Old Survey Road 97 was once a main thoroughfare connecting Ramona and Escondido. Established in the late 1800’s, the road was used for mail deliveries, gold miners travelling to Julian, and General Stephen Kearney and Kit Carson as they made their way to the Battle of San Pasqual. The road fell into disuse when it was replaced by Highway 78 in 1930. A section of the old road lies on the northern side of the Ramona Grasslands Preserve. Until recently it has been closed to public access due to the presence of sensitive species, particularly the Golden Eagle who has been seen nesting nearby. Continue reading Old Survey Road 97 (Ramona Grasslands Preserve)→
At first glance, Buena Vista Park in Vista seems like just a small, neighborhood park. There are some nice grassy areas, picnic tables, and a scenic pond full of ducks and other waterfowl. But if you explore just a bit further, you’ll find a respectable trail system that travels along both sides of Agua Hedionda Creek. Much of the trail is shaded by both indigenous oak trees and a mix of non-natives, but there are also a lot of exposed sections and it can get pretty warm on a hot day. Plan accordingly during the summer months. Continue reading Buena Vista Park→
When we did our first write-up of Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve several years ago, the Parry Grove Trail was closed and we weren’t able to include it. It’s taken us awhile, but we finally got back to the park to check out this trail and document it.
The Parry Grove Trail is a short loop, and includes the Whitaker native plant garden and scenic Scripps Overlook. The trail is named for Charles C. Parry, a medical doctor and botanist who first documented the Torrey Pine, christening it Pinus Torreyana. The trail includes a steep section of 118 steps – an obstacle which deters many of the Reserve’s visitors, meaning this trail is somewhat less busy than others. Continue reading Parry Grove Trail (Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve)→
With San Diego’s arid climate and history of severe wildfires, shaded hikes through significant tree cover can be few and far between. Fortunately there’s still a lot of forest to enjoy in the Laguna Mountain Recreation area, and this loop combining the Los Gatos Ravine and Chico Ravine Trails is a great way to get your fill of fresh pine scent. Continue reading Los Gatos Ravine and Chico Ravine Loop→
Dog owners know Ocean Beach’s Dog Beach as a great spot to let their four-legged friends have some off-leash fun, but its also the point where the San Diego River flows into the Pacific Ocean – and the start of the San Diego River Trail. The estuary, where ocean salt water and fresh river water mix, is a wonderfully interesting ecosystem great for watching birds and other wildlife. Continue reading San Diego River Trail – Dog Beach/Robb Field→
When the temperature starts to rise, we like to find shorter, easier trails we can do in the evenings once it starts to cool down. The San Diego River Trail offers some great options for easy hikes that are perfect for warm summer evenings. This 2.1 mile loop along the river in the Mission Valley area is a nice spot to bring the dog or to enjoy some nice views of the river as the sun sets. Continue reading San Diego River Trail – Hazard Center/Mission Valley→
With its ease of access and numerous beautiful trails, Mission Trails sees a LOT of hikers. While you’ll have a hard time finding any trail with complete solitude in the park, Mesa Trail in the eastern section isn’t as heavily traveled as some of the others. This hike combines the Mesa Service Road, Mesa Trail, and the Big Rock Trail for a nice little loop with a variety of habitats to explore. You can tack on a summit of Cowles Mountain if you’re feeling particularly ambitious, but on a warm day or if you’re just out for a quickie, this short hike is quite nice by itself. Continue reading Mesa Trail/Big Rock Trail Loop→
Garnet Peak is one of our favorite hikes in San Diego. It’s a fairly easy hike with fantastic views, and during the right time of year there are plenty of wildflowers to enjoy. We like this hike so much, this is the third time we’ve written it up – documenting three different ways to get there. This particular route, starting from the Penny Pines trailhead along the Sunrise Highway, is probably the most popular route (likely because of the ample free parking – no Adventure Pass is required at Penny Pines). It travels north along the famous Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) before branching off to ascend Garnet Peak. Continue reading Garnet Peak via Penny Pines→
Cuyamaca Rancho State Park has a wonderful system of interconnected trails and fire roads, and we always enjoy cobbling together a new route and exploring sections of trail we haven’t been on before. This 10 mile loop combines the Dead Horse Trail, California Riding and Hiking Trail, South Boundary Fire Road, Blue Ribbon Trail, and Merigan Fire Road for a fun hike with a variety of scenery. Continue reading Dead Horse Trail/Blue Ribbon Trail Loop (Cuyamaca Rancho State Park)→
Stonewall Mine was once the most productive gold mine in San Diego County. Nowadays, it’s a fenced-off archaeological site with accompanying picnic area in a beautifully wooded section of Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. You can just drive to Stonewall Mine, but of course we prefer the much more scenic option of hiking some of Cuyamaca’s beautiful trail system to reach the mine. This route follows the Marty Minshall Trail along the southern edge of Lake Cuyamaca and through some of the few remaining dense forested areas of the park before finally reaching the Stonewall Mine site. Continue reading Stonewall Mine Loop (Cuyamaca Rancho State Park)→
