Primarily catering to campers and picnickers, Dos Picos is a fairly small park in Ramona with two designated nature trails, several roads, and informal meandering pathways to explore. There is a small but scenic pond where you can fish or watch the birds. And despite the ravages of drought and gold spotted oak borer beetle, there are still lush groves of oak trees creating a quiet, sylvan paradise. It’s a great choice for those with young kids or anyone looking for a short, easy hike that still provides a significant dose of nature.
Since the park is so small and interconnected you can just wander around and explore without much fear of getting lost. After a quick look at the map we decided on this little 1.25 mile loop that covers much of the park’s trail system. We started at the edge of the playground in the easternmost parking lot.
From here we traveled up the small hillside and continued along a ridgle just left of a small sign.
We quickly came to a “Y” junction where the trail made a loop. We took the left fork.
The skies were full of dramatic May Gray clouds, and we had nice views of an open field with some cows in it and mountains in the distance.
The trail looped around to the west, and soon we came to another “Y” junction. The right fork looped back towards our starting point. We turned left to continue further into the park.
The trail led downhill towards the pond.
We made an immediate left turn onto an unmarked trail that led into a densely wooded area. There was tons of poison oak under the trees, but it was well away from the trail.
We crossed a wooden footbridge, and noticed a beautifully built stone spillway leading from the pond to the stream.
Across the bridge, the trail emerged from the trees and begin a gradual climb uphill.
Around .3 mile we found a turn off for the Ernie Pantoja Memorial Trail on the left and took it.
The trail was a narrow single track, climbing numerous stone steps to quickly gain elevation.
It wasn’t long before we had some beautiful panoramic views of the campground below and surrounding areas.
Around .55 miles there was a turnoff on the right leading down a steep set of stone stairs. This led down back towards some of the picnic areas in the park. We continued straight.
The narrow trail continued through the thick brush, going up and down stone and wooden steps.
As we continued westward, we spotted the campground below us and Mount Woodson in the distance.
The trail began to descend steeply as we approached the campground.
Around .85 miles we reached the campground road and the end of the Ernie Pantoja Memorial Trail. There was a small memorial plaque mounted to one of the rocks near the road.
From here, we walked through the campground, following the road and making right turns at all the junctions. Once we left the campground and reached the picnic area that was marked “Youth Area”, we cutover to walk through the picnic areas back to our starting point. You can also follow this road for a ways back towards the pond and do a little more exploring. Either way, its a short, scenic stroll back to your starting point.
Directions:
From I-15, take the Scripps Poway Pkwy exit. Head east on Scripps Poway Parkway for approximately 8.5 miles to Highway 67. Turn left (north) on Highway 67. Follow Highway 67 for approximately 7.4 miles, then turn right onto Mussey Grade Road. Follow Mussey Grade for approximately 1.1 miles then turn right onto Dos Picos Park Road. Follow Dos Picos Park Road to the park entrance on your left. Stop at the kiosk to pay your $3 day use fee, then go left and drive to the eastern most parking lot near the playground. map
| Total Distance: | 1.25 miles |
| Difficulty: | Easy – Moderate |
| Total Ascent: | 235 feet |
| Dog Friendly?: | Leashed dogs allowed |
| Bike Friendly?: | Bikes not allowed on Ernie Pantoja Memorial Trail section |
| Facilities: | Bathrooms and water at park |
| Fees/Permits: | $3 Day use fee per vehicle |
For more information, visit:
County of San Diego Parks and Recreation – Dos Picos County Park
View route or download GPX from CalTopo
