32°39′49″N116°48′41″W / 32.66364°N 116.811408°W /32.66364; -116.811408
Mountain Empire | |
|---|---|
 Pine Valley in the Mountain Empire | |
 Interactive map of Mountain Empire | |
| County | San Diego County |
TheMountain Empire is arural area in southeasternSan Diego County, California.[1] The Mountain Empire subregion consists of thebackcountry communities in southeastern San Diego County.[2] The area is also sometimes considered part of theEast County region of San Diego County.[3]
The Mountain Empire occupies the largely hilly, rugged terrain of theLaguna Mountains and foothills betweenInterstate 8 and theMexico–United States border east ofOtay Mountain and west ofImperial County. Communities located just north of Interstate 8, such asDescanso,Guatay andPine Valley, are generally included within the region, while those further north, such asJulian, are not. ThePacific Crest Trail has its southern terminus on the Mexican border nearCampo. Portions of the Mountain Empire are located in the Descanso Ranger District of theCleveland National Forest.
California State Route 94 andInterstate 8 are the primary highways through the region.Historic U.S. Route 80 also passes through the Mountain Empire, as does the now disusedSan Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway.
Natural features in the region include Mount Laguna at 6,302 feet (1,921 m) in elevation,[4] easternBarrett Lake reservoir, Campo Creek,Carrizo Gorge, Cottonwood Creek, Miller Creek, and Pine Valley Creek.
Populations are as of the 2020 census:
Federally recognized tribes and bands of theKumeyaay people haveIndian reservations with communities in the Mountain Empire region and southernLaguna Mountains. They include (populations as of 2020 census):
TheSan Diego County Sheriff's Office provides patrol and law enforcement services to the Mountain Empire region.
The region is served by the Mountain Empire Unified School District, which consists of six elementary schools andMountain Empire High School.
The Mountain Empire Unified School District is geographically the largest school district in California, occupying over 600 square miles (1,600 km2).[5]
The Mountain Empire is served by countywide publications such as theSan Diego Union-Tribune and theSan Diego Reader. Regionally, it is served byEast County Magazine.
Sacramento (capital) | |
| Topics | |
| Regions |
|
| Metro regions | |
| Counties |
|
| Most populous cities | |
