Kwaay Paay Peak in Mission Trails Regional Park doesn’t receive nearly the amount of traffic that its more popular neighbor Cowles Mountain does. This makes it a great alternative for hikers looking for a quick mountain climbing workout but who don’t want to contend with an overcrowded trail and a dearth of parking. Kwaay Paay is somewhat shorter and not quite as tall as Cowles, but in my opinion actually makes for a more intense workout since it lacks the gentle switchbacks of its nearby cousin. Continue reading Kwaay Paay Peak (Mission Trails Regional Park)→
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→
Located in Ramona, Barnett Ranch is 728 acre Preserve purchased by the county in 2002. The Preserve contains a variety of habitats including riparian forest, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and non-native grassland. The Preserve contains 2 formal trails: The Valley View Trail and the Rattlesnake Trail (trail map). Continue reading Barnett Ranch Preserve→
Heller’s Bend is a 48 acre preserve owned and managed by the Fallbrook Land Conservancy. The FLC was founded in 1988 by local residents to preserve the natural beauty and enhance the rural character of the Fallbrook community. While the Fallbrook area has undergone considerable development since 1988, thanks to the FLC areas like Heller’s Bend Preserve have been set aside for our enjoyment. Continue reading Heller’s Bend Preserve→
The Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve actually consists of two disconnected parcels of land in the Santa Ysabel and Julian areas. The two distinct sections are referred to as Santa Ysabel West and Santa Ysabel East. To further confuse the issue, Santa Ysabel East has two trailheads: The Highway 79 trailhead on the western side of the Preserve, and the Farmer Staging area on the east. This hike begins at the Farmer Staging area and explores the eastern end of the preserve.
The Preserve encompasses former ranchland, and cattle are still allowed to graze in the area. It can be a bit disconcerting at first to pass close to some of these large creatures, who apparently make it a habit of napping in the middle of the trail. But after spending several hours in their company, I am happy to report they’re quite docile and shouldn’t cause you any problems if you give them some space and respect. Continue reading Kanaka Loop Trail (Santa Ysabel East Preserve)→
East Shepherd Canyon is another one of San Diego’s many neighborhood canyon areas that helps maintain a touch of nature in our otherwise urban and suburban neighborhoods. Unlike many hikes in San Diego, however, East Shepherd Canyon has the unique advantage of being fairly well shaded for much of the route. A short, tree-lined hike sounded perfect for one of our monsters, so we were joined by the ever-handsome Apollo. Continue reading East Shepherd Canyon→
The West Sycamore extension of Mission Trails Regional Park was formally opened to the public in December of 2014. The park is immediately adjacent to the Goodan Ranch Sycamore Canyon Preserve and the two are interconnected by several trails. While the West Sycamore extension is not currently connected to the main Mission Trails Park, there are long term plans to procure land that will link the two. Continue reading West Sycamore (Mission Trails Regional Park)→
Los Jilgueros is a small, yet very scenic Preserve located on the south side of Fallbrook. Nestled in between a busy road and residential developments lies a small network of trails which will take you by ponds, freshwater marshland, and grassy fields. The Preserve is owned and maintained by the Fallbrook Land Conservancy who has done an amazing job preserving and protecting native habitat in North County. Continue reading Los Jilgueros Preserve→
The Goodan Ranch Sycamore Canyon Preserve, managed jointly by the County of San Diego and cities of Poway and Santee, lies just west of Highway 67. The Preserve contains a wide variety of scenery and habitat, including mixed sage scrub and chaparral covered hills, open grasslands, and riparian creekside. It has an extensive history as well, it has been home to the Kumeyaay Indians and was a working ranch for many years. Nowadays, the Preserve is a popular hiking and mountain biking destination. Continue reading Goodan Ranch Sycamore Canyon Preserve→
Black Mountain is a relatively small yet scenic peak in the Rancho Penasquitos area. It’s antenna clad crest stands out prominently amid its lower lying surroundings, and can be easily seen and identified from other nearby San Diego peaks like Mt. Woodson and Iron Mountain. Continue reading Black Mountain via The Nighthawk Trail→
