A Trip On California's Historic Highway S-2 

That history on Box Canyon is impressive!

I really like that you take your family along on your adventures. What a way to teach history to your son!

Being born and raised in San Diego county and living there for 45 years there is a lot to explore, I never got to see it all but S-2 was always a favorite motorcycle ride. Over 300 mile trip from National City out to Warner Springs then down to Ocotillo on S-2 and back for home on I-8 jumping off at Jacumba to take Hwy. 94 back towards home. I miss that.

Another great report. Thank you. Incidentally, I just drove part of S-2 about 3 weeks ago. However, I began from Julian, where I had visited a friend. And yes, there WAS "no traffic", something I found hard to believe - in CA. No tailgaters, no speeders, no crazy people, just peaceful driving.

I Remember when the Campbell ranch house still stood, we found (still have) an old news paper that had been stuck in the wall with a bunch of other old papers and straw as insulation. the year on the papers letter head was 1865.

I enjoyed that. I grew up in San Diego, and went camping often. Anywhere between Mt Laguna and the county line. Many times to Dos Cabezas. A couple of times at Agua Caliente. And all over Anza-Borrego. The place is beautiful.

S-2: the coolest road in SoCal. :) Hwy 1 gets all the press, but I LOVE S-2!

Traveled it many times. Grew up in South San Diego area. Had lots of Boy Scout Troop events bringing us thru there.

Great video. I lived in Borrego for 5 years and patrolled S2 quite often and did a lot of off-roading. Pinyon Mountain trail was one of my favorites. Thanks for the memory.

You missed the awesome palm canyon. It's hard to see travelling from the south east. Love the S2 area, very special! Great video! Thx

always enjoy..... good job I was chair ws historical society you brought up how relivant to history this route was ❤

When I was a kid in the late 60s-early 70s, we camped often at Butterfield ranch just north of Vallecito. I rode many miles off road on my dirt bikes there.

Thank you for this video. I have many happy memories of camping along the S2 with my Boy Scout Troop 672, Escondido, Thanks again..

I was raised in California and never even knew this existed! Thank you so much for your adventure I really enjoyed tagging along.

One of my favorite drives.

Last year in January, just South of the Agua Caliente park, I came across a family of bighorn sheep grazing right next to the highway. And they didn't run away when I stopped my car and got out! It made the ride even more enjoyable.

I drove this for the first time last month starting in Ocotillo. The little CBP checkpoint was a surprise. Saw only a few cars the entire trip. There are a few interesting "communities" on the West side of the road.....and a very strange, well maintained airstrip near one (but on the East side of the road). Love the tie in with the Butterfield stagecoach trail. There are parts of that, that are still visible in El Paso, TX.....but it's now on a military base. The history and the US Desert SW is amazing. Great videos.

Ocotillo and Shell Canyon were my old stomping gtounds during my youth in San Diego. Thanks

Really love your work. As I commented in another of your videos, you take me back to the late 60s when my family took weekend drives with sack lunches and I remember the Box Canyon stop vividly. It was a hot summer day when we visited the site. Mom could never drive past an historic marker without reading it, and--given the canyon's proximity to the marker, we went out to see it and I remember mom commenting that she was actually grateful that we didn't have a/c in our car or we wouldn't have been willing to leave its cool confines to see such sights. Just a thought on one of your comment: "While the trail that the S2 follows has been used since the 1700s..." Bet the Spaniards followed old Indian trails as early travelers depended on spring water or rain-catching tinajas to travel the deserts of the area and these were usually connected by Native trails that Spaniards later followed. At least, that's been my understanding. I really enjoy the trips down memory lane that many of your videos trigger in me, keep up the exceptional work.

It's amazing to think of just how much intense labor past generations would just take in stride. "Gotta get these wagons up there. Cant go around. Let's carve out a ramp." 😮 Interesting video, Steve. Thanks so much! On a side note, I hope things have gotten easier for you folks getting out since the pandemic is over.

Thank you for your videos. Your narrations are excellent. We used to live in SD county 20 years ago and have learned more about our old stomping grounds in the back country from your videos than when we lived there. We used to Jeep all over these roads and areas.

It's hot in summer. In the hundreds.

6:33 One of my ancestors in the Mormon Battalion came through this canyon and was a blacksmith at Sutters Fort when they found gold there. Actually I believe the trail is just next to the waterfall on the East side and can still be walked today. A very narrow trail they had to pull the wagons up. I got this from research I did before visiting Box Canyon.

I’m originally from San Diego. When I was in the Boy Scouts, Troop 59 in Pacific Beach, we did a lot of our local backpacking trips out that way. But about 5 years ago, I was driving around the area of Warner Springs and decided to take the same drive, the opposite direction. What a great part of San Diego history. Thanks for sharing this video and sparking the memories. You guys do a great job with your channel!

