Agua Tibia Wilderness

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Agua Tibia Wilderness, (Spanish for warm water) (abbreviated as ATW), is mostly contained within the Cleveland National Forest, Palomar Ranger District.[1] It is located in Riverside County, California and San Diego County, California. The ATW was designated in 1975 by the United States Congress and has a total of 15,933 acres. Between its inception and 1984, the ATW was San Diego County's only officially designated wilderness area.[2]

Its approximate boundaries are:[3]

  • North- SR-79 South
  • East- Arroyo Seco River
  • South- Fray Creek
  • West- Pala Road

There are no permanent streams in the ATW. The largest part of the ATW is the Agua Tibia Mountain, whose elevation ranges between 1,615 feet (492 m) and 4,763 feet (1,452 m).[4]

Though the summer climate is typical of the Temecula Valley—hot, with limited shade, and no water sources—for 110 years, there were no fires in the ATW. That changed in the last two decades, with the 1987 Palomar Mountain Fire, the 1989 Vail Fire, the August 2000 Agua Tibia Fire, and the 2007 Poomacha Fire.[3]

Its pollution exposure is monitored within the San Diego Air Basin.[5]

The ATW is home to rare plants, found only in or near it, which include:

  • Nevin's Barberry
  • Rainbow Manzanita
  • Round-leaved Boykinia
  • Vail Lake Caenothus

[edit] References

  1. ^ Dripping Springs Campground, Cleveland National Forest. asmwest.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-02.
  2. ^ Jerry Schad. Afoot & Afield in San Diego County. pdf. goggle.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-02.
  3. ^ a b Agua Tibia Wilderness General Information. tchester.org. Retrieved on 2007-11-02.
  4. ^ General Information. fs.fed.us. Retrieved on 2007-11-02.
  5. ^ Bruce D. Ryan (May 1990). "Lichens and air quality in the Agua Tibia Wilderness, California: a baseline study". Retrieved on 2007-11-02.

[edit] External links


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