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.
With the warm summer weather, we made sure to get an early start. We arrived at the Agua Dulce staging area to find only one other car. On the west edge of the parking lot we found a short single track trail which led to a short distance to the Old County Road.
We turned right onto the old road bed and began hiking beneath the fragrant pines.
At .4 mile we came to a “Y” junction and turned right.
Almost immediately, we turned left onto a narrow single track trail marked with a “3” – the Gatos Ravine Trail.
It was an easy, rolling trail but we were grateful for the shade of the trees as it was already quite warm out.
After cresting a ridge we began to descend.
Around 1.2 mile we came to a “Y” junction. To the left was a connector trail leading to the Chico Ravine Trail, which would shortcut the longer loop we were planning on. If you’re looking for a shorter hike, you can cutover here. We turned right to stay on the Gatos Ravine Trail and continue downhill towards Laguna Meadow.
This section of trail has a number of technical features specifically for mountain bikers, including jumps and step-ups, so don’t be surprised if you encounter a lot of mountain bikers on this section of trail.
We continued the old-fashioned way, on foot, taking time to enjoy the lush forest that can be so hard to find in San Diego.
Around 2.2 miles we came to “T” junction and turned left.
The trail wound around the southern edge of Laguna Meadow.
Around 2.5 miles we came to another “Y” junction and took the left fork onto the Chico Ravine Trail.
Around 2.7 miles we noticed a use trail leading up a short hill on the right and decided to go check it out.
On top of the small hill we found what looked like a gravesite with multiple markers.
A little further up the use trail was a lovely, shady spot overlooking the meadow below.
We returned to the Chico Ravine Trail and turned right to continue our loop.
It wasn’t long before we were back under the cover of pine trees once again. We appreciated the shade even more now, as the day was continuing to heat up and we were now travelling uphill.
Around 3.5 miles we came to a “Y” junction where the connector trail to Gatos Ravine we passed earlier met up with the Chico Ravine Trail. We stayed right to continue on the Chico Ravine Trail.
We continued gradually uphill.
At 3.8 miles the Chico Ravine Trail ended as it met the Old County Road. We turned left onto the road and followed it back to the staging area.
Directions:
From I-8 east take the Sunrise Highway exit and turn left onto Sunrise Highway (S1). Follow Sunrise Highway for approximately 8.2 miles, then turn left onto Wooded Hill Road. Follow Wooded Hill Road for approximately .6 miles to the Agua Dulce staging area on the right. map
| Total Distance: | 4.6 miles |
| Difficulty: | Moderate |
| Total Ascent: | 600 feet |
| Dog Friendly?: | Leashed dogs allowed |
| Bike Friendly?: | Bikes allowed |
| Facilities: | Vault toilets at staging area; no water |
| Fees/Permits: | Adventure Pass required |
For more information, visit:
View route or download GPX from CalTopo
