Old Survey Road 97 was once a main thoroughfare connecting Ramona and Escondido. Established in the late 1800’s, the road was used for mail deliveries, gold miners travelling to Julian, and General Stephen Kearney and Kit Carson as they made their way to the Battle of San Pasqual. The road fell into disuse when it was replaced by Highway 78 in 1930. A section of the old road lies on the northern side of the Ramona Grasslands Preserve. Until recently it has been closed to public access due to the presence of sensitive species, particularly the Golden Eagle who has been seen nesting nearby.

But the County of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department has opened the trail on a limited, trial basis for hikers, bikers, and equestrians (note: unfortunately, dogs are not allowed). The trail is open on Saturdays and Sundays only, from 8 am to sunset until November 15th, 2018. Trail users need to watch a quick educational video on the rules of and pass a short test in order to get a free permit required to access the trail (go to the website here for everything you need to get the permit). Once you get the permit you can save it to your phone or print it out. A ranger is posted at the trailhead actively checking permits.

The primary rule for doing this hike is to STAY ON THE TRAIL. Whether or not this trail is open to the public in the future will likely depend on everyone following the rules, so please keep that in mind when you visit.

We picked a nice cool, overcast day for our hike and arrived mid-morning. After checking in with the ranger we set off down the trail. It was a wide, dirt road, leading straight west. There were wire fences along either side of the road, and a herd of placid cows grazed on our right.

Around .5 mile, the trail made a sharp right turn, passing through an open gate.

The trail meandered north alongside some beautiful oak trees.

As we continued on, we spotted what looked like an old gauging station along a dry creek bed on our left.

Around .75 miles we encountered a fork in the road – the main trail continued to the left while the right fork led to the edge of a fenced-off field where cattle grazed. There was a picnic table under the oaks here, offering a nice spot to relax and enjoy the day.

We continued along the trail, going up a small incline. To the left of the trail we spotted the remains of an old building.

The trail wound its way through clumps of buckwheat and sage. We were happy to have cloudy skies and cooler temperatures since there was no shade for much of the hike.

Behind us, we could see the antenna-topped peak of Mount Woodson rising in the distance.

As we continued, around 1.5 miles we started to find a few steeper slopes.

We crested a rise and found some beautiful views looking towards the San Pasqual Valley. We could even see the hot air balloon from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park far in the distance.

The trail then descended steeply, making me regret that I hadn’t brought my trekking poles. Fortunately, recent rains had left the soil firm and soft, so I didn’t have any issues with slipping.

Finally, around 2.7 miles we reached the end of the trail. A wooden rail fence and prominent sign clearly indicated our turnaround point. We stopped for a few minutes to admire the views and dramatic skies before heading back.

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Directions:
Take Highway 67 North to Archie Moore Road (just a little past the Mount Woodson trailhead). Turn left onto Archie Moore Road and follow it, continuing as it turns into Highland Valley Road. Continue past the main Ramona Grasslands for about .8 miles to Rangeland Road. Turn left onto Rangeland Road and go approximately 1.2 miles to find the staging area on your left. Park along Rangeland Road. map

For more information, visit:
View route or download GPX from CalTopo

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We arrived mid-morning on a hot summer’s day. The trailhead was easy to find at the southern of the parking lot.

We followed the wide, dirt road south. The creek lie to our right, obscured by thick vegetation. Like most riparian areas, there’s lots of poison oak around so be careful if you venture off the trail. To the left, a utility road led uphill towards some power lines, but we continued straight along the main road.

Before long, the trail began to turn, following the contours of the creek as it bent eastward.

There were benches placed periodically along the trail, offering relaxing spots to sit and rest underneath the oaks that lined the creek.

In some spots, the creekside brush thinned sufficiently that we could see creek below. At this point in the summer, there was little water to be found, but we did spot a few stagnant pools here and there.

Around .6 miles we went under an overpass where Melrose Drive ran overhead.

Here we were able to get some clear views of the dry creek bed.

On our left there were houses, but they were hardly noticeable atop a slope and despite being so close to developed areas the trail still had a quiet, natural feel.

The trail plunged into the thick growth of oak trees. It was noticeably cooler in the shade.

At 1.1 mile we came to a bridge. The trail continued a short distance on the left before coming to a chain link fence marking the park’s boundary. We crossed the bridge and turned right to head back along the opposite side of the creek.

The trail passed in and out of the shade.

Around 1.5 mile we once again passed under Melrose Drive.

At 1.8 mile we came to another wooden footbridge which took us across the creek again and provided views of the waterway.

