While just about everyone has hiked Cowles Mountain, surprisingly few bother to continue on to Pyles Peak, the second highest peak in Mission Trails. Pyles Peak can only be accessed by first summiting Cowles then traveling another another 1.5 miles northwest. You’ll quickly leave the constant stream of hikers and trail runners behind on this trek and likely have the beautiful views all to yourself. Continue reading Pyles Peak (Mission Trails Regional Park)
This may not be the most exciting or exotic hike in Anza-Borrego, but that doesn’t mean it’s without merit. First of all, it’s very accessible as far as desert hikes go. It begins just off the highway, so there’s no concern about having a high clearance vehicle or anything, and since it follows the course of a well-established 4WD jeep trail, it’s pretty much impossible to lose the trail. It’s a respectable length, measuring in at just under 8 miles, so you can feel like the long drive was worth it. And, as the name implies, it’s full of all kinds of neat volcanic rocks like basalt and andsite, so there are some unique landscape features to enjoy here. Continue reading Volcanic Hills Loop (Anza-Borrego Desert State Park)
Cuyamaca Rancho State Park has seemingly endless miles of trails and fire roads to explore, which can make for some nice long loops with varied landscapes to enjoy. This scenic loop through the northeastern section of the park does not disappoint, traveling along several streams and creeks and the Sweetwater River, passing wide open grasslands, and providing some great views of the back side of Stonewall Peak. Continue reading Stonewall Creek and Soapstone Grade Loop (Cuyamaca Rancho State Park)
It was yet another ridiculously hot weekend, so we decided we’d head up to the mountains to try and escape the worst of it. Perusing our “to-hike” list, we found this loop in the Laguna Mountain Recreation Area that appeared to have a decent amount of tree cover to help keep us cool. Continue reading Agua Dulce Loop
It had been a long time since we’d made it up to Daley Ranch for some hiking, and were feeling like we were long overdue for another visit. The weather hadn’t been particularly conducive to peak bagging, especially in Escondido, but we decided to suck it up and make an early start so we could tackle Stanley Peak. The day turned out to be warm, but not unbearably hot, so with an ample supply of water and sunscreen we were adequately prepared for the adventure. Continue reading Stanley Peak (Daley Ranch)
The Merigan trailhead at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park is somewhat hidden out of the way on the southwest border of the park. Since its a bit off the beaten track that is Highway 79, this area is quieter and less busy than some of the more popular hikes like Stonewall Peak or Cuyamaca Peak, but just as beautiful as the rest of Cuyamaca. Continue reading Sweetwater River Loop (Cuyamaca Rancho State Park)
We first learned of Los Pinos Peak last winter when we hiked to Corte Madera Mountain. Not to be confused with the Los Pinos Peak located in the Santa Ana Mountains, San Diego’s Los Pinos and neighboring Corte Madera are offshoots of the beautiful Espinosa Trail in the southern reaches of the Cleveland National Forest. Many people combine the two destinations into a single 10-mile hike, but since we hadn’t had time for both on our first excursion, we finally made plans to get back out there and do the Los Pinos hike. Continue reading Los Pinos Peak
Of the many canyon open spaces in the City of San Diego, Los Penasquitos is the largest. Stretching some 7 miles between the 805 and 15 freeways, the Preserve contains a wide array of interesting scenery to enjoy. It is home to grassy hillsides, chaparral covered slopes, enormous groves of Sycamore trees, and expansive stands of oaks. Penasquitos Creek, a year-round stream, runs through the center of the canyon and provides the Preserve’s most alluring feature: an easily accessible waterfall. Continue reading Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve (West)
Temperatures in the river gorge frequently reach well over 100 degrees. While hiking out to the local swimming hole for a refreshing dip may seem like a good idea on a hot summer day, each year dozens of hikers regularly succumb to heat exhaustion while trying to hike back out to the trailhead. Several heat-related fatalities have occurred on this trail. In the summer, the waterfall does not flow, and the little water that is in the pool is usually stagnant and green with algae, so its really not worth risking your life for. |
Cedar Creek Falls is an extremely popular hike, and for very good reason. The hike itself offers breathtaking views of the San Diego River Gorge and surrounding mountains, and the destination is an idyllic swimming hole at the base of an 80 foot waterfall. As there’s a considerable lack of freshwater playgrounds in San Diego, its easy to see why this uniquely beautiful spot gets so much attention. The drawback, however, is you will likely have to share this gem with others during your visit, especially if you go on a weekend. The swimming hole is often erroneously referred to as the Devil’s Punchbowl. The real Devil’s Punchbowl lies to the east on private property along Boulder Creek. Continue reading Cedar Creek Falls (via Ramona)
Guatay Mountain is an unassuming peak on the northern edge of the Pine Creek Wilderness. It is also home to the rare Tecate cypress tree. The trail here is largely unmaintained, making for a somewhat challenging ascent, but the advantage is that its also not widely used, making it a great spot for some quiet solitude. Continue reading Guatay Mountain
