Spectacular views at the summit especially when facing North. Easy to access from Tavern Rd exit on…read morethe I-8. It's about 3 miles RT on red-clay dirt and very loose rocks. Although Alltrails lists it as intermediate, I was breathless climbing this thing. I would describe it as intermediate-difficult. I mean, the doughnut holes in the morning probably didn't help and it was after Christmas Day indulgences, but the terrain was still very rocky and the incline was CONSTANT, making the ascent a little more difficult than normal. It was the ultimate thigh burner! A great workout! I took about 2 hours to finish, but did spend a lot of time at the top. Had the summit all to myself! Breath-taking! Parking is on a truck trail and the trail head is only marked by a simple metal gate. According to Afoot and Afield a **Wilderness Pass is technically required**, however I got away without one (didn't realize I needed one). Again, the terrain is quite rocky on the clay dirt ascent, so do not bring your kids! They'll likely fall flat on their faces trying to navigate over the rocks. As a note-- the truck road is a dirt one, but well graded with some humps every so often to prevent speeding. Parking near the trailhead is still quite secluded and a draw for thieves, so make sure to hide your belongings before you head out!

Native San Diegan, but never been here. From the start this trail is all incline, rocky, dirt, some…read morenative plants/shrubs and yucca but no shade. I saw no animals or even bugs... came December 2020. It's about 1.5 miles uphill with descent elevation and 2.5 down. I had to take a couple breaks due to the elevation I think...as I live near sea level and I'm fairly in shape, but more of a Hiit workout, sprints, weightlifting type, so endurance isn't my strong suite... but the top is worth the struggle. On a clear day you can see the ocean and such a beautiful sunset. Note the top is very windy and cold. I'd say it's great for moderate hiker, and I wouldn't bring a pet but I've seen dogs up there. Pros: - nature!! -free workout -some parking but limited - steep but not crazy difficult - more of a locals only location Cons: - rough dirt/rocky rode to get there -limited parking - no bathroom, trash or water stations

This hike is TRICKY. I definitely recommend downloading a GPS app on your phone to help navigate…read morethe trails (I had not done this before, but will do so next time). You're suppose to follow the cairns (stacks of rocks) to help guide you on the trail but to be honest, there are so many small little paths it's easy to lose your way even if you think you were following a marker. Fortunately, my friend and I were able to tag along with some friendly ladies who had done the hike once before. We wouldn't have made it up to the peak if it weren't for them. There is a specific part of the trail (right when you pass the dam) where you need to climb up pretty steep and are pretty much rock climbing at some point. I made the mistake of wearing Nikes on this hike and will never do that again. You need shoes with traction or straight up hiking boots for this climb. It was scary going up and going down. The trails are VERY NARROW. We got scratched up pretty bad and I was still wearing long leggings and a long sleeve. My hands were full of scratches. It was particularly windy on the day that we went which was at the end of January so do check the weather forecast and dress accordingly. The boulders at the top are BEAUTIFUL and there are plenty of photo opportunities. On a side note, I did end up with a tick attached at the back of my neck when I got home. So again, dress appropriately and definitely recommend doing a "tick check" after every hike now. :)

