Beeks Place

Overview

Near the North end of Main Divide Road in the Cleveland National Forest is Beek’s Place. The total elevation gain is 1891ft. The total distance round trip is 9.8miles. This is an old homestead originally used as a Fire lookout during fire seasons in decades past, now lonely and unused for many years. You will find a couple of buildings existing and almost all of them are in a miserable state. Their crumbling structure scrawled with graffiti bear testimony to the numerous vandals who have ruined this place.
If you move further down, you can view a couple of odd looking antenna-like structures set up in 1941 as Fire lookout towers(Why they have Crows nests instead of Antena mounts). The hillside behind these throws up interesting artifacts like this cistern with a square opening on the ground, built as a bunker to escape a wild fire(not actually a cistern). A peek into it will reveal that it is not too deep. However be wary of climbing into it, there may be Rattlesnakes or other wild life taking up residence.

History

Beeks Place is still owned by the Beek family who runs the Balboa Ferry. Joseph A. Beek took over the Balboa Ferry in 1919 and became interested in real estate a few years later. He bought 680 acres in the area for $3 or $4 per acre. He gave up building on the land in the 1930's because it was too steep.
He still loved the area, so he continued to visit it often. He planted dozens of pine species and discovered a spring. He built cisterns to capture the water and a pump to carry it off for his family. Joseph Beek also built wind-powered generators to run the pumps and provide electricity to the remote location.
Joseph Beek died in 1968, but the family continued to use the cabin into the 80's, but stopped maintaining the structure due to continued vandalism.

Getting There

From the CA-91 East

Take the exit toward Lincoln Ave
Turn right at Pomona Rd
Take the 1st right onto Lincoln Ave
Turn right at Silvercreek Rd
Turn left at Vía Mazatlan
Turn right at W Chase Dr
Turn left to stay on W Chase Dr
Slight left at Skyline Dr
Enter Trailhead At Fire Road Gate

Red Tape

You must hike or bike up the fire roads if you don't have a key to the lock.
Access is controlled by a gate, call county at 951-955-1814 for access and a key.

Camping

Cleveland National Forest
951-736-1811

External Links

Cleveland Nation Forest Conditions

Images

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