An outstanding "under the radar" waterfall hike is right here in Descanso. The Merigan Trail (aka…read morethe Merigan Fire Road) is closer than you think at just five minutes off the 8 freeway. Once at the trailhead, you will start your hike through an open meadow, passing some shady oak groves then finishing with waterfalls crashing on large boulders. I was introduced to this gem when I was at sixth grade camp, at Camp Oliver. I knew the Merigan Trail was great even then, but now I can truly appreciate how this area was left untouched after all these years. If it is your first time here, you will be back. FYI..there was still snow on the ground when we went in early January. There is no official address, but the place is right off Viejas Boulevard at Mitzpah Lane. Since it is part of the Cuyamaca State Park, they have their own signs, dirt parking lot, port-a-potties and the "honor system" check in station. I guess they ask for an 8 dollar fee to park. From the parking lot, walk to the trail head going left that passes right in front of a ranger's cabin. You can't miss the trail, since it is wide enough to drive a truck through. Stay on the trail and you will pass through a meadow, then an oak grove, this will then turn into a few mild inclines on the trail that will eventually lead you to a fork in the trail. At the fork, you will see a sign with the option to go to the "Dead Horse Trail" or stay on the "Merigan Fire Road." I always take the Dead Horse Trail, and go left at the fork in the trail to get to the waterfalls. The hike to the waterfall takes about 30-40 minutes for the average hiker with a few stops to admire the scenery. On a scale of 1-10 for difficulty, I would rate it at a 3. There are some inclines, but nothing too bad. Remember, my entire 6th grade class made the hike. Although I love Mission Trails and Cowles Mountain as much as the next hiker...those spots are flooded with way too many bodies. Just when you think you hear a coyote or deer up ahead, it always ends up being another hiker. Kind of a buzz kill. The Merigan Trail has always been the opposite of that experience for me.

We did this hike based on the review above. There's something about the adventure of trying to…read morefind a waterfall based on one yelp review that sounded fun. It's pretty much just as the above review describes. Drive east on I-8 two exits past the Viejas outlets to Japatul rd and make a left. Make a left at hwy 79 and then an immediate left on Viejas Blvd. Look for Mitzpah rd and park in the dirt lot. Parking is $8. The hike to the waterfall is about 30 minutes. Take the fireroad and make a left at the fork down towards Dead Horse Trail. You will start to hear water. The falls aren't big and majestic, but it's quiet and uncrowded. We had 4 kids with us ranging from age 6 - 9 and they all had a good time.

Alltrails lists this as 'Horse thief Canyon', then I saw that I had this listing bookmarked on Yelp…read morefor sometime and noticed that they were the same thing! Distance: ~3.3mi., reverse out-and-back (you will be going uphill on the return trip) Difficulty: easy-intermediate-ish (~0.5mi ascent on your way out which can get the heart pumping!) Time: 1.5-2 hours Permit required?: No (according to permit site - https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/r5/passes-permits/?cid=stelprdb5208699&width=full) Sights of Interest: Mini waterfall and pool Parking is in a big dirt lot just off of Japatul Lyons Valley Rd.. Turn in at Forest Rt 16S04. No bathrooms, so bring some T.P.! There are three gates as you approach - two smaller ones and a large one leading to a service road. Take the gate with a sign marking the 'Epinosa Trail to Secret Canyon Trail'. You'll end up on the service road either way. Continue on the service road until you see a sign off to the right that says 'Trail'. This is where you'll begin the descent into Horse thief Canyon. Eventually it evens out into a nice shady area alongside a stream. Lots of vegetation and growth everywhere, so make sure to *bring the bug spray*! There's a stream crossing after which you'll come upon the pool! Lots of great places to hang out on and relax on boulders. Water is pretty clean for swimming too. Awesome place to bring your dogs to cool off after the dusty trail. Just remember to pack your trash out if you plan on picnic-ing down at the pool! Most of your journey is on the Epinosa Trail and supposedly the Secret Canyon Trail is just beyond the pool, but the trail doesn't seem to continue anywhere beyond it. Great trail either way that experiences very little foot traffic so the area is very well preserved and wild! FYI, apparently this area experiences an influx of illegal immigrants and smugglers, but I think that was in earlier years. It was pretty safe when I went and I only had my dog in tow. But, I like to live life on the edge, so if you are wary come with a group!

If you go during the week during normal business hours this trail is dead! It was our 2nd time here…read moreand there was only 1 car in the parking lot and we never even ran into the people. This is nice but also kind of scary especially since it's kind of in the middle of nowhere and you don't have great service but luckily I am alive today to write this review. The first time we went on this hike we missed the path and ended up just heading straight through on a dirt road so pay attention on your right hand side for a sign marked trail. This trail would have gotten more stars if it wasn't for the ridiculous amount of flies. I almost turned back because I couldn't stand them constantly flying in my face and in my ears. Maybe I am not an outdoorsy person if I cant handle that but it was hard to enjoy this hike when I was having to smack flies away the whole time. This is also one of those hikes that is fairly easy on the way down but tough on the way back because you have to go back up. I will say though that it was a really pretty hike and there is a creek at the bottom. We didn't go the whole way but did about a little over 3 miles of it. It's about a mile and a half to see the beginning of the creek. Maybe wearing bug spray might help with the flies?