Nestled between Lake Morena to the north and Hauser Canyon to the south is an unassuming mountain…read morecalled Morena Butte. I get the feeling a lot of people don't know it is even there. It is neither particularly tall, or even distinctive given its surroundings, but it makes for a memorable hike for those willing to put in a few miles to see it and the unique hiking experience it has to offer. The payoff is multi-hued granitic outcroppings, boat loads of exposed boulders and a dizzying cliff-side summit overlooking Hauser Canyon, Barrett Lake and points west and south. The hike starts in Lake Morena County Park. If you GPS it, it will take you right to the park entrance. (If you don't have GPS, take the Buckman Springs Rd exit off of I-8, turn right towards Campo, right on Oak Dr, slight right on Lake Morena Dr to the park. Follow the signs.) You may park in the PTC trail-head lot just outside the county park entrance. No fee or permit is required in this lot- parking inside the park will cost you $3. The southbound PTC trail-head is at the west end of the lot and is marked. Begin the hike there and proceed SW for about 4 miles. The PTC will wind and twist around for a bit, but you will eventually end up westbound coming up from a small creek-bed onto a slight rise before the trail starts its decent into Hauser Canyon. The trail heading up to the butte T's from the right at the top of this rise and at this writing was unmarked. (There was a trail marker at one time, but it was gone this last time I hiked it.) We left a rock cairn to mark the spot. **Important: If you start descending down into Hauser Canyon, you have gone too far. Turn around and go back!** Proceed up the butte trail for about two miles, being careful to follow the numerous cairns marking your way. Vegetation becomes more sparse and rocks more numerous the farther you go so it becomes real easy to get off-trail. If that happens to you, just make sure you continue along the ridge-line in a general westerly direction and keep an eye out for those cairns. You are headed for a summit overlooking Hauser Canyon on the far end of the butte, so keep close to the canyon side of the mountain and keep following the ridge. You will go around to the left of a large rocky rise and will end up on a massive granite outcropping. After gaping at the spectacle for a few minutes, look west-ish and you should see the summit poking up from the far corner of the mountain with a crazy over-hanging rock at its high point. Follow the cairns on the outcropping opposite that, staying generally to the right side of it, then follow the cairns down into a depression at the end of the outcropping. From there you will cut west-ish again and go up a rise where it is real easy to lose the cairns. Most of them are down low and easy to miss in the vegetation. The summit should be ahead of you so just continue and head straight for it. There is nothing wrong with forging your own trail at this point. You will have to rock-scramble the last 100' or so, but finally you will come to the summit. If you go to the far corner of the summit, you are literally standing on the edge of the mountain with a mind bending drop in front of you. If you get up on the highest summit rock it's even better. Enjoy the views of Hauser Canyon and Barrett Lake and have a rest because it is a long way back to the park!

It's a great river swim with the family…read more However be very careful.. I feel in a whole in Sept 5th,2022 and twisted both ankles. Which I'm still suffering pain from Two month in my injury. My family had lots of fun( I didn't since I was in pain but since it was 2hr drive I suck it up for them). My toddler love it.. we went when LA hit over 100* heat... it very nice in the water!! Many ppl with floating I do suggest to make sure everyone know how to swim as its now drag ppl down the stream..

I could see this being a 3 or 4 star hike depending on the season and weather conditions you do the…read morehike in. I hiked it on 2/24/19 and found the conditions to be ideal for my enjoyment! Location- it was only about a 30 minute drive for me since I spent the night after attending a party at a family member's house in El Cajon (suburb of San Diego); I jumped on the 8 East and as the elevation reached 3,000 ft I could begin seeing snow on the hills near the fwy and I got even more excited for this hike- took Exit 47 for Sunrise Hwy and the trailhead parking was about 2 miles away from the fwy and there was a large lot on the side of the hwy to park Trail- you access the trail by walking across the road and going to the right of the metal barrier...the snow was the deepest on this portion of the hike for about half a mile and the first part of the hike is where the trail is the narrowest with portions where you have to bend over and get low to continue past low branches; at about 3/4 of a mile you will get down to creek level and make a left to get to the waterfalls...I carefully climbed up to reach about 4 parts of the waterfall and it was flowing really well with all of the recent precipitation of this winter and it was a pleasant surprise to find this so close to the city of San Diego; it is about 2 miles RT and not anything too extreme in the way of incline and I loved having the trail/falls all to myself for the nearly 2 hrs I was there *I used microspikes just to be safe but I could see it being fine with just hiking shoes

