation history of this preserve that was once planned for Mira Mesa-style development and several planned habitat restoration projects. We’ll visit one of the largest concentrations of rare vernal pools anywhere in San Diego County to check out fairy shrimp, tadpoles, and rare plants before continuing through other special native plant communities like southern maritime chaparral, scrub oak chaparral, and living cyptobiotic soils. Expect a roughly 200ft elevation gain at the beginning of the hike as we climb a utility road from Los Penasquitos Canyon up to Del Mar Mesa. Trailhead at end of Park Village Road in Rancho Penasquitos