Rose Canyon Open Space & Bike Path

Quick History

The Kumeyaay Indians originally inhabited Rose Canyon thousands of years ago. There was a seasonal village in the canyon where the Kumeyaay would camp around the waterholes and streams, hunt game, gather acorns from the abundant coastal live oaks, and weave baskets from the arroyo willow trees.

Rose Canyon’s recorded history began in 1769 with Juan Gaspar Portola’s expedition. Mexican ranchers inhabited the area by the early 1800s. In 1853, Louis Rose, the canyon’s namesake, bought 650 acres and established a ranch, tannery, vineyard, and mined coal and clay. The California Southern Railroad completed a track through the canyon in 1882, with the Elvira Station becoming a train stop by 1912. Commercial use of the canyon continued, with the Sawday Ranch operating until the 1960s.

Features

Rose Canyon Open Space Park boasts several unique Southern California habitats, including coastal sage scrub, chaparral, oak woodland, and a rare riparian habitat.

The Rose Creek watershed is local in nature, extending no further east than Scripps Ranch. The creek naturally meanders around the canyon floor, deepening and widening until it drains into Mission Bay. Wildlife includes raccoons, skunks, rabbits, coyotes, foxes and mule deer. The raptors flying above Rose Canyon are some of the most majestic animals anywhere, including many varieties of owls and large hawks.