Category Archives: Under 5 miles

Marsh Trail and Desert Overlook

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We had taken a couple days to camp at Agua Caliente County Park out in Anza-Borrego and explore some of the trails in the area. Agua Caliente is best known for its heated therapeutic pools fed by the naturally occurring mineral springs in the park, but there’s a handful of nice little hiking trails that start from the campground as well. We had explored Moonlight Canyon the evening before, and once the sun was finally up in the morning, we set off to explore this small network of trails on the other side of the park.
Continue reading Marsh Trail and Desert Overlook

Louis Stelzer County Park

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Louis Stelzer County Park was originally a weekend retreat known as “Shadow Mountain Ranch,” owned by Louis A. Stelzer. He deeded the property to the County upon his death in the early 1970’s under the condition that it be turned into a park so that children would have a place for outdoor education and recreation. Thus these 310 acres of oak woodland and coastal sage scrub became Louis Stelzer County Park. Today the park has picnic tables, a small garden, a playground, and most importantly, several interconnected hiking trails.

We pulled into the parking lot and set about trying to figure out the parking fee system. A metal post at the driveway entrance informed us of the $3 Day Use fee, but the little basket that held the envelopes for enclosing your payment was empty. We went over to the other end of the parking lot where there was a similar post, and found a few faded envelopes there. It occurred to me, based on the apparent age of the envelope I was stuffing my money into, that the fee collection might not be all that strictly enforced, but considering how much use I get out of the County Park system I didn’t have any problems giving them a few bucks. So I dutifully filled out the envelope, crammed in my money, inserted the envelope into the slot, and placed the receipt portion in my windshield.20151108DSC_4159StelzerPark

With the administrative tasks completed, we were free to begin the adventure portion of our day. We found a kiosk with a trail map at the park entrance and took a moment to plan our route. There are several different interconnecting trails that wind through the park, so we planned on combining them to hopefully cover the most ground without too much backtracking (check out the trail map here).

We stepped inside the fence beyond the kiosk, and found the trailhead just to the right. The first section of our hike was along the Riparian Hiking Trail, a lovely oak-shaded path that runs along Stelzer Creek.20151108DSC_4168-EditStelzerPark

We set off along the wide, dirt trail overhung by large oak trees.20151108DSC_4173-EditStelzerPark

As we continued, we had views down into the densely overgrown creekbed, where thickets of poison oak covered the ground and tangles of wild grape vine covered the trees.20151108DSC_4174-EditStelzerPark

The lush vegetation along the creek and granite boulders strewn along the hillside made for an idyllic setting. The only drawback was the traffic noise from nearby Wildcat Canyon Road.20151108DSC_4180-EditStelzerPark

We crossed a couple of small wooden footbridges as the oak trees thinned out somewhat, giving way to Sycamores and Arroyo Willow.20151108DSC_4190-EditStelzerPark

At .45 mile the Riparian Trail ended at a beautiful little clearing with a picnic table and numerous granite boulders. This would make an excellent spot for a picnic if you were looking for just a short stroll, especially with young children. 20151108DSC_4206StelzerPark

We, however, were just getting warmed up. So we followed the sign pointing left for the next stretch of trail named the Wooten Loop.20151108DSC_4205StelzerPark

The shady coolness of the creekside oak trees disappeared, and we found ourselves climbing a dry and exposed stretch of trail through dried grass, Laurel Sumac, and the occasional clump of sage.20151108DSC_4210-EditStelzerPark

It was about .1 miles of uphill climbing to reach the Observation Deck, where we had views of the creek we had just been hiking along as well as the fabulous Wildcat Canyon Road.20151108DSC_4214-EditStelzerPark

We continued ascending the rocky slope.20151108DSC_4216-EditStelzerPark

At .72 mile we came to a “T” junction with the Stelzer Trail. The left fork led back down to the park. We turned right to continue up to the ridgeline.20151108DSC_4219StelzerPark

We made our way up a series of long, gentle switchbacks through more sage and Laurel Sumac.20151108DSC_4222-EditStelzerPark

Just shy of the 1 mile point we came to another “T” junction marked by a kiosk and sign pointing to Kumeyaay Promontory and Stelzer Summit.20151108DSC_4228StelzerPark

We turned right to head to Kumeyaay Promontory first, figuring we’d want to take a break and lounge around for a bit at the top of Stelzer Peak. The path here was a wide dirt fire road running along the ridgeline.20151108DSC_4231-EditStelzerPark

It was a quick climb to the top, where unfortunately we found a couple of large transmission towers mucking up most of the views. On the southern edge, however, was a nice bench with some relatively unadulterated views of El Monte Valley below.20151108DSC_4240-EditStelzerPark

And walking out to the western edge we had some clear shots of Mission Trails as well.20151108DSC_4242-EditStelzerPark

After enjoying the views for a few minutes, we retraced our route back to the last junction with the kiosk, and continued along the fire road towards Stelzer Peak.20151108DSC_4247-EditStelzerPark

The rocky peak loomed tantalizingly close above us.20151108DSC_4249-EditStelzerPark

So far the various trail sections had been pretty easy, with only a couple of inclines of note. This section fire road, however, was really steep and covered in fun, slippery gravel. I had stupidly neglected to bring my trekking poles on this excursion, figuring that a few miles around a park wouldn’t require them. Almost every time I do this, I regret it, and today was no exception.20151108DSC_4255-EditStelzerPark

Luckily, while the ascent was steep and the footing somewhat treacherous, it wasn’t all that long. I managed to make it up without slipping and falling on my face. Here’s a shot from near the top lest you think I’m being overly dramatic.20151108DSC_4256-EditStelzerPark

