Had such a beautiful, peaceful hike at Helix Flume Trail in Lakeside on a late Monday afternoon! So…read morehappy it wasn't busy, felt like I had the trail all to myself. They have parking (no bathrooms, though!), and I finally understood why there's, uh, evidence of wildlife around... Let's just say it's quite a climb up there! Luckily, the trail was dry, but a heads up for rainy days, it could get slippery. For me, it felt like an easy-medium trail, and absolutely worth it for the views and that refreshing Monday reset. You should definitely give it a try!

This is a short but great trail. The first half mile is a bit moderate with the uphill climb. On…read morethe way up you can view the mountain side and a body of water across the street. Once you clear all that it's an easy hike toward Lake Jennings. Overall it's a 2.8 mile hike in total. Should take about an hour to hike it all. It's easy to miss the entrance and parking to the trail head. Look for a fence with a green sign. Parking is easy enough once in. It's all dirt and some terrain to park so if you have an SUV or truck I'd drive those. A car though can still make it in.

I live across from the park and I will state that the trails are amazing. There are trails for…read moreeveryone with different types of difficulty. Go early in the morning or after 5ish as it gets very hot in the summer. Happy hiking!

I was excited to discover this park recently, and had a fun time checking out the Visitor's Center…read more(mostly the outside as it closes at 5 pm and we arrived a few minutes before on our first visit) .We took a short hike nearby (the Visitor's Loop, about 1.5 miles). This park encompasses a mind-boggling 6,000+ acres, with 43+ miles of trails...the rugged, hilly landscape is pretty amazing. We're looking forward to hiking some of the other trails, one near a historic dam (Old Mission Dam) and a lake or two (or more). There is a campground somewhere. I'd bring water and sunscreen and a hat, as there isn't a lot of shade. There are several places I think you can park but it's confusing...I'd start with the Visitor's Center parking lot. There was construction going on when we last visited. Most of the parking lots closest to the Center and nearest the trailheads close at 7 during the summer (earlier during the winter months, check out the website for accurate hours). I'm only giving the park four stars for its limited and confusing parking after hours and lack of helpful information provided when I was at the visitor's center on a subsequent visit. There is no parking or entrance fee, though, so that is a plus....

really pretty trail and a fun place to go with family! there are lots of trees, mountains, and…read moredifferent paths to walk on. some parts are easy, but there are also some rocky areas and long stairs, so be prepared . the sunset over the mountains was definitely my favorite part. there were also quite a few bugs, but i guess that comes with hiking lol. overall, i had a really good time and would definitely go againnnn

Good hike, the trails get a little confusing and could be marked a little better, but a nice hike,…read morenot very challenging, but a nice walk through nature, one trail, that starts to climb is fairly narrow, be careful. I saw a snake, didn't look threatening, but I don't know much about snakes, other favorite being the black mamba #Kobe!!! Another hiker alerted us that she had seen a few snakes on the way coming up, we were headed down, but didn't run into them. One trail runs along a creek, very peaceful. A wedding was taking place at the oak trail center. There's also a nice lap you could do around the reservoir, check out the personalized rock collection or leave one of your own!

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.

A hidden gem. In the middle of a heavily developed area that has plenty of small, manicured parks…read moredesigned around baseball diamonds and jungle gyms (there's nothing wrong with those!) this is the opposite. Twenty-nine heavily wooded acres - large enough to feel like you're in the wilderness, with a small creek (which would probably be bigger if we weren't in the middle of a 6 month drought), and a few lighty groomed trails. It was literally empty at 1:30 on a hot Saturday afternoon. It was hot out, but under the shade of the huge trees it was very comfortable, extremely peacefull.

I found this park as part of my goal to find local parks and trails amid the COVID-19 outbreak to…read moreget some exercise. It's a 29 acre natural preserve park with out equipment nor restrooms; but it does offer a small creek that meanders through the park. Also, the park has a mature eucalyptus grove, a trail that finds its way around the perimeter of the park, and wild grassy open areas. It's not a maintained open area. You can bring your dogs for a walk. The trail is not very long and it's pretty easy, accept when you have to cross near the creek. It's nice to see these open spaces between communities.

This mountain is one of the 6 peak San Diego challenge. It's about 7 miles and 1,500 ft elevation…read moregain. It is very doable for folks of all levels. Beginners can take it slow. Beautiful view from the top! I'm all about the summit pictures. Please come and create your own adventure.