We continued along the path, in and out of the shady oak trees. The trail we had hiked in on was just a short distance uphill on our right.

At 2 miles there was yet another wooden bridge spanning the creek.

Once across the bridge we turned right and found more welcome shade, this time courtesy of a grove of eucalyptus trees.

While it was an easy hike, the hot summer weather had us sweating, and we were happy to spot the edge of the developed park area near the gate that marked the end of our hike. Once at the gate, we followed the paved road a short distance to the right to where we had begun our hike.

After finishing our hike, we took some time to visit the pond adjacent to the parking area and enjoy the many birds.

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Directions:
Take I-15 North to CA-78 West. From 78, take the Sycamore Avenue exit and turn left onto Sycamore Avenue. After approximately .3 miles turn right onto Shadowridge Drive. Follow Shadowridge Drive for approximately 1.9 miles, then turn left onto Antiuga Drive. Follow Antigua Drive a short distance to Buena Vista Park and park. map

For more information, visit:
View route or download GPX from CalTopo

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The Parry Grove Trail is a short loop, and includes the Whitaker native plant garden and scenic Scripps Overlook. The trail is named for Charles C. Parry, a medical doctor and botanist who first documented the Torrey Pine, christening it Pinus Torreyana. The trail includes a steep section of 118 steps – an obstacle which deters many of the Reserve’s visitors, meaning this trail is somewhat less busy than others.

To reach the Parry Grove trailhead you can either park in the lower parking lot by the beach and walk up along the road (a more strenuous route), or park in the upper lot and walk a short distance down the road. Since this is such a short trail I recommend combining it with some of the many other trails in the park.

We took the long way, parking near the beach and walking up the road. It was a warm day, and we were already feeling the heat when we reached the Parry Grove trailhead.

A short distance along the trail, we came to the Whitaker Garden on the left. Since the day was quickly getting warmer, we decided to get the harder section of the trail done first, and save a leisurely stroll through the garden for the end of the hike, so we continued straight along the main trail.

We passed a nice rest area with benches and a water fountain where you can relax and enjoy the scenery.

We quickly came to a turn-off on the right which led down a set of steep stairs to the main section of the trail. We turned to descend the steps.

As we traveled downhill, we had some lovely views of the surrounding bluffs and Pacific Ocean beyond.

After descending the steps we came to a “Y” junction where the loop began, and turned right.

The trail led us through thick coastal sage scrub with some beautiful Torrey Pines poking out.

We followed the loop as it turned south where we had more fantastic views of the sculpted sandstone bluffs above the ocean.

We continued to loop around, heading back towards the stairs.

After climbing the steps, we turned right, heading towards the Scripps Overlook.

A short walk brought us to the overlook, where a sturdy bench provided a nice spot to enjoy the views.

The trail dead-ended at the overlook, so we turned around and retraced our route to the Whitaker Garden, where several side trails wound through the small garden with its many exhibits.

After enjoying the garden, we headed back to the trailhead.

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Directions:
From I-5 take the Carmel Valley Road exit. Head west on Carmel Valley Road. Turn left onto S Camino Del Mar (turns into N Torrey Pines Rd). Continue ahead to the Torrey Pines Reserve (South Beach Lot) on your right and pay your parking fee. You can park in the lower lot near the beach and hike up the road, or continue driving to the upper parking areas. map

For more information, visit:
California State Parks – Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
View route or download GPX from CalTopo

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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

For more information, visit:
View route or download GPX from CalTopo

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Dog owners know Ocean Beach’s Dog Beach as a great spot to let their four-legged friends have some off-leash fun, but its also the point where the San Diego River flows into the Pacific Ocean – and the start of the San Diego River Trail. The estuary, where ocean salt water and fresh river water mix, is a wonderfully interesting ecosystem great for watching birds and other wildlife.

This section of the San Diego River Trail is a flat, paved path along the bank of the river. There are some other, unpaved trails that wind through the estuary and along the water’s edge, making for a beautiful and varied hike with cool ocean breezes. The exact route and distance available to you in the estuary area will vary based on the tides and water levels, but it’s a fun walk no matter when you go.

It was warm and muggy as we got out of the car, and we were grateful for the occasional breeze that blew in from the water. From the parking lot we headed up the cement walkway to find the trailhead.

The paved path led east, away from the beach.

After about .1 mile we came to a trail leading down into the dunes and turned left. There’s a network of interconnecting trails throughout this area to explore.

We wandered about, heading generally east, keeping our eyes open for birds flitting through the brush all around us.

We continued east as far as we could, eventually meeting water. We spotted an egret hunting in the shallows.

