Temecula Canyon
Santa Margarita River
Riverside and San Diego Counties, California

Article and photos by Charles Foster

Granite domes frame the gorge. Bedrock rapids stair-step into big pools. Waterfalls tumble down steep canyon walls. A beaver slaps his tail and dives out of sight. It may sound like the Sierra Nevada, but this run is in Southern California's "Inland Empire", between the cities of San Diego and Riverside.

Keith Beck nabs the first boof of the day.

Driving along I-15 out of San Diego one wouldn't expect decent whitewater for hundreds of miles. Yet a remarkable Class IV+ run starts just a few miles south of the town of Temecula. Here Temecula and Murrieta Creeks combine to create the Santa Margarita River. This carves its way through the southern margin of the Santa Margarita Mountains. A challenging voyage through a beautiful granite gorge results.

As dry as it may appear, this area does see some heavy winter rains. A segment of the US's first transcontinental railroad once ran through the canyon. Owned by the California Southern Railroad Company, the route began in National City (on Mission Bay), ran up the coast past Oceanside, then followed the Santa Margarita River through Temecula Canyon before veering north to San Bernardino. Construction began in 1880, despite warnings from natives about winter floods. The first train made the run from San Diego to San Bernardino in September 1883.

The Santa Margarita cuts through a granitic range on its way to the sea.

Five months later, thirty miles of the new railway lay in ruins, destroyed by the storm-swollen Santa Margarita. This disaster bankrupted the California Southern Railroad. Though the segment was rebuilt by the Santa Fe Railroad in 1884, it was abandoned for good in 1892 after a second flood. Since then the canyon has slowly reverted to a wild state. Only faint traces of the old railway remain: an abutment, overgrown sections of road bed, and a few twisted, river-polished rails.

Looking at the Murrieta Creek put in, most boaters will be skeptical that worthwhile paddling is to be had. The creek is nondescript, the water quality is unappealing, and since the put in is literally freeway-close, the roar of traffic is oppressive. But a few minutes of easy floating takes one away from the sounds of the modern world. A stick gage soon comes into view on river right (2.2 is a minimum value, 2.9 is good). A little further down, Temecula Creek comes in from the left. You're now running the Santa Margarita River.

Surfing by the first big falls.

As the Santa Margarita enters Temecula Canyon, it cuts through broken metamorphic rocks. The resulting bouldery slalom rapids provide a nice warm-up. As this river is subject to flash floods, it pays to stay wary for fallen trees and brush here, and throughout the run.

The chaparral covered hills rise higher as the run progresses. They are dotted with fragrant flowering trees. Intermittent patches of cactus (as well as the INS checkpoint on I-15) are a reminder that the Mexican border isn't too far south.

Soon the river enters a steep granite defile. Some of the best rapids are found here; there are many great bedrock slides and ledges. Several of these are worth a scout, and a portage or two should be expected at lower water. Watch for a major drop below the point where telephone lines cross the river.

Keith Beck jumps a nice ledge.

Keith Dinger on a low water descent.

Another beautiful falls.

Below this first granite gorge the canyon opens up and makes a sharp right bend. The old railroad grade is visible on river right and some sections of rail can be seen in the creek. Watch for a stone bridge abutment on river left; this marks the start of a complex bouldery rapid that is definitely worth a scout.

The boulder pile.

Not far downstream is a final granite gorge with a big rapid. Much of the river flows under a truck sized boulder on river right but this drop becomes runnable at higher flows.

The canyon gradually opens up, and the rapids quickly ease to Class II as you float past orange and avocado groves. If you're doing this as a low-water trip, the takeout will be a welcome sight. At higher water, I've had to fight the temptation to continue downstream, as the Santa Margarita winds sedately through the coastal plains to the Pacific. Unfortunately the Marines at Camp Pendleton have not granted permission for kayakers to float through their base.

To get to the takeout, exit I-15 at S13/Mission Road (about 10 miles south of Temecula). Drive west on Mission Road for 1.4 miles, then turn right on Willow Glen Road. Willow Glen Road reaches the Santa Margarita in about 2 miles. We've had no problems parking along Stage Coach Lane, the dirt road that parallels the river.

To get to the put in, get back on I-15 and head north, passing through the INS checkpoint. Exit I-15 at Highway 79. Turn west, and park in a large field just south of a Texaco station. Murrieta Creek is at the west edge of this field.

This document was last updated on Monday, March 06, 2000

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