A few miles off a major freeway lies one of the most haunted locations in all of San Diego, known as Elfin Forest. This area, now spotted with modern condos, pristine hiking trails , and booming business parks was once known as Questhaven —a spiritual place that is also considered to be highly haunted.
If you’re a San Diego resident, you may have even driven through Questhaven since it is a shortcut to Escondido—transporting cars from Rancho Santa Fe Road to Auto Parkway in less than five minutes. However, even if you aren’t familiar with the area, there is still something eerily haunting about driving through Harmony Grove. The tree branches sweep low to the ground, forming a dark canopy down and all is uncannily quiet on the road to Questhaven.
What is Questhaven?
Questhaven is rumored to have been inhabited by gypsies and their social kin at the turn of the 19 th century and even into the 20 th century. Folklore says that natives and residents from neighboring communities came in and drove away the gypsies, massacring all those who stood in their way. Because of this, the gypsies cursed the Elfin Forest and its surrounding lands, such as Questhaven and Harmony Grove. This curse has prompted many of the urban legends and paranormal activity that has been reported throughout the years.
Folklore or fiction?
There are actual accounts of native Northern Diegueno Indians, who once inhabited this year, dating back to 9,000 years ago which spark other legends that haunt Elfin Forest still to this day. Hikers have claimed to feel paranormal presences nearby, the feeling of being watched, an invisible hand on their shoulder, and seeing a woman dressed in white standing or flying through the night sky. No cell phone reception in the area, which only adds to the fear factor of Questhaven. Many are adamant that Questhaven is truly haunted and not a fictious myth.
The Insane Asylum
There are a few locations in Questhaven that hold more weight to this strange tale such as an abandoned insane asylum and the legendary cult house. With gates and barbed wire lining the property, the entrance to the ruins of this supposed insane asylum has an old wooden fence and a sign with sleeping elves painted on it that reads “Elfin Forest”. Behind the torn fence lays acres of land and ruins of building foundations.
The Cult House
The cult house is often fabricated in mock “Blair Witch” style YouTube videos . One such video, shot on October 17 th , 2001, tries to prove a ghost sighting on the Questhaven property. With over 328,000 views and close to 1,000 comments, this video is indeed popular, yet is more of a spoof than anything. There is an image of what looks like an orb and figure standing behind the Questhaven fence entrance. Many commenters dispute this claim citing the figure to be the security guard at the Questhaven Retreat.
Others who have ventured to the cult house claim to have seen nooses hanging from charred trees, broken bones and skulls crushed into the mulch and brush, strange noises, and apparitions.
When I first visited Elfin Forest in 2009 there in fact was a noose hanging from a tree, however this was not there when I returned in 2015.
Many venture to Questhaven and find a religious retreat center instead, known as Questhaven Retreat, Church of the Holy Quest, that sits on 640 acres of wilderness. This is often mistaken for the insane asylum and the cult house. Erected in the 1940s, this church doesn’t seem all that haunted. In fact, there are no official records that have been found linking that theory, or linking the urban legends to the retreat center. There is no record of any insane asylum existing in Elfin Forest, Harmony Grove, or Questhaven, yet the rumors continue to flow. Questhaven seems as though it will always be a mystery, with stories and videos that will likely continue onto future generations. Whether there truly was a cult house or insane asylum may never be truly known, but the imagination is powerful, especially when the mind chooses to believe the embellished over the boring.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia , YouTube