We turned north and walked along the water’s edge, preparing to circle back. We spotted a bunch of tiny crabs in the damp sand, scrambling back into their holes as we approached.

We turned west and walked along the water’s edge for a bit.

We turned south and made our way back to the paved path and once again headed east.

We had nice views of the estuary on our left.

We passed the sports fields at Robb Field on our right (there are some bathrooms over there if you need to stop), and further up was a Skate Park.

We made our way as far as Sunset Cliffs Boulevard – the path continues under the overpass, or you can go up to the street here. But we decided to save further exploration for another day and turned around at this point.

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Directions:
Take I-8 west until it ends, then turn left onto Sunset Cliffs Blvd. Follow Sunset Cliffs Blvd for approximately .5 mile, then turn right onto West Point Loma Blvd. Follow West Point Loma Blvd for approximately .5 mile, then turn right onto Voltaire Street. Continue a short distance on Voltaire Street to the Ocean Beach parking lot. map

For more information, visit:
City of San Diego – Ocean Beach
San Diego River Park Foundation
View route or download GPX from CalTopo

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When the temperature starts to rise, we like to find shorter, easier trails we can do in the evenings once it starts to cool down. The San Diego River Trail offers some great options for easy hikes that are perfect for warm summer evenings. This 2.1 mile loop along the river in the Mission Valley area is a nice spot to bring the dog or to enjoy some nice views of the river as the sun sets.

While this is more of an urban hike – passing by trolley tracks, condos, and shopping centers – it is still a relaxing and scenic path along the San Diego River with some good opportunities for bird watching. Be aware you are pretty much guaranteed to pass by some homeless folks while walking along the river here. While we didn’t encounter any problems and the vast majority of homeless are perfectly nice people who are just trying to get by, if it makes you uncomfortable you will want to make sure you do this trail with a buddy.

We were looking for an easy hike we could bring the dog on at the end of a hot day, and this route fit the bill perfectly. We parked on the street along Hazard Center Drive, then headed east.

We crossed Mission Center Drive and picked up the trail on the corner. (Note that the trail also heads west from this intersection, we plan to come back and explore that direction in the future).

The trail went through a parking lot, and on the other side we found a kiosk with some information about the area.

It was a nice, paved path through lush vegetation. On our left a row of houses was mostly hidden by the brush, and on our right was the river, also largely obscured by trees and bushes. It was nice and cool in the shade.

Around .6 miles we came to a road – Camino Del Este. We could see the continuation of the trail just across the street, but turned left to walk a short way up to stop light and crosswalk to cross there.

We came back down the other side of the road and picked up the trail again heading east. There were picnic tables and trash cans all along the trail, which is especially nice when you’ve got your dog with you.

We continued east until we came to another road – Qualcomm Way – at approximately 1 mile. We turned right to cross the river and head back along the trail on the south side of the river.

As we crossed over the river, we finally got some unobstructed views of the water.

On the south side of the river, we made a right turn onto the path and began heading west.

There were condos on our left and the river on our right.

Around 1.3 miles we reached Camino del Este again, and turned left to make our way to the nearest crosswalk.

We made our way to the continuation of the trail on the other side of the road which passed behind a shopping center, and under the trolley tracks.

It was getting close to sunset, and the sky was putting on a beautiful show to the west.

We also spotted a handsome blue crowned night heron perched in dead tree near along the river.

Around 2 miles we reached Mission Center Road again.

We turned right, crossing back over the river, giving us another nice view of the water.

We continued up the road the corner of Mission Center Road and Hazard Center Drive where we had begun our loop, and headed back to the car.

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Directions:
From Highway 163 go east on Friars Road for approximately .3 mile. Turn right onto Frazee Road, then left onto Hazard Center Drive. Park on the street along Hazard Center Drive. Once parked, walk east on Hazard Center Drive and cross the road to the southeast corner of the intersection of Hazard Center Drive and Mission Center Drive. map

For more information, visit:
San Diego River Park Foundation
View route or download GPX from CalTopo

The post San Diego River Trail – Hazard Center/Mission Valley appeared first on Hiking San Diego County.

Knowing this outing wouldn’t be too strenuous, we took our time getting up and didn’t reach the trailhead until mid-morning. It was a warm day, and this hike turned out to be just the right level of exertion considering out late start and the temperature. We found the trailhead at the end of the Lake Murray Boulevard and set off on our way.

The trail was a wide, dirt service road, surrounded by lush riparian vegetation. On our right, a creek was hidden by the dense brush.

Before long the trail crossed the creek, giving us a glimpse of the water course. There was still some water, but it stood still and stagnant.