Anza-Borrego is one of my favorite places in the world! Thanks for this.

Don't forget Agua Caliente County Park with hot springs just South of Vallecito.

Keep it up, and I will keep reposting your trips!

Well done video! Your narrative and information shared was impressive.

Nice Video. A disclaimer could be: Make sure you and your vehicle can handle a breakdown or not get one,

Really like ur podcast , it reminds me of California gold show on channel 18 ❤ keep up the great work be safe out there

Your videos are well put together. I like seeing areas what you show for historical reasons and I also have a metal detector and it gives me ideas of places to go.

@9:35 my favorite intersection 💜, the sunrise highway is amazing , ty for putting this together.

One of my favorite day trips drives. Thanks for sharing.

I was a SERE instructor at Warner Springs from 99 -02. Knew the area well.

Wow, really interesting and looks like a trip me and My Mom would have liked to take. Too bad she's gone now because I'm sure once she saw this we'd be off, that's what we did alot when we watched Californian's Gold with Huell Howser. We visited a lot of the site's he featured on his show.

Really well put together videos. Great narration, video, audio & editing. Definitely can tell you put lots of time in these productions. Thanks for your work. Very informative. Maybe you’re the next Huell Howser. 😉

We spent the night in a little motel. The other guests seemed to live there. They were the weirdest, scariest group I've ever seen. Imagine Charles Mason and his followers.

Really enjoy traveling the old routes via your vlogs.

Awesome thanks man! Amazing they used hand tools to carve out rock to hoist their wagons!! 😯

Great story, enjoyed it, hope you keep up the great story. I drove many times from 1967 to 1970 before they built the Interstate eight from San Diego to Tucson, Arizona

I made this trip last fall to scout out Rv camp spots, love it out there.

Great video. Thanks (really!) for not mentioning Canebrake.

Definitely gonna check it out. On my list of things to do.❤️😀

thanks for sharings , o interesting

I’ve been on this route many times. Very interesting

I like the content and your style

Before the Vallecito area is Aqua Caliente County Park with its hot springs. Great place for birding, camping, and just a day trip for lunch and time in the hot springs.

Love your stuff!!!

Another great video. Thanks again for the history lesson. As I get older, I seem to be developing a much greater interest in history, and learning about what life was like in our nation's past. You do a fantastic job of explaining things....I wish you could have influenced my old history teacher. 😀

Very cool video, and great commentary with this history.

Thanks bro, Merry Christmas! ✌️💖

I found my max fuel mileage on a harley sportster on s2 south. Julian to Ocotillo. Can't believe i made it

Really like these videos. I find the history very fascinating.

Good drive

Know this area very well, use to Ride my motorcycle every weekend to Borrego Springs via Montizuma, then take 78 to Julian via Banner Grade. A little warm in Borrego the summer months.

I used to love traveling to California back in the day but now days:(:(

I can't believe you skipped right passed Agua Caliente park. That was always my favorite place out there, to stop, and to use that road to Mexicali or San Felipe. Or other points east.

Thank you 🙏🏼

Loved your video on S2 we use, to take Cub and Boy Scouts camping out there every year. Also would go out every year to see the Spring bloom. Hope to take some out of state visitors there next spring.

My kind of ride, I'll check it out next trip down.

Been up and down that road many times but at 150 MPH or more on the Hayabusa I never really got the chance to take in the sights or check out the history of the road. Thanks for the video.

Nice job. “Story Boards"

Anza Borrego Desert State Park is the largest State Park in the country....

Ive done this route. My first time was on a moonless night. It was pitch black and I was in fear for my headlights’ good health!

Wow!! Thank you for posting this video. I’m learning a lot from watching and planning day trips from your video. So thanks again.😊

Steve love your videos!!! Next time you pass through Vallecitos can you give us more info on Eileen o'Conner who is buried there in a little cemetery. I heard 2 bandits also are buried there from a botched holdup. Thanks

Thanks!

Have you always been a history buff? I'm learning more about Southern California than when I was going through school.

One of my favorite roads!! Love your videos 🙏🏽💕🙏🏽💕

I first saw that area in 1987, the days before the wind turbines. In my opinion they really detract from the beauty of the place. I'm a dirt biker and back then the federal agents used to threaten us for "daring to touch their holy ground". The windmill company tore the hell out of that valley during construction. That border patrol station is new too. Wasn't there in 1987.

Freakin awesome! Historic info makes me wanna drive to soCal . How about the Greatest El camino real routes? Ty!

Looks like you might want to have a full tank of ⛽ starting out on 2. it doesn't look like there's too many stations out there.

Are you sure the marks in Box Canyon are from the pioneers chiseling the rock? Looks like a water "dry-fall" or desert seasonal waterfall marks that were made by sand/soil that was carried over the dropoff and made by friction, when the rains come in the winter. ????

Was there just last week.

