Otay Lakes County Park is a small park on the southern shore of Lower Otay Lake in Chula Vista. In addition to the usual playground and picnic areas to enjoy, there are some nice views to be gained by hiking to the top of a small hill on the southeastern edge of the park. Hopefully someday Otay Lakes County Park will be connected to the extensive trail system at nearby Otay Valley Regional Park, but for now this little summit is still a fun hike.
We were happy to have a cool, cloudy day for this short little excursion so we could bring our dog along and not worry about him getting too hot. He’s older and can’t do very long hikes, but this was a perfect mini adventure for him. We parked in the upper parking lot near the backside of the park. At the edge of the parking lot, we spotted two trails leading up the hill. We took the one on the right, leading through a small stand of pine trees. (The trail on the left quickly leads to a sign that reads “Park Boundary – Unstable Cliffs” so we didn’t explore further). 
The trail approached a service road but then veered left, switchbacking up the hill past a kiosk with a map.
The trail turned northeast. Around .1 mile the trail split – you can go either way as the trails soon reconnect. We took the left branch for now, and took the other fork on our return route.
On our left we had nice views of Otay Reservoir.
We topped a rise and found a nice bench overlooking the lake.
The trail continued uphill, passing a fenced-off building.
We continued straight up the steep hillside, ignoring a couple of junctions that jutted off on either side. Around .4 mile we reached the top of the hill.
We took a few minutes to enjoy the fantastic vista.
The trail continued on ahead of us, so onward we went. The trail curved around to the right, and around .45 mile we came to a âTâ junction where a short spur trail on the left led to an overlook. The Otay River Gorge and surrounding San Ysidro Mountains lay before us. In the distance we could hear periodic pops from a nearby shooting range.
The trail continued along to the right, leading down and around the southwestern side of the hill.
Around .6 mile we came to another junction and turned right to begin heading back towards the park.
The trail took us north along the grassy hillside.
Around .77 mile we met the trail we had come in on, and turned left to retrace our route back to the car.
Directions:
Take 805 South to the Olympic Parkway exit. Head east on Olympic Parkway and continue for approximately 6.8 miles. Turn right onto Wueste Road and continue for approximately 2.2 miles to Otay Lakes County Park. Purchase a parking permit for $3 at the machine as you enter, and park in the upper parking lot. map
| Total Distance: | 1 mile |
| Difficulty: | Easy – Moderate |
| Total Ascent: | 320 feet |
| Dog Friendly?: | Leashed dogs allowed |
| Bike Friendly?: | Bikes allowed |
| Facilities: | Restrooms and water at park |
| Fees/Permits: | $3 day use fee per vehicle |
For more information, visit:
Otay Lakes County Park
View route or download GPX from CalTopo
