Hikers walk along the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve’s vernal pool trail as the largest of the park’s 13 vernal pools is seen in the distance. The vernal pool at Santa Rosa Plateau is a protected ecological site where water settles after rain brings water to the area. Valley News/Shane Gibson photoÂ
While the chilly winter rains can be a source of complaint and dreary to most, visitors to the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve are for a treat when they take the Vernal Pool Trail to the boardwalk where they can observe lush greenery and full vernal pools to the popular park located just outside of Murrieta city limits.The plateau, at an average elevation of 2,000 feet, is home to six distinct habitats including ancient oak woodlands, rare bunchgrass prairie and chaparral, but it’s the endangered vernal pool wetlands that draw many visitors this time of year.While the pools are at capacity now and likely to remain so for the foreseeable future, eventually the pool will dry up and the area will return to a grassland-like state until the next season where there is enough rain
