Fanita Ranch State Park

As the California State Park System celebrates its 100th year, I’ve taken some time this summer to visit state parks on the California coast including the park that started it all, Big Basin Redwood, located 70 miles south of San Francisco.

According to park literature, “While sitting around a campfire on a spring evening in 1900, a small group of men and women began a revolutionary movement to protect the ancient coastal redwoods. They envisioned a park for the enjoyment of all people and began creating what is now the oldest State Park in California. These people’s passion, commitment and vision created a sanctuary for all to enjoy.”

Their vision began a state park system that drew 93 million visitors in 2001 (an increase of 31% over the previous year) and the state estimates that those visitors spent an additional $800 million in communities surrounding state parks. Our grand park system has become an important part of California’s economy and quality of life.

As California’s growing population and tourism increases park demand, what better way to celebrate and honor the vision of our state park system’s founders than by initiating the planning for a new state park on the majestic Fanita Ranch?

Fanita Ranch meets all criteria for an outstanding addition to the state park system.

Expanded Recreation: Fanita Ranch is conducive to hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, birdwatching, and camping. Outdoor enthusiasts already make use of Fanita Ranch when they expand their activities from neighboring regional parks from Mission Trails, Santee Lakes, and Sycamore Canyon/Goodan Ranch.

Urban Strategy: Fanita Ranch (with well over a million people within a 20 mile radius) offers a wilderness experience to an urban population. Recreators can experience San Diego as it was 100 years ago, yet be only minutes from their homes, businesses and shopping.

Trail Connection Corridor: Fanita Ranch has natural corridors linking State Park at the ocean with State Parks and National Forest in the mountains and desert. Trail connections through Sycamore Canyon can connect the planned San Diego River Park with the Trans-County Trail that links the Ocean to the Desert (Torrey Pines State Park - Cleveland National Forest - Cuyamaca State Park - Anza-Borrego Desert State Park). This corridor can be linked to the San Dieguito River Park near Julian creating a full loop from coast to mountains and back to the coast.

A sustainable ecosystem: Fanita’s rugged topography creates a natural urban growth boundary that protects a vast biological reservoir of endangered and sensitive species. Fanita is a critical north-south and east-west wildlife corridor.

A unique natural area: None of California’s state parks possess the diversity of habitats and species represented on Fanita Ranch. The closest comparison, Chino Hills State Park is further inland and has been significantly altered by heavy grazing.

A cultural landscape corridor: San Diego County is characterized by its varied topography of rugged hills and canyons, intermittent streams of oaks and sycamores, and grassland valleys. Fanita Ranch is one of the few remaining examples of this historic landscape only twenty miles from the coast.

Cultural Resources: Archeological sites of the Native American Kumeyaay can be found throughout Fanita Ranch, including attractive grinding hole sites amongst Coast live oaks. The historic “Stowe Trail” through Sycamore Canyon was used as an agricultural trade and mail route from El Cajon to Poway. It has been designated a national “Millennium Trail” and looks similar today to what it did 100 years ago.

Adjacent parcel:
The State has already contributed acquisition funds to purchase the Goodan Ranch that is now part of the Sycamore Preserve that Fanita borders. Fanita Ranch State park can link and expand adjacent regional parks.

Fanita Ranch State Park can provide a significant boost to the local community as indicated by the millions in revenue contributed by the current State Park system. Already, Padre Dam Municipal Water District data for Santee Lakes Regional Park indicates that this adjacent park attracts over “400,000 visitors/year” and contributes “$1.4 million” to the local economy. Its campground has an “82% occupancy rate.”

Linking this grand corridor of regional parks and placing Fanita Ranch State Park at its center would create significant new tourism for local businesses and increase the aesthetic value of the community.

Let’s join together to initiate a grand edition to our State Park system in its 100th year celebration. Together we can initiate plans for Fanita Ranch State Park. Please contact savefanita@cox.net to join this effort or get more information.


Van K. Collinsworth
Boardmember, Back Country Land Trust
Executive Director, Preserve Wild Santee