I did this hike for the first time on 5/27/18 and REALLY enjoyed the hike. I did this as part of…read morethe Tardigrade Tough 8 Challenge which comprises 8 of the hardest hikes in the San Diego area. If you are interested follow @tt8challenge and/or @resilientsquad on Instagram. Here are the main details of the hike: Name: Corte Madera in Alpine, CA (east of San Diego) Distance: 7 miles Elevation Gain: 1,500 ft Elevation at Peak: 4,657 ft. Duration: 3-4 hrs Difficulty: Moderate *I used the directions from the All Trails App, not the directions here...which the directions are essentially the same up until the last part...basically the 8 East to Exit 51 Buckman Springs Rd, turn right and in 3.3 miles you will turn right on a small side road named Morena Stokes Valley Rd which is a narrow somewhat paved/dirt bumpy road and in 4.8 miles you will see a green metal gate with a red cross on it...parking for about 5 or 6 cars on the left of the road and the hike starts at the metal gate We arrived at 6:15 am and we were the first to park in the parking area. We saw no one on our way to the peak and saw less than 10 people on our return from the peak. I really enjoy hikes where there are little to no people and there are no sounds of cars or noises except for nature. For the first .7 miles of the hike you are on an access road lined with oaks provided cover until you reach a metal garbage can with a wooden sign that says Espinosa Trail on the left, this is the way you need to go and you will now be on a narrow single file trail. At 1.5 miles you will come to an official metal sign which indicates Los Pinos Peak to the left and Espinosa Trail straight, just below this sign is a handmade looking wooden sign with "Corte Madera Mt" and an arrow pointing to the right...follow this sign. At 1.9 miles you will see an official sign indicating you are entering a nesting area for birds of prey with a wooden handmade sign pointing the way to "CM" and an arrow...follow this sign. At about 2.6 miles you will see the destination off to your left and you will see why it is called by some the San Diego Half Dome. The final .9 miles to the peak will curve around to the left and you will make a half circle to the peak when you reach about 3.4 to 3.5 total miles. There was no sign at the peak but there was a green metal container with the name and elevation on it. There is a variation to the scenery on this trail with some shaded and some exposed areas and some cool rocks and there was a nice variety of colors (green, yellow, and violet), but most importantly were the great views at the top. On the day we hiked it was misting in the beginning and lots of fog/low clouds, but by the time we got within a mile from the top we had hiked high enough to be above the clouds and it was clear and beautiful up there. It is definitely worth the drive to do this hike and I highly recommend it.

I had read this was a secret spot in La Mesa where folks could get a nice bump in their heart rate…read moreby ascending and descending these steps. The La Mesa Public Stairs were located on a hillside neighborhood in which the layout was essentially pedestrian connectors between three different terrace levels. You can park curbside on any street and then stroll over to the foot of the first set of stairs on Windsor Dr. The climb was pretty shaded when I came on a mid-afternoon, but it wasn't long before my breathing picked up. I occasionally use the stairmill at the gyms where I exercise. However, the machine can't simulate the elevation change that occurs when you are out in nature's terrain. At the top of each set, you had to cross a small street to reach the beginning of the next steps. I was able to go up and down one time in less than 10 minutes. If you repeat the path and do multiple circuits, then one can easily spend between 30 minutes to a full hour of cardio burn. The views near the top were pretty as you get a glimpse of some of La Mesa's upscale properties. Kids and leashed dogs would enjoy the climb as this is a family friendly activity.

SECRET STAIRS THAT ARE PUBLIC…read more I was introduced to the secret stairs history and all of the secret terraces on Meet Up (Saturday Morning Weekly Hike-La Mesa's Secret Stairs!). I hope you support the group). THE ENCHANTED TREE Totally worth 60 minutes at the beginning your day. Then to top the icing on the cake you'll be enchanted by The Enchanted Tree.  On the Meet Up you will learn historical tips about the stairs and the community. MOST GOALS CAN BE ACHIEVED 1000 steps, and I kept thinking, "That's how we reach our goals. One step at a time." I'm on step 222. Or 22. You got me step 2. But at least I'm stepping forward.  DO I NEED A DEFILIBRATOR? It's more of a walk rather than a workout though your heart rate increases. You can stay after the Meet Up and complete your own workout, which will likely be rigorous.  I would totally make this a stop for nonlocals visiting. You could seriously wear leisure clothes like jeans or workout wear. Actually, after the secret stairs I went to 24 hour and had an invigorating barbell session. I wore Doc Martens and that was suffice. Captipating views of the sky, the aweness of individual homes, landscapes, and land structures.  It was sort of like walking in nature.  Respect the residents-please. "I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." -- Jimmy Dean #juken123 #onestepatatime #secretstairsthatarepublic #alternativetonature #respecttheresidents #theenchantedtree

**May 2023: Sunday Morning Visit**…read more Hiking is not one of the first activities I'd choose to participate in however, I found Silverwood Wildlife Sanctuary near my airbnb and with all the positive Yelp reviews I figure I should check it out. At the time of my visit, it was only open on Sundays (9am-4pm from October - July; Closed August - September) and guests need to register online (https://www.sandiegoaudubon.org/what-we-do/silverwood.html). Signup is easy and it's a free experience. On my visit my friend and I came around 10am and were greeted by a volunteer at the entrance. We were told to write our name in the check in so that they could track all visitors. No dogs allowed (unless it's a guide dog) as I recalled the volunteer informing another guest about the rule as my friend and I started the trial. There were definitely a lot of bugs, but the trial was clear and within 8 minutes or so we made it to the bird watching observation area, which included a couple of seats and bird feeders. It was extremely peaceful and I loved seeing the quails chase each other and the different colored birds visiting the feeders. I noticed in the back area a table so it would a cool place to enjoy a picnic with family. I really liked seeing all the beautiful flowers and while I did not hike the other trails I think if you're looking to get away and be one with nature this is a really cool free activity to enjoy

Good birding on Chaparral near the docent cabin b/c there is water. Flickers, titmouse, nuthatch,…read moreetc Note: Circuit Trail and upper Chaparral trail have very steep (no switchbacks) long sections up and down. But at 10:30 am Nov 8th still lots of shade. Great hikes.