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.

This review is for the Cuyamaca Peak Via Azalea Glen Loop which was a ~7.7 mile round trip that…read moretook ~4 hours to complete. There was a $10 day use fee. The views for the first half were mostly blocked by tall shrubs or trees. There were nice views of Lake Cuyamaca at higher elevation. The second half was a descent on paved road. Trail starts and ends at the campground. Furthermore, there were a lot of flies. Trail starts off flat, becomes a steady incline and eventually a steeper incline. In addition, it was around 25% shaded otherwise mostly exposed to the sun. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/7pV1e1tji1U

I finally had the chance and energy to hike Cuyamaca Peak. It is paved to the top. For some it…read morecould be a good or bad thing. I could only imagine the black top would radiate the heat during the summer. For my hike with my friends the weather was perfect. It was warm but the nice breeze kept us cool and trees provided shade it made it comfortable for most of the hike. We hiked CP the 2nd weekend of October. Our hike began at 10ish, the trail started on the south east side of the camp, not far from out campsites (17, 18 and 19). Thereare plenty of native plants to see and of course many views perfect for some pictures. I felt the elevation was gradual until the last half mile. The area had rain a few weeks prior, the evidence left on the path that flowed in from the sides. Loose sand and gravel did cover some areas something to watch for especially coming down the peak. Nearing the middle of the hike you will notice the large pine trees that will have these beautiful, large pine cones. I think my friends said they are called, Widow Makers. The sides of the path are scattered with the pine trees decor. There were evidence of fire in spots too. We weren't sure if this was a controlled fire or not. You will find Stonewall Peak across from you become smaller as your reach the top of CP. On your way up don't forget to check everything around you! Also, stop to check out Cuyamaca Lake. At the top, soak in the views! I could almost see the ocean, a light haze makes its presence. It was definitely worth the hike up to CP.

Wowww, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park is a beautiful green peaceful escape. A great weekend getaway!…read moreIt's excellent for hiking with lots of trailheads, camping sites and amazing scenic views. I highly recommend this park...had a wonderful time.

Backpacking weekend for a scout group out to Granite Springs primitive camp via Harvey Moore Trail…read moreloop from Green Valley Falls CG. For primitive campsites at Granite Springs or Arroyo Seco call the 760 park # to inquire about site availability a few days before arrival. They can tell you if the sites are claimed already.

The Azalea trail is located inside the Paso Picacho Campground. This is an medium level loop trail…read morefor all ages with reasonable mobility. The total hike is 3.0 miles. If you have little ones, under 7, this will be a better option for you compared to the Stonewall Peak or Cuyamaca Peak trails. If you're looking for a real hike, the Azalea Glen trail will connect to the trail to Cuyamaca Peak. That's a 7.7 mile total loop hike if you decide to do that. We took the Azalea loop counter clockwise from our campsite, maybe that's a better choice. It was nice walking bsck down along the little stream. Lots of small rocks on the trail. Wear appropriate shoes. - We saw a yellow caution blocking the loop trail at the halfway point. We ignored it and kept going.. TIP - If you're paying $10 to hike this trail you might as well go all the way to cuyamaca peak.

Scenic trail to add on if you're doing stonewall peak. It does have a pretty good steady elevation…read moreand could get your heart rate up in certain spots. Lots of pretty views (see pictures) and great for social distancing.

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!

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.

It's a good hike to pair with a trip to Julian. My husband and I picked up sandwiches in town for a…read morepicnic on the trail. Parked next to the road and knew we were in the right place because of all the other cars. We made our hike a loop as we went up the mountain, taking the 5 Oaks Trail, and then came down using the Vulcan Mountain preserve trail. The 5 Oaks Trail has more of a view. There are a few seats to stop, sit (catch your breath) and enjoy the view. Sadly, we haven't had rain so it wasn't as green as I'm sure it would be on a normal January. Nevertheless, a great hike to work off all the apple pie you eat in Julian.

Always down for a flight of beer, the hosts are super sweet and they've been taking us to the most…read morechoice places you need to go if you visit sd

From the owner: We provide an all-inclusive experience for adventure-seekers to sneak away from the coast and into…read morethe wilderness. We plan group trips based on physical abilities, time constraints, nature expectations and beer preferences. Whether it's getting lost through pine trees, cruising through lagoons or bouldering in the back country, we build an ideal trip for anyone thirsty for adventure.