Elfin Forest, California

Elfin Forest, California
Elfin Forest, California is located in California
Elfin Forest, California
Elfin Forest, California
Location in California
Elfin Forest, California is located in the United States
Elfin Forest, California
Elfin Forest, California
Elfin Forest, California (the United States)
Coordinates: 33°04′43.6″N 117°10′36.9″W / 33.078778°N 117.176917°W / 33.078778; -117.176917
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountySan Diego County
Area
 • Total2.025 sq mi (5.24 km2)
 • Land2.025 sq mi (5.24 km2)
 • Water0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation679 ft (207 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total600
 • Density300/sq mi (110/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
GNIS feature ID2813412[2]

Elfin Forest is an unincorporated foothill residential community and census-designated place (CDP) in San Diego County, California, United States. The community is southwest of Escondido and according to the USGS it is located 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. Elfin Forest is also located in the Rancho Santa Fe school district.

Hiking

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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 extend about 9 miles one way over the mountain to Lake Hodges.[3]

This is a photo of the Olivenhain dam & 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.
Olivenhain Dam & Reservoir view from an Elfin Forest trail
Rock ledge

Flora and fauna

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Elfin Forest is one of the terms used by naturalists to describe the chaparral vegetation which formerly covered much of coastal Southern California. It is variously known as California coastal sage and chaparral ecoregion, bush-forest, elfin-wood, heath-scrub. The coastal scrub supports many plants and animals,[4] including the endangered gnatcatcher. The Elfin Forest valley contains one of the largest area leftover virgin coastal scrub in Southern California. Elfin forest is also a type of Dwarf forest in coastal California and elsewhere.[5]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note
2020600
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1850–1870[7][8] 1880-1890[9]
1900[10] 1910[11] 1920[12]
1930[13] 1940[14] 1950[15]
1960[16] 1970[17] 1980[18]
1990[19] 2000[20] 2010[21]
2020[22]

Elfin Forest first appeared as a census designated place in the 2020 U.S. Census.[23]

2020 Census

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Elfin Forest CDP, California – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2020[22] % 2020
White alone (NH) 495 82.50%
Black or African American alone (NH) 8 1.33%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 1 0.17%
Asian alone (NH) 4 0.67%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 0.00%
Other race alone (NH) 6 1.00%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 23 3.83%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 63 10.50%
Total 600 100.00%

References

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  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files - California". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Elfin Forest Census Designated Place". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  3. ^ Schad, Jerry; Turner, Scott (2017). Afoot & Afield: San Diego County (5th ed.). Birmingham, AL: Wilderness Press. pp. 86–87. ISBN 9780899978017.
  4. ^ "Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve". gotbooks.miracosta.edu. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  5. ^ "Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve". Gotbooks.miracosta.edu. MiraCosta College. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
  6. ^ "Decennial Census by Decade". US Census Bureau.
  7. ^ "1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  8. ^ "1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  9. ^ "1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  10. ^ "1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  11. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  12. ^ "1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  13. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  14. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  15. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  16. ^ "1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  17. ^ "1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  18. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  19. ^ "1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  20. ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  21. ^ "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  22. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Elfin Forest CDP, California". United States Census Bureau.
  23. ^ "2020 Geography Changes". United States Census Bureau.
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