I've been passing this hidden gem off the I-5 and didn't know it was that close to me until…read morerecently. I wanted to go on an adventure for the Labor Day weekend. I immediately noticed that this popular trail was very well maintained. I looove how there are different trails leading to Solana Beach...San Elijo Lagoon...Nature Center...under the I-5 Highway...etc. Overall, it was a memorable hike with gorgeous views, easy trailhead access, signage all around to follow and navigation through a fun sandstone slot canyon. I highly recommend it to the Yelp Community :-)

Heard about this unique trail on Instagram. Wasn't discouraged by negative remarks of it being off…read morethe 5 South. It was scenic and thought it was cool to see the highway in the distance. The hike/walk leading to the narrows is pretty. There's an easier path to the top if you choose to avoid the narrows. You get the great view either way. I don't know what's worse, the etched writing in the narrows or people ahead of you using their cameras too much for social media likes. The first ladder rung at the end climb was a bit of a challenge cuz I'm 5 feet, 1 inches. Definitely a worthwhile hike. I'd say our visit lasted no more than 90 minutes. We met some friendly people and parking was easy in the quiet surrounding neighborhood.

This is a safe haven for UCSD students who love to climb. Not sure if you like climbing? Try this…read moreplace out free for the first week of every quarter. Bring a few dollar bills for climbing shoe and chalk bag rentals because they really help! This climbing gym is close to the heart of campus and all the staff are friendly and often avid climbers themselves. The gym itself is not very large but there are enough variety of routes to keep you busy, entertained, and challenged. They'll change up the routes every quarter or so too. The inside of the gym can get a bit muggy and smelly sometimes but really, what did you expect to smell - roses and lavender? They put a big fan on blast to help air circulation and once you're in the gym for a few minutes you won't notice much. Overall, it's a really fun experience in this gym. Beginners should come the first week of every quarter to get their free experience. It can be busy but it's worth. If you're up for it, buy the $50 quarterly pass and the gym will be pretty empty when you go the rest of the quarter. Really nice! Go climb!

this place was fun! how can rock climbing not be fun and entertaining? notice how i said 'fun' and…read morenot GREAT AND FANTASTIC! haha. well, the sport itself is just very enjoyable. but the reasons why i gave this a 3-star are: 1. the walls are shorter. i believe they're somewhere from 20 feet. that is very short. you basically feel as though you took 4-5 steps and BAM! you've reached the top. 2. this place is run by volunteers. so it's not always a guarantee that the climbing center will open, or that it will be open on time. the pluses? WELL.... 1. so cheap!!! only $9.00 for all the gear and climbing for the day (but really you'll probably only stay 1-hour before your grip gives out). this is regular price i believe. not just a student price. 2. they teach you to how belay! so bring a friend! it's pretty easy, man. 3. the walls are short, but they're not that easy. most of them do that forward slant/tilt thing so you really need to muster up all your strength just to hold on. if you're just beginning rock climbing its not a bad place, because it's still challenging enough. and being that its 50% cheaper then other places in san diego, big plus! i think i'll be back soon. yep.

This is a fine trail, but it's more of an SDGE maintenance road than a traditional hiking trail…read more Tips - As this yelp page title suggests this is the South Trailhead. There is also a North trailhead in Escondido off Highland road.. This is probably the preferable starting point out of the two. - The parking lot and the trailhead are far apart. It's a bit confusing at first, but keep walking down the dirt path along the road and the trail will be next to a large metal gate of a mansion on the left side of the road.. - Look for small hidden rocks with painted pictures on them along the trail.. Look, don't keep... - The vast portion of this trail will be along million dollar homes and the Maderas golf course. There is one shady area along this trail..Bring a hat on hot days. For beginner hikers, just walk to the metal bridge and back. For advanced hikers, hike all the way to Highland road in Escondido..

The bridge is finally completed. There are actually two ways to get to the trail (South Staging…read morearea in Power or North Staging area in Escondido - 12460 Highland Valley Road near the Evergreen Nursery in Escondido). As my review indicates I opted for the South Staging area which can be accessed by exiting interstate 15 and head east of Rancho Bernardo Road. The road eventually turns into Espola rd, turn left on Old Coach Rd and the staging area will be immediately to your left. Park at the staging area and you will see the trail (make a left) and follow the signs. Take note that you will have to cross the road twice but at the end you will end up on the same side of the trail as when you started and the trail entrance will be marked with a sign "OLD COACH TRAIL ENTRANCE" (see the photo). Follow the trail until you get to a fork, take the trail to the right which will take you to the new bridge. It is hugging the golf course and it is pretty straight forward, some rolling hills until after mile two when the trail is actually parallel a road that takes you to the nursery. It's downhill all the way to the nursery so you know what that means if you are going out and about... uphill on the way back. My round trip hike was a little over six miles so I am sure you can get extra mileage if you follow the trail by the nursery (that will be next time for me). The overall hike is not too bad except for the downhill at the end which translates to uphill on the way back. I recommend it and there are endless possibilities with all the different trails in the Poway area.

Beautiful trail! So much color after the recent rain. Not an easy hike, but it's worth the effort…read more Go early, and be mindful of your hydration needs.

