Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – May 16, 2016

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Hello Hikers!

Well it looks like May Gray has settled in. The good news is that keeps the temperatures pretty reasonable. If the gray skies get a little too depressing for you, try heading up to the mountains later in the week – there may be some precipitation Monday and Tuesday but after that the forecast is calling for sunny skies.

Next Saturday is the once a year Backpacker’s Swapmeet & Sale at Adventure 16 in San Diego. There will be great deals on used outdoor gear and clothing, and admission is free whether you’re buying or selling. Check out the A16 blog for more details.

Saturday is also Lagoon Day at the San Dieguito Lagoon. Starting at 9:00 am there will be free family friendly events and refreshments. Join Buena Vista Audubon Member John Haddock for a Bird Walk, or engage in hands-on fun activities for the whole family where you can learn about the fish, birds and mammals of the Lagoon, and make seed balls and create art from specimens collected at the Lagoon. Plus, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of the extension of the River Path Del Mar. Check out the flier for more details.

Explore Mission Trails Day is also on Saturday. This popular event features free guided nature walks, talks and programs throughout the park, including live animals and special programs for children. Visit the MTRP web site for more information, including the full schedule of events.

Next Sunday you can join the San Diego Natural History Museum Canyoneers for a special hike along the Boulder Mountain Road Private Nature Trail. This is an easy 4 mile hike with elevation change up to 200 feet. The owner of this private property has given the Canyoneers special permission to lead a hike on this date only. Please join us at this Poway location with an exceptional variety of native plants. Check out the Canyoneers’ web site for more information, or visit our Events Page to find even more upcoming hikes and events.

Here’s the latest deals on outdoor and fitness deals from Amazon:

Have a good week!

Setting off from the Big Rock trail headPhoto: Cowles Mountain via Big Rock Park

CA Riding & Hiking Trail, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, Trail Write-Ups, Under 5 miles

Azalea Glen Loop (Cuyamaca Rancho State Park)

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The Azalea Glen Loop begins at Paso Picacho Campground and combines several single track trails with wider fire roads. The surrounding area was hit heavily by the 2003 Cedar Fire, and while there has been considerable regrowth of low-lying brush, large expanses of dead trees still stand as a quiet reminder of the fire’s devastation. More recent controlled burns and replanting efforts in the area continue to alter the landscape. Continue reading Azalea Glen Loop (Cuyamaca Rancho State Park) →

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – May 9, 2016

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Photo: Mount Gower Open Space Preserve

Hello Hikers!

I hope you all had a nice Mother’s Day and got outside for a hike. It looks like we should be a bit drier this week.

The County of San Diego has announced the completion of improved trails and a new overlook at the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park. We’ve done a few hikes there (see our write-ups here and here) and can’t wait to go back and see what has changed.

Don’t forget next weekend is the beginning of San Diego River Days! There are numerous activities all over the county, including hikes, cleanup and restoration events, workshops, bike rides, and more. Check out their Event List for a full schedule of events.

Next Saturday you can enjoy a Ranger-Led Walk at the San Dieguito Lagoon. This easy, 1.7 mile monthly walk is led by a Park Ranger along the San Dieguito Lagoon. Topics will include the lagoon restoration project, plant/wildlife identification and updates on current Ranger projects. Come discover the beauty of the Lagoon! Visit the San Dieguito River Park calendar for more information, or visit our Events Page for even more upcoming hikes and events.

It looks like Amazon has figured out summer’s almost here, because they’re starting to have some nice deals on fitness apparel and camping gear:

Have a good week!

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Photo: Oak Canyon Trail

Carlsbad, Dog Friendly, North County, Trail Write-Ups, Under 5 miles

Ridgeline Trail (Rancho La Costa Preserve)

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Rancho La Costa is a habitat conservation area in Carlsbad and San Marcos managed by the Center for Natural Lands Management. The Preserve actually consists of a number of separate parcels of land, with a total of 1640 acres between them. There are two main parcels with trails open to hikers: the Ridgeline area and the Denk Mountain/Copper Creek area. Continue reading Ridgeline Trail (Rancho La Costa Preserve) →

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – May 2, 2016

20150227BarnettRanch_DSC6054-EditPhoto from Barnett Ranch Preserve

Hello Hikers!

Wow this rain thing is becoming a downright regular occurrence! I hope the weekend showers didn’t slow you down too much. It looks like once again there could be more coming later in the week, so keep the rain gear handy!

Have you ever considered hosting an exchange student? Aspect Foundation is looking for a loving family looking to have a cultural experience by hosting an exchange student this fall. They are currently trying to place a 16 year old girl from Norway who is passionate about hiking and hoping to come to California. If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Andria Guzman at andriaguzman@yahoo.com.

