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Elfin Forest is a wonderful hidden spot in Escondido, as you approach the area you notice the city stops and a rural community begins. The Way Up Trail is the main trail of the area, starting at the parking lot and bringing you straight up the ridge line, about 3/4th of the way up is a small hut with a very nice view of the area. Continue reading Elfin Forest – The Way Up Trail Pick up the wide path heading north and gradually downhill. After less then 1 mile, you reach Racetrack View Drive, across from the southern arm of San Dieguito Lagoon. This is also a possible starting point of the hike. Continue reading Crest Canyon El Monte Park is one of the original County parks. The spectacular rocky face of El Cajon Mountain rises high over this 88-acre park, dominating the other mountains that encircle this valley. There are plenty of recreational opportunities, including a ball field and play areas. Seven reservable picnic areas make every size picnic easy to arrange. The “Wedding Tree” in the meadow offers a great spot for a wedding and the “Oak Grove” at the far end of the park is a private wedding location. Continue reading El Monte Park – Flume Trail The trailhead on Sunset Drive is a major access point for the Coast to Crest Trail, which when compelted around 2016 will span 70 miles between the ocean and the crest of the Peninsular Ranges. One branch on the trail trends east for about 10 miles through the San Pasqual Valley. The other branch, the one you want to follow begins as a concrete walkway heading south, parallel to the freeway. Continue reading Bernardo Mountain Mount Woodson’s East Approach is a difficult trail for beginners, this steep trail offers many beautiful views of the lake and other areas. Worth the challenge, but be sure to bring extra water, as summer temperatures can be extreme. Portable restrooms can be found at various locations around the lake, no facilities are available on the steep climb to the peak. Continue reading Mt Woodson East Approach – Fry Koegel Trail Loop Iron Mountain Summit Trail to Ellie’s Lane Trail which forms a loop back to the Iron Mountain Parking Lot. Continue reading Ellie’s Lane Trail (Loop) This is a hike to the top of Cedar Creek falls from the Julian trail head off of Eagle Peak Rd. The hike is relatively short and not very challenging. The distance is approx 4miles with less than 1k elevation change. The numbers from the GPS data I’ve posted include a small “mountain” we trekked up on a little detour that added some significant elevation gain. If you hike on down to the bottom of the falls it will add some more elevation change. Continue reading Cedar Creek Falls – East Approach his is the trail to Cedar Creek Falls from the Ramona trail head. There is not much to it. The trail is pretty much straight out and straight back. There is about 1k elevation change over the course of the 4 mile out and back hike. Continue reading Cedar Creek Falls – West Approach The park is open Thursday through Monday, 8 A.M to 4 P.M. The trailhead features a nice picnic area. The nearby Alice Fries Nature Trail loops a sort distance around the north bank of the San Luis Rey River. The hike described here starts by crossing the San Rey River. Just ahead, on the left the Upper Meadow Trail begins. Follow it along an oak-dotted terrace and up some steps to the small “upper meadow” and around the edge of a small, dried-up reservoir at 0.5 miles into the hike. Continue reading Wilderness Gardens Preserve Find the trail just beyond the lake entrance, to the left of the park office and concession stand. The trail follows the west shoreline to the rock-fill dam, descends to a creek crossing, and soon reaches a dirt maintenance road. Turn left (north) and stay with the that road for about 100 years, where you will see the Lake Poway Loop trail continuing on the right (at this juncture, if you want, you can make a short side trip down to the “Wilderness Campground”, a walk in or ride in site for backpackers). Continue reading Lake Poway Loop Begin at the grassy picnic area on the southwest shore of Lake Poway, and follow either of the two wide trails southeast (they soon merge). After skirting the south shore and dipping to cross Warren Canyon, you come to a trail junction at .8 miles. Turn right on the signed Mount Woodson Trail and climb east on a steep grade through sage and scrub and chaparral. Continue reading Woodson Mountain – West Approach Precisely on that flat spot, there once existed