Can't believe that wagon's were able to fit up that carved rock area in box canyon

Nice video, great music

Glad my life is taking place now.

Love your videos!!

Nice video, good info, pleasant narration and background music. Subscribed!

Excellent video, many thks!

Wow we live a few exits from warner springs always wondered where it took you too what it was.. now I got a trip to make

thanks for your vids

Hello from Kansas 🇺🇸

I really appreciated this video. I used to own a 3-1/2 acre parcel on the north side of S2 in Vallecito Valley. Was going to build there after I retired from the Navy (1996, that didn't work out). Purchased from the Romano family - Romano's Italian Resturan in Julian. Sold it to a guy named Lance. He said he needed the isolation to develop a nuclear meltdown catcher (seriously🤣). Today, on gogle maps that location is labeled, "Lance's Ranch." Would really enjoy a video featuring Little Blair Valley. Southbound on S2, Little Blair Valley (dirt) road is not far beyond Shelter Valley. It's a left turn off of S2 .2 miles beyond the 22 mile marker. Still easy to remember since my last visit there in 1995. If you visit there on a Saturday you are likely to to find dozens of astronomy enthusiasts with their telescopes set up on a dirt road that runs about 3/4 of a mile east-west on the north side of the valley. They, as I did in the past, go there for the very dark night skies. Continue on Little Blair Valley Rd. along the west side of the valley. You'll come to a 'T'. Turn left (east) and the road ends at the pictographs trail head. It's a fairly easy hike, a little over a mile I think, but there is some elevation change. H2O !!! Also, if you visit in the spring you may see something I only witnessed once. Viewing from the hills north of the valley, the entire floor of Little Blair Valley was purple. The color was quite vibrant and was the result of bizzillions of tiny purple flowers each about a quarter inch in diameter. I really miss San Diego❤ ... I really appreciate your videos. Thank you so much!

Great videos thank you !

Awesome video, love to learn more about San Diego and Southern California history. Do you have a PATREON?

Loved this ty

Awesome video!

Dude, you totally missed Auga Caliente, the county park, and the airport and lots of other side trails.

Great work, you did missed Aqua Caliente hot springs and camp ground the favorite spot of mine on S-2 and don't forget Stagecoach RV Campground and last the turn off to the Mud Caves.

Historical side note, Shelter Valley used to be called Earthquake Valley. I heard that the change was instigated by real estate developers who had a hard time selling property in a place with a name like Earthquake Valley.

Hot daYum! Round-trip! Hombre, this is one of your best! I am going to take my sweet-Azz time on Hwy. S-2. I plan to spend the night somewhere too. QUESTION: Box Canyon, you were there. Give me a heads-up. The Mormon Battalion couldn't get around that? Clearing a path up that ridge looked pretty gnarly! I am kind of a California history buff. There is a spectacular Mormon Museum including stories about that trail in Old Town, San Diego. Also, there is an annual festival at San Pascual Battlefield & Museum (Kit Carson) including stories about that trail (next to the S.D. Zoo). Visit Julian for more history (and apple pie) and Los Penasquitos Canyon Trail (waterfall).

I remember as a boy in the late 60's when the rail station by the old rail water tower in Dos Cabezas still had 4 walls up (no roof) and most of the wood floor. About a mile south west of that there had been a cabin made of mud and ocotillo that rangers had built in the 30's and remained intact until 1989 when some idiot jack asses decided it would be a real hoot to torch it, now, unless you knew it had ever existed, you wouldn't even notice the remnants of the bench base that made up the foot of the hearth. What really ticks me off, is how much of the area out there is now blocked off with metal poles with cable stretched across roads and washes preventing being able to drive back into the area deeper. Now vehicle access is limited to less than 20% of what it once was when I was growing up and camping and exploring with my dad, not to mention those ugly wind turbines ruining the once beautiful and wide expansive view of the desert valley. Oh well, at least I got to see it and enjoy it back in the day.

The "wind caves" you mentioned at abt 1:45, is actually The Domelands and is, in fact, not in Anza Borrego Desert State Park.

Cool video. Just shared with friends on Facebook.

I love this road every time I’m in the Anza Borrego area. It’s worth mentioning the almost-bride who died at Vallecito on her way to her fiancée.

Another great video. I'm curious if you have heard of some of the legends that involve the Vallecito Stage Station? A couple involve ghosts of people who died there as well as a white horse and phantom stage. They were great to listen to while camping there when I was in the Boy Scouts. The other involves some bandits who are supposed to have robbed a stage and buried the loot somewhere in the area of the Vallecito Stage Station. The story goes they got into a fight at the station and shot one another and their loot has never been found.

Another reason for not being able to go into the stagecoach building at Vallecito is due to structural damage. Also, the Warner ranch was owned by the Carrillo family and operated as a stagecoach stop.

Are you allowed to metal detect in these areas?

my great grand parents last name was Warner.