In 1956, 11 firefighters lost their lives while battling the Inaja Fire along the San Diego River outside of Julian. The Inaja Memorial Picnic Ground stands as tribute to these brave men who died battling the blaze. In addition to a stone memorial and the picnic amenities, this little rest stop just outside of Santa Ysabel contains a short but scenic Nature Trail with some fantastic views. Continue reading Inaja Nature Trail
The Tijuana River has a reputation for being a rather unclean watercourse, and deservedly so. A multitude of political and socioeconomic factors contribute to the pollution of the river, which flows north from Mexico into the U.S. before reaching the Pacific Ocean. While both countries have been working together to clean up the river and address the sources of pollution, there’s still a lot of work to be done.
When one hears about the trash and sewage contamination that plagues the Tijuana River, its natural to assume this is not a desirable area to visit and hike. But despite these issues, the Tijuana River Valley is home to miles of fantastic trails that wander through a variety of landscapes. There are paths with dense vegetation close to the river, large ponds and coastal wetlands full of migratory birds, open grasslands, and beaches. Here, nature demonstrates its incredible resiliency with a showcase of birds, mammals, butterflies, flowers, shrubs, and trees.
Continue reading Tijuana River Valley Regional Park – Southwest
Like its name implies, Horsethief Canyon was once used by thieves to corral stolen horses before heading for the Mexican border. These days the area has a less notorious reputation, and is more frequently visited by hikers than criminals. This hike travels along the western section of the Espinosa trail, through some stunning oak woodlands to the beautiful Pine Creek. As with most water sources in San Diego, you’ll want to do this hike in winter or early spring to maximize your chances of actually finding water. Also note that this is a “reverse” hike – you’ll be doing the easy downhill hike into the canyon at the start, and the more rigorous uphill climb out of the canyon comes at the end. Continue reading Horsethief Canyon
People tend to get pretty excited about waterfalls, especially in San Diego where fresh water in any form is pretty rare. Kitchen Creek Falls isn’t the biggest or most impressive set of falls you’ll ever see, but this is still a fun little hike. It’s not as busy as some of the larger falls in the area (like Cedar Creek or Three Sisters), and if you head out early there’s a decent chance you’ll be able to have some time to yourself to enjoy the serenity of the creek. Like most waterfalls in San Diego, timing is everything. You’ll want to go during the wet season to ensure some flowing water. Continue reading Kitchen Creek Falls
As much as we love San Diego’s back country, we don’t always have the time and energy to drive out to the mountains or desert to hike. Fortunately, even the more developed areas of the County are rich with opportunities for hiking and exploration. Chula Vista’s Rice Canyon Open Space Preserve is home to a two-mile section of the California Riding and Hiking Trail (CR&HT) in the middle of a large suburban residential area. The canyon provides a peaceful patch of natural beauty you can enjoy with minimal effort. Continue reading Rice Canyon
Hiking to a desert oasis is always a fun experience. After trudging through the hot and arid desert, finding a cool stand of trees where you can kick back, watch the birds flit from tree to tree, and enjoy the quiet stillness of the day is bliss. This hike, starting from the Mountain Palm Springs Camprgound in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, takes you to not one, not two, not even three, but up to six separate palm tree groves of varying sizes. Continue reading Mountain Palm Springs (Anza-Borrego Desert State Park)
Leo Carrillo Ranch is a hidden little gem buried in suburban Carlsbad. It was once a working ranch and the weekend home of actor Leo Carrillo, best known for his role as sidekick “Pancho” on the television show The Cisco Kid. The City of Carlsbad acquired a portion of the property, and it is now designated as both a National Historic Landmark as well as a California Historic Landmark. The park is open Tuesday – Sunday, free to the public, and hosts numerous adobe buildings, fantastic gardens, and other fun surprises to explore. Continue reading Rancho Carrillo/Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park
Lake Calavera Open Space Preserve is a very popular North County destination for hiking, biking, dog walking and trail running. There is an elaborate network of formal and use trails running throughout the preserve which makes it an excellent spot for exploration if you are so inclined. The route we followed is a fairly straightforward course that visits the area’s major features: Mount Calavera and Lake Calavera. Continue reading Mount Calavera
Ever since we had hiked Sycuan Peak last fall we’d been eager to get back out and experience some more of the rugged beauty of Jamul. The California Riding & Hiking Trail (CR&HT), the incomplete and non-contiguous statewide trail system, runs through the area. We decided to check out this short stretch that runs down into Sloan Canyon and crosses the Sweetwater River just downstream of Loveland Reservoir. Continue reading Sloan Canyon
Cowles Mountain is probably the most popular hiking destination in San Diego, and of the several possible routes to the peak, the trail starting at Golfcrest and Navajo is by far the most heavily used (check out our write-ups of alternate starting points Big Rock Park and Barker Way). This is not the hike to do if you are looking for some quiet solitude to commune with nature, as you will be sharing the trail with dozens of other hikers and runners (many of whom choose to disregard the “no amplified music” rule and broadcast their tunes for everyone to hear). Parking here can also be a significant challenge – at peak times its so busy that cars line the street as far as the eye can see. In fact, this trail is so popular that Mission Trails Regional Park has created the 5-Peak Challenge to encourage hikers to explore other areas of the park in the hopes of alleviating some of the parking issues. But despite the crowds, this is still a really beautiful hike with some of the best views within the city limits. It provides a great workout and is a choice spot for watching sunrise, sunset, or enjoying a full moon. Continue reading Cowles Mountain (Mission Trails Regional Park)
