If you find yourself in the quaint mountain town of Julian, CA looking to stretch your legs, I…read morehighly recommend the scenic 5 mile out-and-back hike up Vulcan Mountain. Despite being a moderate trail with over 5353 feet of elevation gain, the well-marked route makes the hike accessible and enjoyable. We found ample parking right off the road at the trailhead. There were even clean porta-potties here for one last pitstop before starting on our way. The trail was extremely dog-friendly for our pup, though we did see signs warning of mountain lions in the area. While we thankfully didn't spot any big cats, we did catch a glimpse of some large paw prints in the dirt! As we switchbacked under a lush forest canopy, we were treated to spectacular views of the Volcan Mountain Wilderness through breaks in the trees. The vista from the top of Vulcan Mountain was an incredible payoff for our efforts. We took triumphant photos in front of the commemorative summit sign to celebrate our achievement. After admiring the sights, we retraced our steps back to the car. The descent went quickly with the help of the thought of lunch waiting for us. With beautiful wooded scenery, capped off by a panoramic summit viewpoint overlooking Julian and beyond, this was a quintessential SoCal day hike that I'd take visitors on to showcase the natural beauty surrounding this charming mountain escape. Whether you stop for a slice of apple pie before or after, no trip to Julian is complete without conquering Vulcan Mountain!

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.

Old Banner Toll Road may be one of my favorite hiking trails of all time! One of the reasons being…read morehow secluded that hike was. Even though we came during MLK weekend, we only passed two small groups of people on the four mile hike. I loved that trail was not maintained like state parks and instead truly gave you the feel of a actual hike through the wilderness. I really enjoyed the abandoned mining machinery! It is hard to find any history left untouched in California. In addition to the machinery, there are also mine openings and cars left stranded on the sides of the hill. I felt like a kid again exploring all the vehicles and mines! The trail-head is a little hard to find. Your best bet is to park in the cul-de-sac and walk down past the houses. It feels a little sketchy, but definitely worth while! If you enjoy hiking and exploring, you must check out Old Banner Toll Road!

Great Hike near Julian. A bit rocky and overgrown, but does not take away from the great views and…read moredecent workout. We turned left at the first fork and found one of the mines. Not the mine pictures in another review. We went in quite a way but did not find the end. Park just before entering the private road. Then walk down the private road and you will find the trailhead. See my picture

WE STOPPED AT DESERT VIEW PARK, on our way to Julian Pie Company. It is something that we do every…read moreXMAS. It is a beautiful LOOK OUT SPOT, see forever and a day!!! AT XMAS, count on it being a little bit cooler, and sometimes WINDY. However, on this particular day, it was pretty warm, AND SUNNY!!! I would say, PIES ASIDE, IT'S A MUST SEE.

Just out side Julian California on hot 79 headed to Lake Cuyamaca. Is the desert Viewpoint…read more This is a peaceful spot during the day to have lunch or just come to relax and check out the view. You can see Banner grade and Shelter Valley from here. Just a amazing wonderful view . I highly recommend coming and checking it out if you never been. 5 stars for the area 5 stars for the view 5 stars for the peaceful area. I enjoy coming here when I take my SnowBall for a ride. She loves it. Amazing mother nauter spot

One of the highlights of my trip to Julian! Loved seeing…read morethe cows peacefully grazing about 15 minutes into our hike. The path was not paved but still easily hiked as it was pretty level. The scenery was breathtaking with hills, trees, and the cows!! We even saw some horses by the entrance

This review is for the West Vista Loop which was a ~4.2 mile round trip that took ~2 hours to…read morecomplete. This was a relaxing and peaceful hike with cows. There were some nice open views throughout the trail. The first mile or so was a steep incline before reaching the loop. A little muddy in some areas. Free parking on the side of the road. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/3nMnKb84G6M

Been here a few times . Its has hiking trails bathroom pick nick tables shade …read more Nice park great parking lot. And view of the Santa ysabel valley from were you come into the parking lot. If you like hikes this would be a great one to come check it out. Would i recommend this spot yes i would. Great for pick nicks and just hanging out.

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.

Sitting on a hill overlooking the small town of Julian, CA. It's so amazing to see the headstones…read moremarked with people born in the 1800's. Such a beautiful place.

Not much to see. Poorly maintained but if you are in the area you might as well drive through it.read more

The Julian Jail is a very small piece of well preserved history of the area. The entire jail is…read moreonly two cells but it is wasn't used for anything serious or long term - mostly "whiskey and/or fists" offences - which definitely sounds like the expected antics of a gold rush town haha! The original jail was built in the late 1800s - but was made of wood and some prisoners kicked through the roof to escape so the town decided to rebuild it out of concrete lol. The constable was a local citizen whose wife would even cook for the prisoners. Even still today a nearby citizen of the town opens and closes up the doors each day - 365 days a year - and has been shouldering the responsibility for 30 years now - even decorates for Halloween and holidays haha! I love it! The jail is definitely an interesting little stop if you're exploring the town - Julian is extremely walkable and very small - you'll find the jail a couple of blocks up the hill from the main town area - and it's worth it. It's lovingly preserved and a fun little piece of local history that the town is very proud of!