If you’ve ever dreamt of hiking the John Muir Trail, you might be interested in Adventure 16’s upcoming talk “Thru-hiking the John Muir Trail.” The event is free and will be held this Tuesday, May 6 at the Solana Beach store, and Wednesday, May 4 at the San Diego Store. Check out their blog post for more details.

Next Sunday, join the San Diego Natural History Museum Canyoneers in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park as they hike the Pine Ridge Trail. This is an intermediate 6 mile hike with elevation change up to 1000 feet. Delightful views of the Cuyamaca Mountains and the Sweetwater River watershed are coupled with an abundance of seasonal wildflowers. Walk among mature live oaks, Jeffrey and Coulter pines and, if water is flowing in the Sweetwater River, there is added interest, especially at Green Valley Falls. Check out the Canyoneers web site for more details, or visit our Events Page to find even more upcoming hikes and events.

Here’s the latest outdoor and fitness deals from Amazon:

Have a good week!

View from the top of Garnet PeakPhoto from Garnet Peak

Cleveland National Forest, Dog Friendly, San Diego River, Santa Ysabel, Trail Write-Ups, Under 5 miles

Inaja Nature Trail

Inaja Nature Trail 6

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 →

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – April 25, 2016

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Hello Hikers!

I’m glad the unseasonably warm weather dissipated for the weekend, I hope everyone was able to take advantage of the beautiful weather and get outside! It’s looking like we have a chance of rain later in the week, so keep your eyes on the forecast to see how things progress.

Mark your calendars for the weekends of May 14 – 15 and May 21 – 22, the 13th annual San Diego River Days! There’s a host of different activities plan, including hikes, cleanup and restoration events, workshops, bike rides, and more. Check out the Event List here, there is something for everyone.

Also on May 21 is the A16 Backpacker’s Swap Meet & Sale at Adventure 16 in San Diego. You can buy, sell, or trade your gear at the swap meet, or head into the store for great deals and sale items.

Next Saturday, join the San Diego Natural History Museum Canyoneers as they hike the Torrey Pines State Reserve Extension. Intermediate 2 mile hike with elevation change up to 200 feet. See Torrey pines, native chaparral, and seasonal wildflowers on this easy walk to a vista point overlooking Peñasquitos Lagoon and the ocean. Visit the Canyoneers web page for more details, or check out our Events Page to find even more upcoming hikes and events.

Here’s the latest outdoor and fitness deals from Amazon:

Have a good week!

Eagle Peak

5 miles, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, Dog Friendly, Peaks, Trail Write-Ups

Cuyamaca Peak (Cuyamaca Rancho State Park)

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Cuyamaca Peak, the second highest point in San Diego County, looms tall on the western edge of Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. There are many trails and fire roads that can be used to craft different routes up the summit, but the most direct and popular course is to climb the Lookout Fire Road, starting at Paso Picacho Campground. This road, being entirely paved asphalt, is also the only hike in the park that dogs are allowed on. Continue reading Cuyamaca Peak (Cuyamaca Rancho State Park) →

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – April 18, 2016

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Hello Hikers!

Next Saturday from 9am to noon is the Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup, sponsored by I Love A Clean San Diego. There are over 100 coastal and inland cleanup sites throughout the county, so sign up to help keep our open spaces and waterways clean!

There will be some construction at the Cabrillo National Monument from now through June, which will affect access to the tidepoools there. Parking lot #1 (closest to the tidepools), the tidepools trail, and bathrooms near the tidepools will be closed. You can still park at the two other lots and access the tidepools area via the Coastal Trail.

The San Diego Reader has a comprehensive article on the Marines’ recent crackdown on hikers and mountain bikers trespassing on Miramar property. Hopefully this will lead to some better signage along the boundary so people don’t accidentally end up where they don’t belong.

Don’t forget, now through Sunday, April 24 is National Park Week! Enjoy free admission to all National Parks all week long.

Sport Chalet has announced they will be closing all their stores and going out of business. If you have any gift cards for their store, you’ll need to use them by April 29th, 2016. Store closing sales began yesterday and will continue for several weeks, so if there’s some gear you’ve been hoping to get, now’s the time to go!

Next Sunday you can join the San Diego Natural History Museum Canyoneers to hike Morena Butte! This is a difficult 5 mile hike with elevation change up to 1500 feet. The Canyoneers have special permission to drive into Ward’s Flat as a jumping off point for this challenging hike. The trail up to the top of Morena Butte is steep and rocky but the views are spectacular. On our return we’ll look for seasonal wildflowers in Ward’s Flat. Visit the Canyoneers’ web page for more information, or check out our Events Page for even more upcoming hikes and events.

Here’s the latest outdoor and fitness deals from Amazon:

Have a good week!
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Birding, Dog Friendly, South County, Trail Write-Ups, Under 5 miles

Tijuana River Valley Regional Park – Southwest

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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 →

Hiking trails in and around San Diego County