Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Hot Springs Mountain

    4.3 (10 reviews)

    Hot Springs Mountain Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Hot Springs Mountain

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    4 years ago

    Helpful 16
    Thanks 0
    Love this 13
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Audra B.
    44
    107
    173

    6 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Good camping and great trails. Access to Hot Springs Mountain . highest point in San Diego County

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Los Coyotes Reservation campground with access to the highest point in San Diego County

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kevin K.
    261
    65
    25

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jay O.
    0
    45
    0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Nive J.
    0
    20
    62

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Hot Springs Mountain

    Review Highlights - Hot Springs Mountain

    The $10 fee to get in is well within reason for use of the well maintained trail and parking.

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Hiking 213 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Volcan Mountain Preserve - Mountain Lion tracks

    Volcan Mountain Preserve

    4.6(87 reviews)
    9.9 mi

    We tackled Volcan Mountain Trail with an eight-year-old, so we didn't make it the full way but it…read morewas such a nice experience. We also brought along our dog as it is a dog friendly trail as long as your dog is on a leash. The trail starts out pretty steep, but it's well-marked with clear paths throughout. One thing I really loved was all the signage explaining local plant life and animal tracks so it made the hike feel educational and engaging. My kiddo was really into looking at the different animal paw prints. This trail is great for hiking enthusiasts and beginners alike but just know your limits and pace yourself if you're newer to hiking. I would definitely say if it's sunny to make sure you bring plenty of water with you, but there are a lot of shady spots on this trail so that is a nice change from the hikes that are closer to coastal San Diego.

    It's a good hike to pair with a trip to Julian. My husband and I picked up sandwiches in town for a…read morepicnic on the trail. Parked next to the road and knew we were in the right place because of all the other cars. We made our hike a loop as we went up the mountain, taking the 5 Oaks Trail, and then came down using the Vulcan Mountain preserve trail. The 5 Oaks Trail has more of a view. There are a few seats to stop, sit (catch your breath) and enjoy the view. Sadly, we haven't had rain so it wasn't as green as I'm sure it would be on a normal January. Nevertheless, a great hike to work off all the apple pie you eat in Julian.

    Photos
    Volcan Mountain Preserve - Sign at the trailhead

    Sign at the trailhead

    Volcan Mountain Preserve
    Volcan Mountain Preserve

    See all

    Cedar Creek Falls - Cedar Creek Falls

    Cedar Creek Falls

    4.4(358 reviews)
    18.9 mi

    If you are a San Diego hiker and haven't done this hike- WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???…read more And for those of you who see these photos and think damn I need to go do that, please be aware of the temperature because it is dangerously hot down there at lower temperatures than in other areas. The hike goes down into a canyon and the heat settles down there. Even if it's not as hot as you think coming up can be extremely dangerous. Every year I hear about somebody dying from heat stroke on that hike so don't take it lightly. I always check the weather on the actual trail using the AllTrails app. I saw that the weather out there was max 65° that day and I was like hell yeah. The hike really isn't that difficult, 3 miles down and then 3 miles back up. Lots of nice switchbacks, and there are a few sun shelters for shade. The views are gorgeous all along the trail. I've done this hike, probably 20 times over the years. It's the best in the spring and in the fall. In the winter it's way too cold. The reward for this hike is the gorgeous rock bowl and waterfall that the locals call Devils Punchbowl. This past Thursday when we did this hike, there were a lot of young folks at the Punchbowl when we got there. Some of the guys were climbing up and jumping into the water. I would not recommend it, even if the waterfall is still flowing that water is not safe to swim in. In the fall, the waterfall doesn't flow anymore after being dried out over the brutal summer, but the trees at the bottom of the canyon turn a beautiful gold color. One of the few places in San Diego you can actually experience fall.

    Having lived in San Diego for so long, I honestly don't know why it took me this long to do this…read morehike. I finally got the permit online (definitely download it before you arrive since service can be spotty) and decided to go for it. I went in early May and started the trail around 8am, which turned out to be a great decision. The trail was practically empty at that time, and the downhill views were absolutely beautiful. I even saw two rattlesnakes before 9am, so definitely stay alert while hiking. At several points I had to remind myself I was still in San Diego and not somewhere in a huge national park. Once I got near the bottom, I did lose track of the trail a little and it was SOS, so having the AllTrails map downloaded beforehand was really helpful. It took me a little over an hour to reach the waterfall, and there were only two other people there at the time, which made it feel really peaceful and private. The water felt AMAZING after the hike down. There were so many fish in the water, and the whole area was honestly so pretty. By the time I started heading back around 10am, I noticed a lot more people arriving at the falls. The hike back up wasn't terrible, but the sun definitely makes it much harder on the return. I was very happy to make it back to the parking lot by around 11:30am. I would definitely bring lots of water, sunscreen, and some snacks.

    Photos
    Cedar Creek Falls - Cloud porn in the beginning of our hike!

    Cloud porn in the beginning of our hike!

    Cedar Creek Falls - Awesome day with one of my best girlfriends

    Awesome day with one of my best girlfriends

    Cedar Creek Falls - Morning frost

    See all

    Morning frost

    Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla & Cupeño Indians - The stones that were set there for a nice fire!

    Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla & Cupeño Indians

    3.3(3 reviews)
    0.0 mi

    I really loved this place! Despite this place only having 2 reviews and one of them being bad I…read morestill tried it. Originally I booked a campsite at oak grove in San diego County but when I went I saw that all the lots were so close to each other and there were no wood to gather, it was disappointing. I love disperse camping. I don't like people around and bathrooms and showers and all that. I suppose "glamping" isn't my thing. I was so disappointed at oak grove I had to find another site last minute. I stopped by a mini gas station along the road near oak grove to ask if they knew any disperse camping near by. She recommended Los coyotes but wasn't sure if it was open. I really didn't want to drive down to Anza Borrega. That was too far. We decided to try los coyotes and the drive seemed kind of sketchy. We kept going per the direction of the gas station worker/owner. Finally, we got to the entrance of the Indian reservation. Right there was the police station as well. We asked the security guard about camping here. He was very nice and helpful. He said we could drive there and check it out. If we like it, it will be 25$ a night. So we drove up, and it's a sort of windy, narrow path leading to finally what was a dirt road. It broke off to upper level and lower level camping. And to the left was a trail parking. We chose the lower level camping. The road was muddy and slippery. We also saw some snow here and there. It was very open! We were also the only ones there! Which was perfect. This place was beautiful! Sooooo, we decided to stay here for one night. It was the closest to dispersed camping on a last minute find nearby to my home. They have random benches and a few port a potty. There is no running water or showers or fire pit or grills. Which was what I was looking for. I brought my axe and chainsaw and all my survival kits. We make our own fire with tinder and a Firestarter. I brought my shovel just in case I needed to do "nature call" things. There were some stones there that were set for a fire. I didn't bring a grill so I had to make one out of wood and stone. We made some fried chicken wings and beef kabobs. It was extremely cold, but my 15-degree bag kept me super warm. It was very dark. I'd imagine this is how they lived a long time ago, but at least the sky was so nice you can see the stars CLEARLY!. The next morning I made some eggs and sausages pretty easily. We chopped a lot of wood and kept the fire afloat for most of the night. I had a great time and really enjoyed how beautiful it was. The security guy was helpful and the Indian natives were so nice. Everyone waved and said hello. It's pretty quiet and clean there. I will definitely come camping here next time.

    Great camping and trails. Access to hot springs mountain peak viewpoint. Highest place in San Diego…read moreCounty.

    Photos
    Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla & Cupeño Indians - My dog loved roaming here

    My dog loved roaming here

    Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla & Cupeño Indians
    Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla & Cupeño Indians - One bench

    See all

    One bench

    Inaja Memorial Park

    Inaja Memorial Park

    4.3(9 reviews)
    12.3 mi

    I was curious to see this trail-park, but didn't know the history till I read the board, (which I…read moreterribly forgot to take a full photo of). It memorializes 11 men that died while digging a fire line on steep canyon - three Forest Service firefighters, seven inmates firefighters & their correctional officer (from the Viejas Honor Camp (prison camp), died at approximately 8:00 PM (part of the blaze looped below their position and overran the crew) The fire, (which was started by arson on November 24, 1956), burned 43,611 acres before containment on the evening of November 28. This is from the National Forest Service Library website. It's has quite a few picnic tables, a couple grills by them but I personally wouldn't want to bbq out there. There are restrooms that are like porta pottys and a short trail (trails) but I didn't walk too far because of my knee. It's a beautiful, peaceful & scenic spot to go to if you live in the area or if you want to add to a pit stop while venturing out here. Main Street in Julian is down from here where you can grab a bite to eat at anyone of the restaurants/cafes.

    A small picnic stop on the way up to Julian. We stopped by…read moreto check out the nature trail and its viewpoint of the Santa Ysabel valley. The small loop trail is only .5 miles and about 15 minutes of hiking. This is a great place to stop and stretch your legs, go to the restroom, and maybe have a picnic before heading up to Julian.. - Restrooms - Views - Parking lot

    Photos
    Inaja Memorial Park
    Inaja Memorial Park
    Inaja Memorial Park

    See all

    Barker Valley - Riverhopping!

    Barker Valley

    5.0(2 reviews)
    4.5 mi

    This is a difficult trail to find, but totally worth it if you're adventurous! The first time I…read morewent we couldn't remember if we were supposed to go upstream or downstream to the waterfalls. We figured we were "down" enough, so they had to be upstream. WRONG! The falls are definitely DOWNstream, so when you first hit the water, start your trek to the falls. The hike down is absolutely gorgeous, with rolling green hills, tree canopies, and beautiful vegetation. When you drive here, you can either hit 79 from 8E and go windy roads through Julian, or you can take 15 to 79. Either way, you're looking at about a 2-3 hour drive. Regardless of which way you're coming on 79, expect to drive about an hour before hitting the turnoff mile marker. Then another hour on the single-lane dirt road that can be extremely scary. Make sure you have traction and 4-wheel drive. Your Prius isn't gonna make it. Bring plenty of water and leave SD early. We left around 8:30am and just barely made it back to 79 before the sun set. You do NOT want to be driving on that dirt road in the dark! Overall, this was pretty awesome. Nothing too strenuous, but the river-hopping was awesome!

    I give this hike a 10. it's an easy hike down a wide, beautiful trail. Once you reach water stay…read moreleft. Do not cross the stream at the junction. Left is right, and right is wrong. The water is exactly 3.2 miles from the trail head and the falls are approximately 1 mile further. My total hike was 8.5 miles. The falls were a little tricky to find, not knowing exactly where they were, so just stay left and HIGH on the trail. When it looks like the trail ends at a dry stream bed, cross and look up for the trail to continue. Don't follow the stream or bother climbing over rocks until you get to the pools. It's a gorgeous hike. Not many bugs. Not many people. Lots of oak trees with monkey grass or pastures to lay down by the water edge. Down by the falls the big rocks are smooth and comfortable. Nestled 1000 feet deep in a valley, surrounded by mountains the only thing one can hear is nature. it's about as pastoral as I've ever seen and I hike these mountains 2-3 times a week.

    Photos
    Barker Valley - Stream

    Stream

    Barker Valley - Simply Stunning

    See all

    Simply Stunning

    Hot Springs Mountain - hiking - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...