Graffiti covers granite boulders at Cole Canyon Trail. Valley News/Jeremiah Tatola photo
Cole Canyon Trail, 23173 Wiashal Trail, in Murrieta is the city’s longest hiking path stretching 3.82 miles, bordering Cleveland National Forest and the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve and has been subject to pollution and vandalism, leaving city maintenance struggling to keep trash and graffiti at a minimum.“It is an ongoing problem. People trespassing on the ecological reserve (from the trail) and doing vandalism.” Rob Hicks, Riverside Country Parks interpreter, said.The city of Murrieta is responsible for the upkeep of 16 different neighborhood trails within its boundaries. The Cole Canyon Trail trail system comprises two main areas, the natural and the decomposed granite portions, both of which contain sensitive habitat zones, Hicks said.These habitats, however,
