Alberhill Canyon facts for kids
Alberhill Canyon is a special place in Riverside County, California. It's an informally named valley and a type of dry creek bed called an arroyo. This canyon is found in the Temescal Mountains. It got its name from an old mining town called Alberhill, which was located near where the canyon meets Temescal Creek.
Where is Alberhill Canyon?
Alberhill Canyon starts high up in the Temescal Mountains, about 2,260 feet above sea level. This starting point is about 3 miles east of Estelle Mountain. You can find its source at 33°46′00″N 117°22′04″W / 33.76667°N 117.36778°W.
How the Water Flows
The arroyo in Alberhill Canyon is what we call ephemeral. This means it only has water flowing in it during the wetter parts of the year, especially during the rainy season in Southern California. For most of the year, it's a dry creek bed.
From its source, Alberhill Canyon stretches southwest. It eventually joins another area called Walker Canyon. This meeting point is about 0.7 miles north-northeast of the old town of Alberhill, California.
Connecting to Temescal Creek
As the canyon reaches its end, it becomes a "wash." This wash flows a short distance and goes under the I-15 freeway. It then connects with Temescal Creek. This meeting point is northeast of the old Alberhill schoolhouse, at an elevation of 1,214 feet. You can see this spot at 33°43′45″N 117°23′39″W / 33.72917°N 117.39417°W.
Before the I-15 freeway was built, the arroyo from Alberhill Canyon flowed directly into Temescal Creek. However, when the freeway was constructed, Temescal Creek was moved a bit to the south of the freeway.
