Elfin Forest, California | |
|---|---|
  Elfin Forest, California Location in California Show map of California Elfin Forest, California Elfin Forest, California (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Coordinates:33°04′43.6″N117°10′36.9″W / 33.078778°N 117.176917°W /33.078778; -117.176917 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | San Diego County |
| Area | |
• Total | 2.025 sq mi (5.24 km2) |
| • Land | 2.025 sq mi (5.24 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 679 ft (207 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 600 |
| • Density | 300/sq mi (110/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 2813412[2] |
Elfin Forest is anunincorporated foothill residential community andcensus-designated place (CDP) inSan Diego County, California, United States. The community is located southwest ofEscondido and according to theUSGS 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, andRancho Santa Fe to the south.
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 toOlivenhain Dam and can also extend about 9 miles one way over the mountain toLake Hodges.[3]
Elfin Forest is one of the terms used by naturalists to describe thechaparral vegetation which formerly covered much of coastalSouthern California. It is variously known asCalifornia coastal sage and chaparral ecoregion, bush-forest, elfin-wood, heath-scrub. The coastal scrub supports many plants and animals,[4] including the endangeredgnatcatcher. The Elfin Forest valley contains one of the largest area leftover virgin coastal scrub in Southern California. Elfin forest is also a type ofDwarf forest in coastal California and elsewhere.[5]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 600 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1860–1870[7][8] 1880-1890[9] 1900[10] 1910[11] 1920[12] 1930[13] 1940[14] 1950[15] 1960[16][17] 1970[18] 1980[19] 1990[20] 2000[21] 2010[22] 2020[23] | |||
Elfin Forest first appeared as acensus designated place in the2020 U.S. census.[24]
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2020[23] | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 495 | 82.50% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 8 | 1.33% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 1 | 0.17% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 4 | 0.67% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific 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% |
Most of the CDP is inRancho Santa Fe Elementary School District andSan Dieguito Union High School District. A portion is inEscondido Union Elementary School District andEscondido Union High School District.[25]
