Lake Poway Loop

Lake Poway in June	Lake Poway Scenic View
Distance: 2.4 miles loop Hiking Time: 1.5 hours Elevation Gain/Loss: 400′/400′ Difficulty: Moderate Trail Use: Suitable for backpacking, dogs allowed, good for kids

Directions: Exit Interstate 15 at Rancho Bernardo Road and go east. Rancho Bernardo Road becomes Espola Road as you enter Poway’s city limits. Drive a total of 4 miles from I-15 to reach Lake Poway Road. Turn left (east) there, and drive .5 miles into Lake Poway Recreation Area.

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 yards, 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).

Follow the loop trail as it resumes climbing generally east, away from the dirt road. By way of a lengthy zigzag and a couple of smaller wiggles in the trail, you gain a slope above the east buttress of the Lake Poway Dam. Press on, traversing easily around the east shoreline, and note the junction with the Mount Woodson trail on the left. Keep going straight, circling around to the south arm of the lake, and arrive t the lawn area just shy of where you started.

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