Beautiful views. Good amount of gain on a well maintained trail. 3.2 mi around the lake. Prefer…read moregoing in on the Northwest side of the lake loop. Small cafe at the trailhead/fish dock. No swimming allowed.

This review is for the Lake Poway Loop Trail, not for Mt. Woodson Trail which is 7.8 miles…read moreroundtrip. Lake Poway Loop Trail is a great easy hike! It's labeled as moderate but it is quite easy with only a few slight inclines. If you go clockwise on the loop and turn left on the trailhead, the beginning is more challenging than the end. There's not much shade on the trail so I suggest going in the morning or on a cooler day. There's views of the mountains and the greenery in the beginning and views of the lake on the second half of the trail. The trail itself is very well maintained with clean benches for seating, port-a potties, and a few trash cans along the way especially near the lake. $10 parking fee on weekends and holidays, but free on weekdays. When parking, walk towards the snack bar building and the boat rentals on the water and you'll see the start of the trailhead. It is 2.8 miles round trip and about one hour long. Dog friendly with dogs on leash.

The Cleveland National Forest is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. My niece drove…read moreme through part of the forest on the way to Three Sisters Falls. The mountain views were indescribable. Pictures do not due it justice. The roads were a little scary, narrow with big drop-offs on one side. I'm glad I wasn't driving lol! If you get the chance to check it out, I highly recommend you do! If you want to hike, be sure to use proper shoes and bring sunscreen and lots of water.

I love coming out here! Usually it's just driving through, but one of the most memorable hikes I've…read moredone is Garnet Peak Trail. It was just challenging enough to feel like we earned it, but was still enjoyable. We had a picnic on the top and the whole peak to ourselves for a picnic as the clouds rolled in below. Make a plan before you go, many areas have a parking fee, easily payable online. AllTrails lists a lot of trails in the area that I've bookmarked for hikes this Fall/Winter. I stay towards the beach more in the summer months, but I look forward to updating this review when I explore new parts of this beautiful forest!

What a lovely spot!! It's flat for the most part, so great for a leisurely walk/bike ride with…read morefriends and family. And if you go during the afternoon, enjoy window shopping at all the cute and coastal shops! I'll always take a pit stop and say hi to the ocean + check out the epic homes in Solana :) Can't wait to be back!

After so many years I was able to finally do this trail and was very mellow, nice, checking the art…read moreinstallations on the way and enjoying the main entrance arches, inspecting every detail of the history of Solana Beach. The path is not too long but it is perfect if you are in the area and want to walk something easy and pleasant knowing that there are stores and coffee shops waiting for you at Cedros street and also considering how close you are to the beach. It is that perfect between sea and city trail.

Aside from this place being misspelled I'd like to say the trail is worth the trek and the risk of…read morebeing arrested lol. Not too many people know about it but it's obvious when you get here that the trail is very close to all the other things in the eco environment. If you want to experience something different other than the beach or a hike, this is where you'll want to be. After a rainy day you'll want to wait a day or two for the marsh to dry up so that you can maneuver your way through otherwise you'll get stuck and won't be able to see anything.

This is one of San Diego's hidden secrets. The trail is not promoted by the Torrey Pines park nor…read moreis it maintained, but if you are looking to get up close to some of the only remaining wetlands in San Diego county then this is the place to go. Finding the trailhead is tricky as it is not marked. Park at the South parking lot at the Torrey Pines Reserve then carefully cross the PCH. Head south along the road for a good 200ft and there will be a marker just over the embankment stating no bikes or dogs allowed. This is the Northern trail head from here the complete hike is an out and back type trail approx. 4.75 miles long. Please note that this trail is not maintained and the lower portion along the estuary will be covered in water at high tide. Please stay on the trail as all of the habitat in this area is sensitive and is some of the only remaining coastal sage scrub in the county. Come early and you will see lots of birds and even some mammals if you are lucky. Raccoon tracks, coyote, and bobcat are all along the mudflats, but I have yet to see any. This is not a good hike for little kids or folks with mobility concerns as there are lots of trip hazards and places where erosion has left holes and puddles on the trail. The southern end is at the end of a narrow trail that is paved and used by the Rangers to access the wetlands. You will know your at the Southern terminus when you will come to a large closed metal gate - turn around and head back at that this point as the road beyond the gate goes down into the industrial are of Sorrento valley. Be safe and enjoy the hike!

