El Cariso, California facts for kids
El Cariso is a small, quiet place in Riverside County, California. It's not a city with its own government, but a community where people live. You can find it along the Ortega Highway. This highway goes right over the top of the Santa Ana Mountains. El Cariso is just west of the mountain crest. It's also close to Lake Elsinore. The area is part of the Cleveland National Forest. There's even an El Cariso Campground nearby, perfect for camping! You'll also see the El Cariso Fire Station there.
A Look Back at El Cariso's Past
El Cariso has an interesting history. It's thought to be near a secret mountain hideout. This hideout belonged to a group led by a person named Juan Flores.
Why Was El Cariso a Good Hideout?
The area around El Cariso was perfect for a hideout. It had wide, open mountain meadows. These meadows were a safe place to keep horses. These horses were often taken from places like Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
The hideout was just over the county line in Riverside County. This made it harder for the sheriffs from other counties to find them. The horses would stay there before being moved to other places to be sold.
The 1857 Event
In 1857, something big happened near El Cariso. A large group of law enforcement and citizens came from Los Angeles and Temecula. They were looking for the group led by Juan Flores.
It's believed that a big encounter happened here. Many members of the group were found and stopped. This event was a major part of the history of the area.