a circular array of stones crossed by an “arrow” of rocks pointing southeast to the exact point on the horizon where the winter solstice sun rises, typically on December 21st. Continue reading Cowles Mountain – South Approach From the trail head proceed up the Borrego Palm Canyon Nature Trail to the first palm grove (1.5 miles). From here you’ll pick up an informal path on the south side of the creek and follow it to a rightward bend. Continue reading Indianhead Mountain Staring from the upper trailhead, walk first through a thicket of chaparral, then past pines, oaks, and incense cedars. About half way down, the trail bends around a ravine, alive with the sound of a stream. Soon after, you come to a wooden platform on the left overlooking Mendenghall Valley. Continue reading Palomar Observatory Trail Start off on the old roadway, which gradually descends west down a hillside. Hike for 1.7 miles on a gradual descent until the old roadbed switches back sharply to the left. Continue reading Barker Valley Follow the wheel tracks in Arroyo Tapiado north across the low-lying hills. About 2 miles up the wash the canyon walls begin to get huge. Arroyo Tapiado widens after 4 miles and sets up a straighter course northwest. The canyon divides at 6.3 miles; take the right fork. Continue reading Arroyo Tapiado & Arroyo Seco del Diablo Loop From your parking spot along Highway S-2, head northeast across a sloping alluvial fan towards a nearby mouth of a rocky canyon. Starting at just .3 miles you’re inside the canyon proper. At mile .7 you arrive at a major canyon fork – stay right. At mile 1.1 the canyon bends left, widens and becomes less interesting. Continue reading Rainbow Canyon South of the wide La Jolla Shores Beach, the sand disappeats and wave-washed cliffs begin. Just offshore, LA Jolla Canyon swallows the sand that normally would migrate down the coast. The western most cave is well-known among tourists and natives alike. It can be reached from above by a long stairway that begins inside the Cave Store and passes through a human-made tunnel. The half dozen or so other grotto’s in the series are usually only accessible by water, or very low tides. Continue reading La Jolla Caves From your parking spot head east for .5 miles, take note of your route so you can follow it back to your car. Proceed up June Wash over sand and rocks for 2 miles until the area assumes a canyon like appearance (you should be roughly at 1800 ft), there is also a small tributary here that joins on the left. Wind sheltered campsites can be found on the flat sands about 100 yards up the tributary. Continue reading Sandstone Canyon – South Approach From the parking area, walk up the road to a saddle at 3830 feet. A 4-wheel drive road branches off to hte left to Smugglers Cave. Proceed another .1 miles south and stay left. Continue reading Valley of the Moon Start off by descending sharply on the Cutca Trail into the depts of Cottonwood Creek. Climb the saddle at 1.2 miles and then descend to the Aguanga Trail junction at 2.1 miles. Continue on the Cutca Trail through Long Canyon, at 5.0 miles you cross Cutca Road. Continue reading Eagle Crag Starting from the North end of Sweetwater Summit Campground, the Sweetwater trail runs east, first passing a fishing access area for the reservoir. After about 1 miles the trail veers sharply right and begins a series of rather tough up’s and down’s. Continue reading Sweetwater Trail From the trail head, the well marked trail swings around Bernardo Bay (the south arm of the lake) passing a small waterfall that splashes happily during the wet season. Continue reading Piedras Pintadas Trail One branch on the trail trends east for about 10 miles through the San Pasqual Valley. The other branch, the one you want to follow begins as a concrete walkway heading south, parallel to the freeway. After about .4 miles, the walkway turns sharply right and passes under the I-15 bridge. After swinging north on the far side of the freeway the Cost to Crest Trail joins for a short time on the crumbling pavement. Continue reading North Shore Lake Hodges
Dripping Springs Trail Distance: 14 miles round trip, out and back Hiking Time: 8+ hours Elevation Gain/Loss: 3100′/3100′ Difficulty: Strenuous From Interstate 15 at Temecula, drive 10 miles east on highway 79 to Dripping Springs Campground. 0.4 miles inside is the trail head. This is an all Continue reading Dripping Springs Trail |
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Monday, 15th of August 2011 at 06:36:58 PM