Goat Canyon Trestle is near Jacumba California. It is the world's largest all-wooden train trestle…read more It is probably one of the most adrenaline pumping difficult hikes I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing! IMPORTANT: there are two trails to the trestle. The shorter route, Mortero Palms, is a 6 mile hike that includes strenuous rock climbing, steep descents and route finding. Do not take this shorter route as it brings you to a cliff that requires rope rappelling. The longer route about 16 miles is the easier of the two, with abandoned train cars and tunnels. However it is on private property that is trespassing. In summer temperatures can exceed 100 degrees with little to no shade. I recommend bringing 3-4 gallons of water and electrolyte replacement. You also need to be aware of hidden rattlesnakes in the rocks and brush. It is suggested to have an offline gps for navigation. The shorter route requires a high profile vehicle to the trailhead and the longer route you can pay to park at the nearby nudist camp (no joke lol). The nudists charge a nominal fee to park there. It is important to research this trail and be prepared.

IF YOU ARE NOT PREPARED I DO NOT RECOMMEND HIKING THIS 16 MILE TRAIL. Goat Canyon Trestle is very…read moredeep in the Anza Borrego desert and far from any outside help with a strenuous walk (or bike) trail being bordered by either cliffs, cholla cacti, broken wood and caved in tunnels. No shade on top of a possible TRESPASSING FINE either from parking incorrectly or getting caught walking on the rails, I do not recommend it. This is not an easy hike, but oh man it was BEAUTIFUL AND AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE. Mountain bikes can go through fairly quickly, just don't fall off the cliffs (Especially around tunnel 8). Goat Canyon Trestle is the WORLD'S LARGEST wooden trestle (basically a bridge but held up by toothpicks) and its hike in Carrizo Gorge makes it a seldom visited spot. You'll see abandoned train cars, rattlesnake nests, cholla cactus along the way, and it's a wonderful trip for the brave and adventurous. Apart from 2 bypasses, getting to Goat Canyon is pretty flat. Parking is possible before the sign, or you can enter the gated Jacumba nudist colony office for $5 (they open at 9) You'll want the following to travel to Goat Canyon: -3L of water -Alltrails offline map (you can seriously get lost before the first tunnel) -Sunscreen (apart from the tunnels and cars there's literally no shade the whole way) - pliers to remove the cholla cactus sticking in you -Start early in the day and in the spring/fall as temps aren't too bad -Steel balls and no fear of heights -walk 6/8 hours on fairly flat terrain There are some mini trestles along the way that look like the wood is severely decayed. Tunnels 5 and 8 are blocked, so follow the well worn trail with a lot of man made debris. The hikingguy.com dude probably has the best picture step by step on how to navigate the tunnel bypasses. Overall, the payoff is great. It's more of an endurance test with how long the trail runs.

Great camping spot Dog friendly…read more Clean toilet Fun activities hiking and bicycling I love the experience with my family, it is a beautiful place to camp, very relaxing and quiet. Be aware for some rattle snakes.

This is a peaceful campground only an hour from San Diego. The small town of Pine Valley is nearby…read moreand is a good stop for the basics. Cibbetts Flat is first-come first-serve and I got here early enough to be choosy and find a good spot before my friends arrived. The requisite bench, fire pit, water access, and primitive restrooms are all in good condition.

Nice little hike. $10 for parking. Has a bathrooms. Fire road over some rolling Hills until you…read moremake a left to go visit the "river". Trail ends up at a nice watering hole. Could definitely do some wading during the summer months if there's water. Even though you're not supposed to touch the water. ‍. The fire road continues through the rolling Hills for several miles if you wanted.

Nice easy hike. Beautiful waterfall. Had this waterfall all to ourselves. Took a nice little dip in…read morethe swimming pool. Chilly but refreshing!