This is my ideal type of hike. Can be completed in under 4 hours (only took us 1.5 hours including…read morelingering at the top), mostly shaded, lots of uphill, beautiful view up top. Aim to hike in the morning for the most shade. Start at the parking lot across the street and pay $10 to park. There are restrooms on site that are relatively clean. The first quarter mile is a little steep and not shaded, so it seems like you're in for a strenuous hike, but it quickly turns to shade and very gradual incline switchbacks. It's not until you get to the last quarter mile that it gets steep and sunny again. The trail is 2 miles one-way.

Stonewall Peak is one of the more underrated inland hikes of San Diego County located halfway…read morebetween Julian and Descanso at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. It's a little over an hour from the I-5/I-8 intersection to reach this trail. We visited during the cooler season when the afternoon temperature was in the low 70s without any clouds to obscure the sun. There was a parking lot across the road from the trailhead for campers and day hikers. The charge for the latter was $10 per vehicle. The trek to the summit was roughly two miles, and we managed to reach it in about 50 minutes. The trail itself had a lot of gentle switchbacks which made the ascent easier and allowed us to keep a good pace. There was also a lot of shade throughout the hike which made it even more pleasant. We saw many parents with young kids along the way. That indicated the difficulty level wasn't too strenuous. Having said that, the final climb did involve scaling across boulders before you reached a set of rock steps with metal handrails on one side leading up to the peak. The views at the top were gorgeous with the backdrop of a clear blue sky and other mountains in the distance. A few signs were mounted facing different directions. They described some of the landmarks that you could see from the respective perch. The only feature missing from this trail was the presence of a nearby body of water (e.g. creek, pond, lake). That would have elevated Stonewall Peak Trail to a full five-star experience.

UNDER THE BLUE MOON'S SPELL…read more Just like Nina Simone (jazz legen) Descanso Well Road in Alpine, CA put a spell on me. The location is nearer en route to Lake Cuyamaca campgrounds. I love experiences that words cannot describe, so perhaps I'll describe the Super Blue Moon Through a person's point of view. ASTRONOMER POV As an unofficial stargazer I was astonished to capture this event in my lifetime. PARENT POV As a parent, me and my kiddo made a pinky promise to meet at this location again when the Blue moon occurs in 2037. HIKER POV As a hiker that once got lost in the dark, I was thinking, " The moon is so illuminated. I can be brave on a hike right now." GOOGLE PIXEL-ER POV As a Google pixel-er, I was diving into the astrophotography features. All of the pics and vids were unedited and untouched. Taken by my Google Pixel Pro-7. I went to YouTube University. Maybe I need more course time. ASTROLOGER POV One shall release old aspects of darkness, sorrows, etc. and request the moon to illuminate it's full power to bring you whatever it is you desire. Ode to da moon. I was releasing like a windmill. Just in case it might be true. WHY WAS I AT THIS LOCATION? A friend suggested I try out this location because she watched the meteor shower. My go to is Anza Borrego. Easy to find. Asphalt road and restrooma are available. Even though the moon was illuminated, I dared NOT check out the restrooms in the dark. NEED TO KNOW 40 minutes east from downtown San Diego. There are a few homes in the road. Be respectful and responsible. Asphalt and well manicured road. Free parking available. Maybe 10 spots comfortably. And some alongside the road. Trail starts at the parking lot. I read it's only a mile trek. Must do in the Fall. My Blue Moon evening was 935 PM - 12115 AM. There was only one other car.

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

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

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!

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.

Great trail! Well-marked path down to and back up from the falls. Gorgeous water feature!read more

This review is for Three Sisters Falls Trail which was a ~4.1 miles round trip that took ~2.5 hours…read moreto complete. Trail was narrow for the most part and rocky as you get closer to the waterfall. Steady decline to the waterfall and incline back to the parking lot. Waterfall had a ton of water due to the recent rain! Required to drive ~5.7 miles on dirt road to parking lot. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/5u28VbwUZhg

We had a lovely hike here! We were able to take our dog. He is a smaller old dog so had to go slow…read moreat times and there are narrow areas, depending on your dog's ability of course. There wasnt any water but it was still lovely. I recommend taking a gallon of water per person even if it is not hot. There is not a lot of shade. Parking was easy for us. Oh cant forget... there is a gravel road you have to drive on for quite some time! Be sure to take the best car you can if you have the option 4x4 or SUV vs tiny 2 door