Just beyond the entrance to Palomar Mountain State Park lies the Silvercrest Picnic Area, a quaint spot to enjoy a picnic with the family or relax in some quiet solitude. It its also the start of the short but scenic Silvercrest Trail, traversing a ridge along the southern edge of Palomar. You can do this hike as is, or make a longer figure-8 by adding on the Boucher Hill Loop. Continue reading Silvercrest Loop (Palomar Mountain State Park)
Category Archives: Under 5 miles
Thunder Spring and Chimney Flats Loop (Palomar Mountain State Park)
There aren’t a lot of areas in San Diego County that really make you feel like you’re in “the mountains,” but Palomar Mountain most certainly qualifies. With nearly 30″ of average annul precipitation, Palomar is a unique and beautiful gem within our otherwise mostly arid county. The Thunder Spring and Chimney Flats Loop takes you through large swathes of Palomar’s cedar, oak, fir, and pine forest, while providing some great wildlife viewing opportunities. Continue reading Thunder Spring and Chimney Flats Loop (Palomar Mountain State Park)
Wilderness Gardens Preserve
Established in 1973, Wilderness Gardens Preserve was San Diego County Parks and Recreation’s first nature preserve. Situated along the flood plain of the San Luis Rey River, the Preserve has a variety of scenic landscapes to enjoy, as well as historical artifacts of interest which illustrate its long history of human habitation. The park is closed on Wednesdays and, due to heat, for the entire month of August, so plan your trip accordingly. Continue reading Wilderness Gardens Preserve
Boucher Hill Loop (Palomar Mountain State Park)
Boucher Hill in Palomar Mountain State Park has been used for fire surveillance since the early 1900’s. The first lookout tower was built in 1921 by the US Forest Service, and the second was built in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The tower that currently stands atop the hill was built in 1948, and is staffed by volunteers during fire season (May – early December). When staffed, the tower is generally open for public tours. Continue reading Boucher Hill Loop (Palomar Mountain State Park)
Love Valley Meadow
Love Valley lies near the base of Palomar Mountain just west of Lake Henshaw. Seasonal ponds, a rustic old barn, and an oak-lined meadow make for a pleasant stroll. The valley is still currently used at times for cattle grazing. While we didn’t encounter any cows on our trip, be aware that you might have some four-legged companions on your hike.
From the trailhead off of East Grade Road, we stepped past the gate and set off along the hard-packed dirt road.
Almost immediately, we spotted a single track trail branching off on the right. We turned and followed this trail through the trees.
The trail descended towards the valley below.
Wildflowers were beginning to dot the grassy trailside.
We passed through a short section of overgrown ceanothus.
Around .28 miles we crossed a narrow stream.
We followed the thin stream of water for a short stretch.
We passed through some more oaks and crossed a damp muddy patch before emerging on the edge of the meadow. The trail bent south, heading towards an old, dilapidated barn.
We followed the trail as it passed by the barn, allowing us a close look at the ramshackle building. It was constructed of rusty sheets of corrugated metal that groaned loudly in the wind. I personally found the “No Trespassing” signs unnecessary, as the likelihood of contracting tetanus was enough to keep me out.
Continuing past the barn, we took in the beautiful meadow on our right. Water filled several of the depressions in the field.
At .6 miles we came upon a “T” junction. The road straight ahead led back to our starting point and would be our route out. For now, we turned right to explore more of the valley.
The old road traveled south. On our right was the open expanse of the meadow, and on our left were tall oak trees. As we continued, we caught some glimpses of Lake Henshaw through the trees.
We got some better views of the small pond in the middle of the meadow.
We also spotted a number of these cement cylinders near the road, which immediately made me think of fire rings. We hypothesized that the area may once have held a campground, but I haven’t been able to find any confirmation of that.
We encountered increasing numbers of small yellow flowers.
The old road turned west and slowly began to fade away, overgrown with grass.
By the time we reached the 1.4 mile point, the trail had pretty much disappeared. It would certainly be possible to forge your own path around the meadow and loop back to the rusty barn, but we decided to just turn around and retrace our path back to the last junction.
At the junction, we turned right and began to climb up the dirt road.
Before long we got some fantastic views of Lake Henshaw in the east.
We also found we had some nice views of the Valley behind us.
The ceanothus on the hills surrounding us was beginning to bloom.
We continued along the road as it wound around. Then suddenly, rounding a bend as the road turned sharply northward, we found ourselves back at the gate where we had started.
Directions:
From the junction of Highway 76 and East Grade Road (S7), head north on East Grade road for approximately 3.3 miles to the Love Valley Meadow trailhead on the left. Park in the large dirt turnout. map
| Total Distance: | 2.95 miles |
| Difficulty: | Easy – Moderate |
| Total Ascent: | 396 feet |
| Dog Friendly?: | Leashed dogs allowed |
| Bike Friendly?: | Bikes allowed |
| Facilities: | None |
| Fees/Permits: | None |
For more information, visit:
View route or download GPX from CalTopo
Quarry Loop Trail (Mission Trails Regional Park)
The Quarry Loop in the southwest corner of Mission Trails Regional Park is a short but scenic trail with some surprisingly good views for such a short hike. From atop the ridge you can look west to the ocean and spot San Clemente and Catalina islands on the horizon, and to the southeast there are great views of the major Mission Trails peaks. Continue reading Quarry Loop Trail (Mission Trails Regional Park)
Simon County Preserve – Ramona Peak
Simon County Preserve is one of Ramona’s many excellent hiking destinations. The 650-acre preserve has a number of interconnecting trails to explore, wide open grasslands, and a few small creeks. It is also home to Ramona Peak – a relatively easy climb that still rewards you with some wonderful views. Continue reading Simon County Preserve – Ramona Peak
The Historic Flume Trail
In the late 1800’s, a wooden flume was constructed to carry water from Lake Cuyamaca to the El Cajon Valley. Over the years, more efficient methods of transporting water have been developed, but remains of the old flume can still be found along its route. The County has recently opened the Historic Flume Trail in El Monte Valley, which encompasses a short segment of the flume’s route. This is an enjoyable little hike with fantastic views of El Monte Valley and El Cajon Mountain, with the option to connect to the trail around Lake Jennings if you’re looking for a longer route. Continue reading The Historic Flume Trail
Lute Ridge (Anza-Borrego Desert State Park)
Interesting geological features abound in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, and Lute Ridge is an easily accessible example of natural forces at work. The ridge is actually a fault scarp – an uprising of land where one side of a fault has moved vertically from the other. Lute Ridge is the largest known fault scarp in North America. Continue reading Lute Ridge (Anza-Borrego Desert State Park)
North Tecolote Canyon
Tecolote Canyon is one of the larger urban canyons in San Diego. It has approximately 6.5 miles of trails, however several major roads and a golf course transect the canyon, making a contiguous hike difficult. We had previously hiked the southern portion of the canyon and set off today to explore the northern portion. Continue reading North Tecolote Canyon