A great (Loop) hike that is best experienced during fall…read more.. There are many ways to hike this trail, but mine is a 5 mile loop hike. Follow my suggestions and get a great family-friendly hike with great views, fresh air, and you'll get up close to microwave towers, a USAF Doppler radar ball, and cellular towers. Soo cool. Okay, you've put this hike on your list based on the pictures but there are a few thing you need to know. I started at the Desert View picnic area. This is a great parking area but you MUST have an adventure pass to park here. You'll have to buy a day, or annual park pass at any sports/adventure store. OR, I found a free parking alternative. Okay here we go. I'll talk about the free parking..If you're at the picnic area just hop on the PCT and head north.. The access to the free parking area it's the next North turnoff past the Desert View picnic area. Drive up the road to the lot and park in the dirt lot.. Check out the view!! For your reference look up the road and you'll see a big black gate.. this is where your loop hike will END... Don't worry, you will not be trespassing on this hike. That gate only blocks cars, not hikers. My loop starts at the Pacific Crest Trail, so if you parked at the free area walk down the road and look for the trailhead on the RIGHT side of the road.. TIP - Because this area doesn't have reliable cell service you will need to use GPS via Google Maps (or a hiking app) to find the actual "unmarked Monument trail". TIP if you can't use google maps, you'll have to look for the PCT marker that's at the base of a small hill.. just look for a tight opening through manzinita trees on the right just before that sign. The monument trail is tight, but you can do it. Hike to the top and hike around the various government installations..take pictures..have fun. To complete the loop, continue to walk down the service road past more towers and dome heading south.. it will take you all the way back to the viewpoint parking lot.. TIPS - Put the location of the Desert View picnic area in your google maps app for reference BEFORE you enter this area (no internet coverage up here). Remember if you park at the picnic area you need an adventure pass. No pass required if you park at the viewpoint lot. This loop didn't have a single no trespassing sign. So do walk the service road on the loop back.

The views at the top are spectacular. Tall Pines to the west, dry desert to the east. This peak…read morelies on what is known as a ecotone. A boundary between two distinctly different habitats. I used the directions provided here and they got me to a parking area off the shoulder on Sunrise Highway, about mile marker 25. The trailhead has between a barbed wire fence and the trail unmarked. You walk in a northerly direction for about half mile or so through a trail that looks vague in places do to lack of use, apparently. I got this info from a great hiking book called Afoot and Afield San Diego County by Jerry Schad. You'll walk until you get to another trail that intersects, and it's not marked. Follow it right on you'll be on the Big Laguna trail. Walk about 100 yards until you get to another trail intersection. It's the Pacific Crest trail and you'll follow it left. At the summit is a few radio and microwave antennas. Of interest was a laser target, standing about 6ft tall. I snapped a photo and uploaded it. When at the summit you'll appreciate the beautiful contrast of habitat as you pan around 360 degrees. It was especially windy this day, but very clear providing great views. Mount Stephenson and the large round white antennae towers can also be visited very near by. The views of the desert are amazing. This is an easy hike of about 4 miles out and back. Elevation gain 500 feet

I love it when I can bring my dogs camping! Potrero County Park Campground is located on the East…read moreSide of San Diego. The surrounding areas are mountains and small towns. We went at the beginning of October. The weather in the daytime was cool, it rained for one day at night, and it got chilly. At night you can hear frogs and crickets. Dogs are welcome, but they must be leased at all times. There are hot showers available in the park bathrooms. Make sure to bring quarters to feed the machine. There are unruly campers at night. They blast the music up during quiet hours and drink. The best time to camp here is during the weekdays, and it's tranquil. The nature trail is easy to hike. It was a nice getaway! You can find more information about Potrero at - https://reservations.sdparks.org/reservation/camping/

Quiet well maintained county park. Bathrooms were clean. Showers were rust stained so I'm glad we…read morewere in an RV. We had space 15 which had lots of shade and room for our slide out. 31' class C RV. No real path to the bathroom so you have to cross across others campsites if you are in a, ah, hurry. Lots of ground squirrels, blue jays, vultures, crows and woodpeckers. ***COYOTES at night **** we had our dogs wear their coyote vests any time we went out. Serious sticker burr challenge for our dogs. Will bring a rake next time. Super friendly ranger. They have a little free library. We will come again in winter