Date of visit: September 16, 2017…read more It was my birthday, and this year I wanted to give back to the community and the planet. I Love a Clean San Diego was hosting a coastal cleanup, and one of the locations they listed was Lopez Canyon in the Sorrento Valley area. Since it was close enough to home, I figured I'd spend an hour or so volunteering, so off I went! Located off the Sorrento Valley entrance to Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve, this is a 4.2 mile trail eventually leading uphill to the Pacific Center office park. It's a bit more secluded than the more popular Los Penasquitos Canyon, but the trail is great for beginners and bikers. You have some great views up ahead, with plenty of wildlife and natural vistas. If you're lucky, you may even see a deer (in my case, I saw the back end of one disappearing into the brush before I could get my camera out). Because of the remoteness, I wasn't able to pick up too much trash (maybe that was a good thing), but I did see a skull of some unfortunate critter on the trail side. That, along with a lot of sacred datura plants with their white flowers will make for great pictures. Just be sure to bring water, comfortable boots, and sunscreen with you. Looking forward to hiking the trail again - this time without my trash bucket in hand!

TICKS EVERYWHERE DO NOT GO! Only got .5 miles in and all three dogs were covered in ticks. And I…read morereally mean covered I picked off at least 20 and took him immediately to the groomer who picked off 17 at this point. I grew up in the deep woods on the east coast and never in my life have I've seen this. They moved fast and were huge!

Overview: a great mountain for beginners to experts, for hiking or trail biking…read more ---- This past weekend we did the 6.3 mile loop (6.7 miles from where we parked our cars). This was pretty challenging when going at a moderate to fast pace, especially when climbing uphill! As someone who goes to the gym often, I feel like to complete the this trail, a person needs to be in decent shape. We hiked the trail in the clockwise direction and descended down the stairway to heaven which can be tough on the knees. There's no shade, lots of loose rocks, and even rattlesnakes so keep your eyes out on the trail. We went as a group of 5 and started around 7:10-15am, and finished the loop around 9:40am taking us around 2.5 hours to complete it. By 8am the sun was pretty harsh already so I'd recommend starting it even earlier, bring sunscreen, a hat, and water. The North Fortuna peak has an elevation of 1291 ft and has a beautiful surrounding view. We saw a few people walking with their dogs on the shorter loops but I wouldn't recommend doing the loop with a dog as it's very steep and will be tough and exhausting for them to finish it. We also saw a few bikers too which was cool! ---- Overall: a very nice area and hike to do solo or with friends! Challenging but there are easier trails and very customizable hikes

The South Fortuna Mountain and Fortuna Saddle Loop is a solid, rewarding hike with a great mix of…read moreclimbs, views, and a little challenge. I did this loop on a hot day, so definitely plan for early morning or cooler weather--the heat can be intense with very little shade throughout the trail. I started the loop by going left at the trailhead, which means you descend the infamous stairs instead of climbing them. That definitely made it easier on the lungs, but the steep, rocky descent was a bit rough on the knees. Trekking poles would be helpful here if you have sensitive joints. The trail is well-marked, with steady elevation gains, wide open views, and a mix of single-track and wider fire roads. While it's not a heavily trafficked trail--I didn't see too many people--you still feel safe and connected enough in case you need help. There is parking at the trailhead, and it wasn't crowded when I arrived. The loop makes for a great workout and offers beautiful panoramic views from the top, making the effort well worth it.

A fantastic little neighborhood trail hike in Del Mar off Stratford Rd! It's a winding dirt path…read moreoverlooking the Coaster tracks and Del Mar beach. Easy walk for all ages, including your fur babies! Although it is not a loop trail, there are many entry and exit points to the local streets, which is where you can park for free. Love this short hidden gem trail with gorgeous views of the ocean, beach, and multimillion dollar homes!

This was a fantastic hike! I went on a Sunday afternoon around 4 PM. The trail was 4.7 miles and…read moretook just under two hours to complete. It's mostly uphill, and since the trail markers are no longer in place, I used my Apple Watch to track the distance. At the very end, there's a fun challenge -- two chairs with ropes attached that you can use to pull yourself up. It's a unique touch that makes for great photos, especially with the stunning view at the top. We only came across one hiking group and two solo hikers, so it was very quiet -- possibly due to the overcast weather and occasional drizzle. There was plenty of parking available at the trailhead. Overall, it was a quick, scenic, and enjoyable hike.

Only reason for 1 star to have greater visibility. South Trail 09/14/2025 7:45am Less than a mile…read moreinto the tail, where the stream is, we heard a loud mountain lion growl. I think we were close to it because of how near it sounded. We immediately turned back around and made it to the car safely. We noticed quite a few poops (all but one fresh looking) on the trail and not following our instinct decided to ignore. Lesson learned: know how mountain lion poop looks like & don't ignore your gut!