Anyone familiar with Lawrence Welk (Merriam Mountains) near San Marcos/Escondido of HWY 15

A friend took me their about 7 years ago. He made it seem like it was super sketchy and we could get busted by cops. We just drove around for a few hours and nothing happened. Wondering when the last time someone has been up there? I don't even remember how to get in there anymore and I can't find anything online. I wanted to test out a couple things on the new truck without having to drive two hours to find a trail.

 

Welk just looks like it's surrounded by houses, there isn't much in the way of "wilderness" out there.

 

Is that the one on the back side of the AM/PM on Deer Springs Rd off the 15?

 

It's a smaller area but it used to be a popular place for locals to go up in dirt bikes and 4x4s. Someone told me it used to have a landing stip and small planes would run drugs through their. At think it was actually nick named "drug airport" for a long time. It is small but a fun place to test out some things on your truck without having to drive hours away to find a decent trail. When I went years ago there were some trails that required lockers and a spotter. I noped out of some trails because we were in a single rig and didn't want to push my luck. I saw some guys shooting targets. But this was years ago. And from what my friend told me back then, the place is private property but the owners mostly leave it be. He said police helicopters that monitor the 15 will harass you if you are up there. But like I said at some point it was a popular locals area. It must ave gotten out of hand and they must have gotten stricter.

 

Yeah, there's no trespassing signs all over now so I never gave it a shot. Not worth it.

 

Yeah that's it. Have you been up there? I think you can get to it from the west side near Server Lane off Deer Springs Road. Like I said it's a small area but it's got some rutted and steep sections if I remember correctly.

 

Nope, I went to check it out last fall but found no trespassing signs all over. Not worth the potential fine or also being that asshole that trespasses
I think the closest open trails are Lusardi and Black Mountain, out by Sutherland Dam

 

I haven't heard of those. I googled around a bit and can't really find where those trails would start. Anything fun there?

 

Use the satellite layer on Google maps or try TrailsOffroad.com to see them, there's a bunch back there in that area. Upper Santa Ysabel is there too. They vary from usfs/fire road to maybe a 4/10 for technical. Nothing crazy. I'm 2wd and I've never had a problem. Similar to Corral Canyon with the exception of the Espinoza branch. Just a fun area to bomb around for a couple hours.

 

If you search Pamo Road in Valley center, both of those along start along that road. Shouldn't be too hard to find, I used Gaia GPS and it took me right to em. haven't been on Black Mountain but Lusardi is a pretty easy trail.

 

here's a google maps pin for Lusardi. Black Mountain is a little bit earlier along Pamo road I believe, but not precisely sure where.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/F...9c3152d0605c4!8m2!3d33.1873203!4d-116.8372873

 

Black Mountain trail head is literally 1 mile before Lusardi and Google Maps shows the trailhead name as Sasquatch Trail with a hiking icon over it. As you travel into Black Mountain, it will split with Black Mountain heading left and Santa Isabel to the right. Locals tell me that Santa Isabel is very overgrown and you will get permanent pin striping on that trail. Black Mountain though is clear and open with just some striping from dust.