Case study February 2025
Lake Elsinore, CA
A popular multi-use trail faced limited use during intense summer heat. New solar lights let residents exercise safely during cooler hours while preserving sensitive ecosystems.
Located two hours southeast of Los Angeles in Riverside County, the City of Lake Elsinore gets hot—really hot. Last summer, temperatures topped 106 °F for four days straight, making it uncomfortable and even unsafe for residents to enjoy outdoor activities and community spaces.
One way to beat the heat is to get out before the sun rises or after it sets when temperatures are cooler. However, limited or non-existent lighting of the city’s parks and pathways made them feel unsafe, discouraging would-be walkers, runners, and cyclists from using them during these cooler hours.
The City recently addressed the issue by installing solar lighting along its 3.6-mile levee trail, a soft-surface pathway that winds along the lake’s southeastern edge. The trail offers fitness equipment, a disc golf course, and scenic views of the lake and surrounding mountains.
Solar lighting was specified for several reasons. First, it overcame the challenges posed by the trail’s location. Conventional grid-powered lighting would have required extensive underground infrastructure, with high costs for trenching and extending electricity to the relatively remote trail.
Additionally, a portion of the trail passes through a nature preserve, which is home to several sensitive species and habitats that could have been negatively impacted by a traditional lighting installation. Solar lighting requires no trenching or wiring, and its ability to dim during off-peak periods makes it an ideal low-impact solution. (Lake Elsinore’s lights operate at 100% for the first five hours after sunset, then dim to 50%, before returning to full intensity two hours before dawn).
After evaluating several manufacturers, the City ultimately selected Sol’s EverGen-M systems. While all of the ‘contenders’ met the desired light levels, Sol did it with significantly fewer systems—half, in fact! The reduced cost, installation time, and Sol’s industry-leading 10-year warranty made the EverGen the clear choice.
The City completed installation of 32 EverGen-M systems in September 2024, illuminating the full length of the trail. Community response has been overwhelmingly positive, with residents appreciating the ability to safely use the trail during early morning and evening hours.
The project also aligns closely with Lake Elsinore’s broader active transportation initiatives, which aim to get more residents traveling by foot or bicycle. Plans are already in motion to extend and connect the pathway to other trail networks throughout the city, creating an integrated system of safe, accessible, and sustainable routes for residents to enjoy.