Protip: If you are parking in the dirt lot outside of the gate (leading to the official gravel…read moreparking lot), park parallel to Gunn Stage Road. If you park perpendicular, everyone else will park normal and block you in (a busy day gets 12+ cars at one time). This is a fantastic place to hike, a lot of wildlife + plant + moss + lichen biodiversity. I wish there was more than a single dog poop bag station, which is halfway along the gravel drive to the official trail start, as evidence by the dozens of people who let their dog poop wherever and never picking it up. I know it isn't fair that rabbits, coyotes, and horses don't have to pick their poop up themselves; I don't make the rules. Accessibility-wise, these are dirt trails that start out wide (5+ feet) with gentle slopes. They are not graded flat, and can be off-camber. There is no real shade from the sun on most of the them, leading the park to be closed during the hottest weeks of the year. No potable water, but there is a horse and dog watering station.

This is one of the trail heads that will take you to South Fortuna going up the stair master of…read morehell. It will also link you up to North Fortuna trail head if you want to do a double peak like I did today. I rate this hike difficult to moderate depending on fitness level. The toughest part you'll face are the inclines getting there and the stairs from hell. It is really hard to get an exAct address as the GPS map shows this as a unamed road, but it is right of mission gorge and Jackson drive. You make a left when you hit the intersection and it's a dirt lot. You'll take the visitor center loop trail just follow the trail sign. From here it gets very confusing and tricky to navigate to South Fortuna. You'll hit the first fork go right and follow the Fortuna Saddle Trail. We then took another right and followed the Suycott Valley Trail. Which then takes you to the South Fortuna Trail. I know you have to hike these trails to get to South Fortuna! You'll cross a bridge and bit further in you'll need to prep for the stair master from hell. Some of the stairs are still well intact and closer to the top more eroded and rocky the steps get. I won't lie this part is difficult and I was out of breath at the top. Don't stop yet! The peak is still further in! Yes keep going don't give up! The views are not spectacular don't except too much. But you did it! From there we took went back to the saddle back fork and did North Fortuna! Or you can end it and take the Fortuna saddle trail west to complete the loop back to the visitor center loop. Super confusing with the routes to take, it is better to do it with someone that is familiar with the trail. Other than that it's a good workout! 4.6 miles add on North 4.1 miles. Bring plenty of water it will get hot and there is no shade.

I am generally happy to have any time outdoors, and I will preface this review to say, that I think…read moreit simply wasn't the best trail at the best time with my dog. Last weekend, I decided to meet up with a friend and his dog, and we decided to take the trek up the mountain Generally, Cowles Mountain isn't my favorite, as it gets too crowded. Also, I typically hike at night, meaning that I rarely ever see anyone. This was my first time taking my dog on Cowles, which meant that I had to be careful about other dogs on the trail, to ensure her safety. I generally choose Barker Way when I hike Cowles, as there is ample street parking, and it is slightly less crowded than the other side of the mountain. However, the trail still got crowded and quite narrow on the top. Despite my efforts, a random dog snapped at mine, which made me wary of the crowded, narrow trail. Luckily, my scared dog did not get injured. I then pulled off into the brush each time I saw another dog in order to keep some distance. On the way down, we decided to take the other route back to the trailhead, as it was wider, and less traveled, It was an extremely steep dirt road. Unfortunately, there was very little traction, as most of it was dirt and loose gravel, which doesn't bode well with an excited spaniel who wants to pull off into the bushes to chase lizards. So, I took a little tumble. Luckily, I was fine, however, I went extra slow after that. All in all, I prefer less crowded trails, and the trails that have loose gravel are not best with dogs. I still enjoyed being outside and getting some exercise with a friend, but will choose another mountain next time for hiking with my dog.

Less incline and traffic on this trail which made it more enjoyable as we didn't feel like we were…read morerushing or over exerting ourselves. Plenty of dogs and regular hikers on the trail here and there, and a handful of areas to stop off and take a break. Took 2hrs round trip from the base of the trail to the top of the trail, but not including to the top of Cowles Mtn.

I've been exploring Chula Vista for the past couple of days and this was a recommended "ambitious"…read morehike, and since I like a brisk hike that gets your heart rate up, I did this hike on a winter morning. I parked close to the baseball field, used their bathroom and then started on the hike. No parking fee. This is a beautiful hike that has very sparing switchbacks with great views as you go up and when you come down. When you see the American flag, you have reached the top. This is a popular hike, so be prepared that the trail is full of people and puppies. Trail is well marked, but do wear sturdy hiking boots as you get closer to the top, more rocky. There is no shade, so be prepared and definitely wear a hat even in the winter and definitely wear sunscreen. Bring water, I had 2L, which was plenty for me. This hike was 4.6 miles in and out, and I completed in about 90 min at a good clip (ran some of the way down). An excellent hike in East Chula Vista. Definitely check it out to experience a short brisk hike and see SD from the top.

It was a good workout; however, the trail was difficult to follow because there isn't a clear path.read more

This is the trail to El Cajon Mountain from South Ridge. It is a very difficult (and dangerous)…read moretrail requiring essentially rock climbing skills to get to the peak. I only made it to a midway point but still could enjoy good workout as well ax great views of Blossom Valley, El Captain Reservoir and El Cajon Mountain. The trail head is located at El Monte Rd near the entrance to El Captain Reservoir.