If you're going to Julian, this place is a must see. Conveniently located super close to the best…read morerestaurant there, the Julian Historical Society did a great job of preserving it. However, it does seem a tiny bit creep, especially in the later hours of the day.

It's a challenge to find serenity in San Diego county. And even harder within driving distance of…read moredowntown. But then there's Lake Cuyamaca, a hidden gem. I went on a 6 mile hike with my wife around the lake and also through a couple of spurs off the main trail. There's one spot where you can look down into a valley and see where all the water collects. In those moments I try to use my mind's eye to see all sorts of animals running around thousands of years ago.

I didn't realize how much you could do at Lake Cuyamaca. Look no further if you want a great…read morecampsite with fishing spots and trails scattered around the area! If you're just visiting for the day like us, you'll need to pay for day use which is $10 per car. This fee is waived for campers or if you purchase a fishing permit (which is separate from the California fishing license). We started off at the Tackle Shop where we figured out our day passes and fishing logistics. The worker gave some great recommendations for fishing spots and this is where our group split, with several people fishing and the rest hiking. The Lake Cuyamaca Loop Trail is fairly easy and straightforward. It's about 3 miles total with little to no elevation gain. The trail mostly wraps around the edge of the lake but there was a section through an open field...the lake probably at one point stretched all the way out there but has dried up now. There's only a small section that had shade so for the most part, you'll be exposed to the sun (I got extremely sunburnt). You can use AllTrails if you're worried about getting lost but I thought the trail was pretty clear. We finished the hike in about an hour and just hung out with the rest of our friends fishing. We got lucky and it was such a beautiful day, with clear blue skies. Will definitely be back because I heard you could rent boats to fish off of! Oh and dogs are allowed as long as they're on a leash!

My family and I decided to come to Julian for a couple of days and stayed at an Airbnb about 5…read moreminutes out of town.. We had not been anywhere for quite a while together or separately so this was a easy get away as it is about an hour away from where we live. There are only two ways to get here so check your map before you leave as one way is a very curvy ;() road around Cuyamaca or you can spend an extra 10 or 15 minutes to come to Ramona which I prefer. Although, it is more Scenic going around the Cuyamaca area and seeing the the lake. We spent a couple of hours Friday walking around Julian and there are lots of tourist shops with some interesting items, several breweries and a handful of restaurants and lots of pie shops. If you like pie you'll get a real variety here. For instance, boysenberry Apple Dutch crumb. Yum! We did stop at a barbecue place that was just okay and were able to sit outside. Saturday we came back into town and made a our way up to Menghini Winery which I had not been to in the many years. I was very happy to see it still open and spoke with one of the owners briefly as she told me there were only three people working there and they were only bottling three types of wine. My son's wife and I bought a nice Chardonnay for $27. I tried a little of the Merlot which I liked but was really looking for a Malbec or Meritage which is my favorite. There are a few wineries up here one close to the one we visited called Vulcan and there's a lake there small and one in town. I am posting a little information on the history of the town of Julian so if you're interested you can follow through. It was settled in 1869 and the Julian Hotel was run and owned by the first Afro-American. There used to be a carriage with horses that would take you around town didn't see that this time. There's also a fun mine, a lovely gem shop, a pistol and knife shop. The fresh air was great and the sunrises and sunsets were spectacular. I look forward to coming back here with another adult leave the three teenagers behind. LOL

This was our first stop during our little trip to Julian, we came to Town Hall. They had several…read morepamphlets and maps for around town. Once we stepped inside they had alot of plenty nice looking quilts for sale and for auction. They also had other several little things for sale. We ended up leaving with a homemade lavender candle that actually came in handy at the hotel we ended up staying at lol.

We had an amazing glamping experience and would definitely stay here again! Shantel was incredibly…read morefriendly and helpful. She met us on our first day, made sure we were settled in, and checked that we had everything we needed throughout our stay. The setup was in great condition, and the campsite itself was so much fun. We especially loved the hammock, all the shade, and how well-stocked everything was. They truly provided just about everything you could need except food and clothing, which made packing and camping so much easier. There was plenty to do around the campground, and we had a fantastic time exploring and relaxing. The only downsides were that a couple of the campground showers were closed and the bathrooms were a bit of a walk from the site. We were also a little disappointed that the zipper on the tree tent was broken, so we couldn't sleep in it. However, that didn't stop us from enjoying it during the day, and it certainly didn't take away from the overall experience. Overall, this was a wonderful glamping getaway, and we can't wait to come back!

Highly recommend. Shantel was very responsive and helpful…read moreduring our stay. All cooking and sleeping amenities included. All we had to bring was our own food and drinks. 100% will be back.