Around .58 miles we turned left onto the Mesa Trail – a narrow single track.

A small, wooden footbridge spanned the narrow creek. Some lizards were lounging on the bridge, eyeing us warily as we crossed.

On the other side of the bridge, the trail began to ascend.

We wound our way up the rocky slopes, surrounded by buckwheat, laurel sumac, chamise, and manzanita.

It didn’t take long to get some nice views looking out towards Santee. We could see the staging area at the other end of the Mesa Service Road as well as Big Rock Park below us.

We continued climbing until we came to a “T” junction with the Big Rock Trail at 1.35 miles. You can turn left here and continue to the summit of Cowles Mountain if you’re so inclined, but we opted to just turn right and make our way downhill to Big Rock Park.

The trail switchbacked its way down the mountain side.

It was hot and dry, and there weren’t many flowers left along the trail, but we did spot a few, including a mariposa lily.

As we approached Big Rock Park, we passed through a small section that burned last year (2017). The area was still heavily scarred from the fire, but there was new growth showing, including a few bright flowers.

Towards the edge of the burn area, around 1.9 miles, we came to a “Y” junction. We took the right fork heading towards Big Rock Park.

We passed behind Big Rock Park and reached Mesa Road around 2.4 miles. (There are restrooms and water at the park if you need a break).

Upon reaching Mesa Road, we turned right and walked along the shoulder.

We followed the road to the end where we found another trailhead at approximately 2.8 miles. We continued straight along the Mesa Service Road, heading back towards our starting point.

Around 3 miles we passed the turn-off for the single-track Mesa Trail we had taken earlier, and continued straight along the service road to get back to our car.

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Directions:
From Highway 125, take the Navajo Road exit and head west on Navajo Road. Turn right onto Lake Murray Boulevard and continue to the end (approximately .9 miles). Park along the street, the trailhead is at the end of the road. map

For more information, visit:
View route or download GPX from CalTopo

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We got an early start, but the day was fairly warm. Fortunately it wasn’t too long of a hike, so we knew we’d be done before the worst of the heat hit. Arriving at the Penny Pines trailhead, we parked our car on the eastern side of the highway. We set off down the trail at the northern end of the parking area where there’s a sign describing the history of the “Penny Pines” reforestation program. There’s another path from the middle/southern edge of the parking area you can also take – they converge in a short distance.

We passed through fence and into a sparse stand of pines.

After about .1 mile we came to a 4-way junction and turned left onto the northbound PCT.

The trail took us northwest through a blanket of chaparral. There were some wildflowers in bloom, brightening up the trail.

It wasn’t long before we had some great views of Foster Point and Monument Peak to the south.

More beautiful flower appeared along the sunny slopes alongside the trail.

As we hiked we noticed the occasional side trail leading off to some nice viewpoints along the way.

To the east of us was the barren-looking expanse of Anza-Borrego.

As we continued, our destination rose up in the distance ahead of us.

As it was a pretty warm day, there were lots of lizards on the trail, hanging out in the sunshine. We kept our eyes open for Horned Lizards and various snakes which can also be found in this area, but we didn’t spot any.

But there were some other critters to be found.

Around 1.6 miles we reached a 4-way junction – the turn-off for Garnet Peak was to the right, so we turned and began climbing uphill.

It was a pretty steady climb, with a fair amount of loose rocks, through the chaparral.

Right before the peak, there was a small amount of easy rock scrambling to navigate.

At 2.1 miles, we had reached the rocky peak. There was an old ammo can holding a summit register in the form of numerous worn (and full) notebooks).

To the south, we could see Monument Peak.

East was the expansive desert.

And looking north, we could see the PCT winding along, and Cuyamaca Peak, Middle Peak, and North Peak poking up in the distance.

We hung around at the top for quite a while, watching butterflies flit around and enjoying the views. Eventually, we headed back, retracing our route back to Penny Pines.

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Directions:
From I-8 east take the Sunrise Highway exit and turn left onto Sunrise Highway (S1). Follow Sunrise Highway for approximately 13.8 miles to the Penny Pines trailhead where you can park on either side of the road. The trail head is on the east side of the highway. map

For more information, visit:
Laguna Mountain Volunteer Association
Laguna Mountain Recreation Area Map
View route or download GPX from CalTopo

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Ever since hiking the Sweetwater River Loop in the southwestern portion of the park a couple of years ago, I’d been itching to check out some of the other trails in that area. We also wanted a longer hike to prepare for some upcoming backpacking trips. A little time studying our topo map yielded this route. We picked a relatively cool, overcast morning, loaded up our big packs with extra weight, and headed out to the Merigan staging area.

