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canyon through which the San Diego River once ran is named Capitan
Grande and was home to a variety of bands of the Kumeyaay Indians.
The city of San Diego with the help of Congress in 1932 removed a
portion of Capitan Grande from Kumeyaay possession and built a dam
which formed the El Capitan Reservoir. Surrounding much of the reservoir
today is the Capitan Grande Indian Reservation where members of the
Viejas and Barona bands live.
The parkland to the east
of El Capitan Reservoir is part of the Cleveland National Forest.
At 460,000 acres, the park is home to a variety of plants such as
chaparral, coastal sage, and manzanita which serve as habitat for
many animals. The forest consists of a diverse geographic terrain
including mountains, hills, and canyons. Plenty of opportunities
for recreation exist in the park.
Sources:
http://www.viejasbandofkumeyaay.org/vbki/html/pp_history.htm
http://www.kumeyaay.com/reservations/tribal_home.html?tid=4
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/cleveland/
http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_national_forest/ca_cleve.htm
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