Council approves study on connection of trail to hillside land

Map shows sections of the 398 acres of Menifee Hills acquired by the City of Menifee.

By Doug Spoon, Editor

The Menifee City Council last week approved $125,000 in funding for a study about how to best connect a portion of the Salt Creek Trail to land that can be improved as outdoor recreational space in Menifee Hills.

In April 2023, the City Council approved $141,7235 toward improvements in a 1.6-mile stretch of dirt road running east from Antelope Road to Menifee Road, just north of the Oasis retirement community. That move was designed to extend the paved western portion of the Salt Creek Trail farther east.

Then in May of this year, the City of Menifee acquired 398 acres in Menifee Hills, which, according to a staff report last week, “is located west of Menifee Road, north of Aldergate Drive, east of Antelope Road, and south of McCall Boulevard. This area … is visible for miles and offers panoramic views of the valley, presenting opportunities for ecotourism. It is visited frequently by hikers and outdoor enthusiasts and is home to a myriad of wildlife and native plant species.”

The area of Menifee Hills now owned by the City of Menifee includes 19 parcels purchased from land owners. The plan is to preserve the outdoor space, which includes trails often used by hikers, and explore ways of connecting it to the Salt Creek Trail below to accommodate more outdoor enthusiasts.

“Following the acquisition of Menifee Hills, staff are committed to evaluating opportunities for site improvements that would enhance outdoor recreational activities and increase public access and connectivity,” the staff report further states.

City staff proposes a plan to seek grant funding for the improvements and work with Dokken Engineering to “to evaluate access points and potential for establishing additional right of way and/or easements to connect the Menifee Hills area to the Salt Creek trail.”

Funding for the study is available through money transferred into the Capital Improvement Project budget from the Commerce Pointe Development Agreement.