At 1.75 miles we came to another “T” junction, and turned right to reach the summit.20151108DSC_4259-EditStelzerPark

We picked our way through the brush along the rocky use trail to the top.20151108DSC_4263-EditStelzerPark

The summit had a bunch of alluring boulders to lounge upon while admiring the views.20151108DSC_4264-EditStelzerPark

To the east we could see the always-impressive form of El Cajon Mountain.20151108DSC_4267-EditStelzerPark

And to the west was Kumeyaay Promonotory, where we’d just been, with Lakeside and Mission Trails in the distance.20151108DSC_4270-EditStelzerPark

There was even a cool little crevice for people more daring than I to explore.20151108DSC_4268-EditStelzerPark

After exploring the peak and having a quick snack, we headed back down. I managed not to fall going back down the slippery gravel-covered hill, which was way more difficult than coming up had been. We retraced our route back to where we had first joined the Stelzer trail, and continued east back towards the park.20151108DSC_4276-EditStelzerPark

From here the trail descended gently through the chaparral covered hillside.20151108DSC_4280StelzerPark

We knew we were getting close when we began to see oak trees along the trail again, and at 2.9 miles we came to the paved walkway of the park and headed back to the entrance.20151108DSC_4285-EditStelzerPark


Directions:
From Interstate 8, take Highway 67 north until the freeway portion ends and turn right on Mapleview. Turn left on Ashwood, which will turn into Wildcat Canyon Road. Go approximately 2 miles and the entrance to the park will be on the right. Cost for parking is $3 and requires self-registration, so bring exact change. map

Total Distance: 2.9 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Total Ascent: 709 feet
Dog Friendly?: Leashed dogs allowed
Bikes Friendly?: Bikes allowed
Facilities: Vault toilets and water at park, but there is currently a boil water order in effect for the park
Fees/Permits: $3 Day use parking fee

For more information, visit:
County of San Diego Parks and Recreation – Louis Stelzer County Park
Trail Map
View route or download GPX in CalTopo

Eagle Peak

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Eagle Peak has been touted by many San Diego hikers as having some of the best views in the county. Rising just west of the Cuyamaca Mountains, Eagle Peak towers high above the surrounding Cedar Creek, Boulder Creek, and San Diego River Gorges, and does indeed offer some stunning views. However, this hike is somewhat overshadowed by the more popular Three Sisters Falls hike, which shares a common trailhead, so the chances are good that you can have this fantastic peak all to yourself. Continue reading Eagle Peak

Moonlight Canyon

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Agua Caliente County Park near Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is definitely one of the more remote County Parks in San Diego, but it has a lot to offer. Besides a fully-equipped campground with a variety of tent, RV, and cabin sites, it offers several therapeutic pools and spas fed by naturally occurring mineral springs. The indoor spa, heated to a relaxing 102 degrees, is an awesome way to relax after a day of desert hiking. The campground is surrounded by numerous springs which attract all kinds of interesting desert wildlife, making it a great spot for bird-watching. Continue reading Moonlight Canyon

El Monte Park Trail

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In the late 1800’s, the San Diego Flume Company built a 37 mile wooden flume to transport water from Cuyamaca to the El Cajon Valley. This elaborate construct consisted of nearly 9 million board feet of redwood lined with cork and sealed with tar, and traveled across 315 trestles and through eight tunnels.  By 1935, the flume was replaced with an underground pipeline. Most of the lumber and other material that made up the flume was reclaimed, but in several places throughout the county the course of the flume can still be identified by a wide cut in hillsides and mountainsides where the flume ran. Continue reading El Monte Park Trail

North Clevenger Canyon

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The San Pasqual Valley consists largely of an agricultural preserve owned by the City of San Diego. The San Pasqual/Clevenger Canyon Open Space Park lies within, split into two disparate segments separated by Highway 78. The Open Space is part of the San Dieguito River Park, however it is managed by the City of San Diego. On a lovely, drizzly Sunday morning, we decided we’d tackle the northern portion. Continue reading North Clevenger Canyon

Fry Creek Trail

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There are a lot of shorter hikes scattered throughout the county that are beautiful and scenic, but don’t always feel like they justify the amount of driving involved to get there. We decided that we’d hike both this trail and another nearby trail, as well as take a tour of the Palomar Mountain Observatory to make a decent half-day adventure worthy of the couple hours of driving involved. So after hiking the Observatory Trail, we headed over to the Fry Creek Campground just up the road to do this short little loop along the slopes above the campground. Continue reading Fry Creek Trail

Observatory Trail

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The top of Palomar Mountain is home to the Palomar Observatory. Three large telescopes, the 200-inch Hale telescope (which can be seen from many distant mountain tops), a 60-inch telescope, and the 48-inch Samuel Oschin telescope are currently used for ongoing research. The Observatory has been in operation since the mid 1930’s, and has been involved in numerous discoveries, including the discoveries of dwarf planets Sedna and Eris, 178 supernovae, and 13 comets. Continue reading Observatory Trail

Sycuan Peak

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Like so many other trails in the county, Sycuan Peak had been on our “to-hike” list for some time. But every week it got shunted to the bottom of the list because it always seemed like such a long drive for so short a hike. But after countless sweltering hot days, we finally had a day where temperatures were forecast to be reasonable. We decided if we kept the hike short and went early enough, we could bring one of our monsters along, so the ever amazing Apollo joined us. Continue reading Sycuan Peak

Crest Canyon

20150822_DSC5039-EditCrest CanyonOriginally planned to be part of the Torrey Pines Preserve, Crest Canyon is a small open space park nestled among the residential developments of Del Mar. The canyon is now part of the San Dieguito River Park, and offers a beautiful showcase of coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and some magnificent and rare Torrey Pine trees.
Continue reading Crest Canyon