A great hike on the easy side of moderate! There are points of this hike where you do climb up some…read moresteps and rocks, but it's not strenuous if you have a decent baseline level of fitness. The thing I liked most about this hike is that even with elevation changes, you're not right next to a cliff to your side. As someone who is afraid of heights, I'm glad I was able to find a place I can get a workout in nature where I don't have to be scared the whole time. It was worth the drive from San Diego and I'd do it again.

I've done this trail a few times now. On my most recent visit, I picked a cloudy day in May since…read morethere's basically no shade on the entire trail. I started around 7:30am, and there were already a lot of people heading back down, probably people who came earlier to catch the sunrise. The trail itself is easy to moderate, well marked, and has really nice views both on the way up and on the way back down. Lots of parking in a big lot.

A hidden preserve with amazing views of Ramona and San Diego Country Estates from atop of Ramona…read moreMountain. Trail notes: (4 miles total) Make sure you park on 23500 Bassett Way. You should be parked right in front of a small dog park. From there walk the nature trail to the Simon County Preserve sign. Note that the trails here are not clearly marked, expecially on how to get to the top of Ramona Mountain. If you have the all trails app use that to follow the correct path. If you don't have that app that's okay, it's pretty easy. Start your hike on the wide trail and keep going till you see a utility road going up (west). You'll know you're on the right path because you'll be walking along tall brown power poles. At the top of the hill turn right and keep on the ridgeline till you see the bench at the top of Ramona Mountain... - Lots of coyotes expecially at dusk. - Best views at dusk or on a stormy day with big clouds and sunlight breaking through.

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.

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.

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.

I was pleasantly surprised to find this nice scenic hike so close to home and many of the places I…read moreoften visit. The hike is not a difficult one, but very convenient to get to and offers some great views of the Poway area as you get towards the summit. If you are a local to the area and looking for a quick hike, this might be a good one for you to try.

Been here three times and I find this trail challenging but very doable…read more Like the other reviewers have noted, the trail takes you on an immediate incline from the entrance and gradually becomes steeper as you progress along. The steepest part comes right before the summit and really takes some effort. The views are great when you do get to the top, the view of Del Dios reservoir is spectacular. Coming back down the trail is probably my least favorite part of the hike because the gravel is slippery and the decline is sharp. I recommend crisscrossing the trail to prevent falling. All in all, you'll get a nice workout and great views from this trail.

I like the view but the only thing that I didn't know which didn't mention on the reviews is that…read moreit's not good for strollers.

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

This listing says Fortuna Mountain, however there were technically two different trails according…read moreto the map of Mission Trails Regional Park. My review will be for the South Fortuna trek in which one ascended a pretty challenging set of steps on the south side of the peak. I saw several folks having to take breaks along part of the trail. Trekking poles were helpful for the climb up the slope. At the saddleback, pay attention to the signage as you can easily take a wrong path and end up on the North Fortuna trail. The lower rated feedback mentioned the confusion which was totally understandable. I wanted to take a longer route back to the trailhead, however that path was more suited for mountain biking. There were numerous cyclists to whom I yielded the right of way so they could pass me. Scaling South Fortuna will give you a good workout because of its distance and the contours. Watch out for snakes as I nearly stepped on one as the sucker was making its way out of the bushes and into the sunlight. There was minimal shade available on this trail, and the view at the summit was not as impressive as the one at Cowles Mountain. I gave a 3.5 star rating for this hiking loop.

Here's a lesser ventured hiking trail in San Diego. It's shorter than other more well-known trails,…read moreand yet there seems to be more trail than expected. This was formerly Camp Elliot, a military testing ground. Legend has it that there are still active landmines here. Fortunately, they will never be set off as long as you stay on the designated trail, and wilderness creatures are not capable of it either. Regardless of what part of the trail you are at, you are not far from the street. So, if you need to leave the canyon for any reason, an exit is not far away. The only parts that could concern anybody are the brief steep slopes that go up and down. But believe me, you won't need any pickaxe, rope or bungee for anything here. There are benches to take a seat, if you need it. There are also a few wooden man-made ramps and bridges to help avoid potential "interruptions" to the path. FYI: - You don't need to wear hiking shoes for a trail like this. Kids and dogs can do this hike with minimal challenge. - There are garbage bins at both ends of the trail. Do not litter. - We parked at Santo & Remora and just strolled over to the canyon. There is plenty of street parking in that residential neighborhood.

This former military testing base might be the quietest trail I've been on during a weekday. It's…read morenestled in between residential neighborhoods. There are a handful of dogs walking leashed and unleashed and a handful of people running the trails. I couldn't find a parking lot or street parking so I entered through the side via one of the residential neighborhoods. Not sure how deep it goes but I got to about a hour in before we turned back. Trails are super clean. Some shade with some big trees but it's mostly shrubs and tall grass. All in all...It's 3 stars for lack of parking and very few signage. As a BIPOC I got a few odd stares as I was parking but on the trail I got more smiles.