Stonewall Mine was once the most productive gold mine in San Diego County. Nowadays, it’s a fenced-off archaeological site with accompanying picnic area in a beautifully wooded section of Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. You can just drive to Stonewall Mine, but of course we prefer the much more scenic option of hiking some of Cuyamaca’s beautiful trail system to reach the mine. This route follows the Marty Minshall Trail along the southern edge of Lake Cuyamaca and through some of the few remaining dense forested areas of the park before finally reaching the Stonewall Mine site.
We got an early start and parked at the small Trout Pond staging area just south of Lake Cuyamaca. We set off along the trail into a grassy meadow.
It was a clear day throughout most of the park, but over the lake there was a thick blanket of fog. It was really cool to watch the blanket of moisture as it rolled across the landscape, contained to such a small area.
The meadow had some soggy spots, but some well-placed logs helped us over the worst of it.
The trail led through a thick copse of willows.
Upon emerging from the willows we were once again in a grassy meadow with some wildflowers mixed in with the grass.
After going over a small rise we found ourselves on the edge of the cloud of fog rolling across the lake.
Around .4 mile we came to a junction where the Los Vaqueros Trail leading to the Los Caballos Horse Camp branched off to the right. We continued straight on the Marty Minshall Trail.
Just past the junction we found the hillside covered in beautiful lupine.
The trail turned north, heading towards fog-covered Lake Cuyamaca.
The trail crossed an earthen berm.
To the east, just across the Highway, we could see Middle Peak through the mist.
There were large clumps of reeds in the meadow below full of red-winged blackbirds.
There were plenty of flowers along this stretch of trail as well.
The closer we got to the edge of the Lake, the denser the fog became.
Once we entered the woods along the lakeshore, it was like an entirely different world.
The trail gradually bent east, contouring the shore of the lake. Around .9 mile we came to a “Y” junction where the loop portion of the hike began. You can go either direction here – we decided to go left to follow the lake for a little bit longer.
A small, barbed-wire stood between us and the lake. We were able to get some views of the water through the trees.
The trail continued to wind through lush oaks and pines.
Around 1.3 miles we came to a picnic area with horse corrals. There was a “T” junction – a dirt road led to the right, which will also take you to the Stonewall Mine, but we took the slightly longer and more scenic route to the left continuing along the Marty Minshall Trail.
The next stretch of trail was more oaks and pines with a fair amount of dead fall. The fog obfuscated the grassy plains beyond which is technically part of the lake bed, but rarely contains water.
As we moved away from the Lake, the fog dissipated and we began to see blue skies again. We also had more flowers adorning the trail side.
The trail then led back into the woods.
We caught sight of a flock of turkeys along the edge of the meadow. There was a tom doing his best to impress some of the ladies, but they didn’t seem too interested.
The trail turned uphill and around 1.8 miles there was another “Y” junction. We took the right fork heading to Stonewall Mine.
The trail continued uphill through beautiful, shady pine trees.
We spotted some bones right along the side of the trail – some poor critter’s rib cage (we’re thinking a deer).
Around 1.9 miles we reached the edge of the Stonewall Mine area. The trail split again, and we went left which led to a one-room building with a small museum inside. Despite being so small, the museum had a lot of interesting photos and information from the when the mine was active.
Beyond the museum was the actual mine. Unfortunately it was completely surrounded by a chain-link fence which made it difficult to see anything or get pictures.
After checking out the mine, we found the continuation of the trail on the opposite side of the road. Just uphill to the right is a bathroom and small picnic area which is a nice place to relax if you’re ready for a snack.
We continued on the trail as it wrapped around the southern flank of the hill.
More fantastic views greeted us.
A little past 2 miles we came to a “Y” junction near a bench (an excellent spot to take in some more views). You can take either fork as they will eventually meet up again on the other side of the hill, but we went ahead and turned right.
There was another junction just beyond the bench – we stayed straight, following the “Stonewall Mine Horse Trail to Marty Minshall Trail.”
We followed the trail through the woods, enjoying the dense tree cover that is so rare in San Diego.
We stayed right at the next two junctions until we were going downhill, headed back towards the start of our loop.
The fog reappeared and thickened as we headed back towards the lake.
Around 2.4 miles we reconnected with the Marty Minshall Trail where we had started the loop portion of the hike. From here, we turned left and retraced our route back to the car.
Directions:
Take I-8 East to the CA-79 N/Japatul Valley Road exit. Turn left and follow 79 north (towards Julian). After 2.7 miles, there is a sharp left to stay on 79 – make sure not to miss this turn (follow signs for 79 and Cuyamaca Rancho State Park). Continue on 79 for 10.7 miles to the small Trout Pond staging area on your right, just before the highway makes a 90 degree right turn. map
| Total Distance: | 3.3 miles |
| Difficulty: | Easy – Moderate |
| Total Ascent: | 370 feet |
| Dog Friendly?: | Dogs not allowed |
| Bike Friendly?: | Bikes not allowed |
| Facilities: | None at trailhead; restrooms at Stonewall Mine picnic area around 1.9 miles |
| Fees/Permits: | None |
For more information, visit:
California State Parks – Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
View route or download GPX from CalTopo