After paying our $10 day use fee we set off down the gravel Merigan Fire Road.

The road passed what looked like a Ranger’s residence, then curved around along the edge of an open field. The gravel soon transitioned to hard-packed dirt.

We wound our way along the oak-lined road, which soon began to climb uphill.

Around .7 miles we came to a “Y” junction where the loop portion of our hike began. We turned left here, heading downhill on the Dead Horse Trail.

The Dead Horse Trail was a single track, which led us quickly downhill towards the Sweetwater River.

We came to a “Y” junction where there was a tiny little trail marker with an arrow pointing left, so that’s the way we went.

The trail led us to a water crossing. To the right were some partially submerged logs that made crossing without getting your feet wet possible. If this crossing is too gnarly for you, you can go back to the last junction (with the tiny arrow marker) and go right to find another crossable spot a little ways upstream.

We made it across the stream and continued along the trail as it turned left and began climbing back uphill.

The trail was beautifully rugged – narrow and a little bit overgrown, but not so bad as to make passage difficult.

There was purple ceanothus in bloom, and small wildflowers popping up along the trail.

We paralleled the Sweetwater River for a short distance before the trail made a few switchbacks uphill away from the water.

We hiked pretty steadily uphill, enjoying the expansive views.

A little under 2.5 miles the trail began to level out a bit. While there would be more uphills to come, the longest stretch of it was behind us.

Around 2.8 miles we came to a “T” junction where we met the California Riding and Hiking Trail and turned right.

The trail was fairly level, and we could relax and enjoy the scenery as we moved between dense clumps of vegetation and open grassy fields.

Around 3.65 miles the Saddleback Trail branched off on our right. If you want to cut things short, you can take this trail back to the Merigan Fire Road, but we were just getting warmed up and continued to the left along the California Riding and Hiking Trail.

The trail took us east through the chaparral. We could see Oakzanita Peak in the distance.

Around 4 miles we came to a “T” junction with the South Boundary Fire Road and turned right.

The road took us downhill while providing beautiful views.

Around 4.45 miles we turned right to stay on the South Boundary Fire Road.

The road took us through some beautiful oak forest. We found some fallen logs on the side of the trail and stopped for a quick lunch.

After refueling we continued on. Around 4.7 miles it was time to cross back over the Sweetwater River. Once again, some well-placed logs on the right helped us across with dry shoes.

On the far side of the river we found another junction. Once again, you have the option to cut the hike short by turning right onto the Sweetwater Trail which will lead you more directly to the starting point. But we were still going strong so turned left to continue on the South Boundary Fire Road.

The road led us gradually uphill through more oaks and chaparral.

Blooming ceanothus continued to line the trail.

Around 5.3 miles we turned right onto the Blue Ribbon Trail which would take us southward.

A huge expanse of green chaparral surrounded us.

As we traveled downhill along the course of a seasonal stream the vegetation thickened. We passed through thick tangles of ceanothus, chamise, and manzanita and noted the remnants of fire-damaged oak trees.

Highway 79 was on our left, and as the trail slowly moved closer to it the sounds of occasional cars passing by broke the tranquility of the otherwise quiet trail. This was pretty much the only downside we found to the entire hike though, so it wasn’t too bad. Nature provided some nice flowers along the trail to compensate for the noise.

Around 6.7 miles we reached the Merigan Fire Road and turned right (the left fork just leads a short distance to Highway 79).

From here, we had a somewhat steep climb uphill.

The fire road rolled on, up and down.

Around 7.9 mile we came to a junction where multiple trails intersected. Both the Saddleback Trail and the Sweetwater Trail came in from the right. We turned left onto the Merigan Fire Road – the final leg of our hike.

The Sweetwater River ran far below us on the right. The fire road was lined with more oaks and chaparral brush.

Finally, around 9.2 miles we passed the turn-off for the Dead Horse Trail we had taken earlier. We continued straight along the Merigan Fire Road back to our car.

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Directions:
From I-8 East, take the CA-79 exit. Follow 79 North for approximately 1.3 miles, then turn left onto Riverside Drive, which at some point turns into Viejas Blvd. Follow Riverside Drive/Viejas Blvd for approximately 1.4 miles to the Merigan Day Use area on the left side of the road. map

For more information, visit:
California State Parks – Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
View route or download GPX from CalTopo

The post Dead Horse Trail/Blue Ribbon Trail Loop (Cuyamaca Rancho State Park) appeared first on Hiking San Diego County.

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.

View the full photo gallery

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

For more information, visit:
California State Parks – Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
View route or download GPX from CalTopo

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