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.

Old Banner Toll Road may be one of my favorite hiking trails of all time! One of the reasons being…read morehow secluded that hike was. Even though we came during MLK weekend, we only passed two small groups of people on the four mile hike. I loved that trail was not maintained like state parks and instead truly gave you the feel of a actual hike through the wilderness. I really enjoyed the abandoned mining machinery! It is hard to find any history left untouched in California. In addition to the machinery, there are also mine openings and cars left stranded on the sides of the hill. I felt like a kid again exploring all the vehicles and mines! The trail-head is a little hard to find. Your best bet is to park in the cul-de-sac and walk down past the houses. It feels a little sketchy, but definitely worth while! If you enjoy hiking and exploring, you must check out Old Banner Toll Road!

Great Hike near Julian. A bit rocky and overgrown, but does not take away from the great views and…read moredecent workout. We turned left at the first fork and found one of the mines. Not the mine pictures in another review. We went in quite a way but did not find the end. Park just before entering the private road. Then walk down the private road and you will find the trailhead. See my picture

One of the highlights of my trip to Julian! Loved seeing…read morethe cows peacefully grazing about 15 minutes into our hike. The path was not paved but still easily hiked as it was pretty level. The scenery was breathtaking with hills, trees, and the cows!! We even saw some horses by the entrance

This review is for the West Vista Loop which was a ~4.2 mile round trip that took ~2 hours to…read morecomplete. This was a relaxing and peaceful hike with cows. There were some nice open views throughout the trail. The first mile or so was a steep incline before reaching the loop. A little muddy in some areas. Free parking on the side of the road. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/3nMnKb84G6M

WE STOPPED AT DESERT VIEW PARK, on our way to Julian Pie Company. It is something that we do every…read moreXMAS. It is a beautiful LOOK OUT SPOT, see forever and a day!!! AT XMAS, count on it being a little bit cooler, and sometimes WINDY. However, on this particular day, it was pretty warm, AND SUNNY!!! I would say, PIES ASIDE, IT'S A MUST SEE.

Just out side Julian California on hot 79 headed to Lake Cuyamaca. Is the desert Viewpoint…read more This is a peaceful spot during the day to have lunch or just come to relax and check out the view. You can see Banner grade and Shelter Valley from here. Just a amazing wonderful view . I highly recommend coming and checking it out if you never been. 5 stars for the area 5 stars for the view 5 stars for the peaceful area. I enjoy coming here when I take my SnowBall for a ride. She loves it. Amazing mother nauter spot

Been here a few times . Its has hiking trails bathroom pick nick tables shade …read more Nice park great parking lot. And view of the Santa ysabel valley from were you come into the parking lot. If you like hikes this would be a great one to come check it out. Would i recommend this spot yes i would. Great for pick nicks and just hanging out.

I was curious to see this trail-park, but didn't know the history till I read the board, (which I…read moreterribly forgot to take a full photo of). It memorializes 11 men that died while digging a fire line on steep canyon - three Forest Service firefighters, seven inmates firefighters & their correctional officer (from the Viejas Honor Camp (prison camp), died at approximately 8:00 PM (part of the blaze looped below their position and overran the crew) The fire, (which was started by arson on November 24, 1956), burned 43,611 acres before containment on the evening of November 28. This is from the National Forest Service Library website. It's has quite a few picnic tables, a couple grills by them but I personally wouldn't want to bbq out there. There are restrooms that are like porta pottys and a short trail (trails) but I didn't walk too far because of my knee. It's a beautiful, peaceful & scenic spot to go to if you live in the area or if you want to add to a pit stop while venturing out here. Main Street in Julian is down from here where you can grab a bite to eat at anyone of the restaurants/cafes.

We had an amazing glamping experience and would definitely stay here again! Shantel was incredibly…read morefriendly and helpful. She met us on our first day, made sure we were settled in, and checked that we had everything we needed throughout our stay. The setup was in great condition, and the campsite itself was so much fun. We especially loved the hammock, all the shade, and how well-stocked everything was. They truly provided just about everything you could need except food and clothing, which made packing and camping so much easier. There was plenty to do around the campground, and we had a fantastic time exploring and relaxing. The only downsides were that a couple of the campground showers were closed and the bathrooms were a bit of a walk from the site. We were also a little disappointed that the zipper on the tree tent was broken, so we couldn't sleep in it. However, that didn't stop us from enjoying it during the day, and it certainly didn't take away from the overall experience. Overall, this was a wonderful glamping getaway, and we can't wait to come back!

Highly recommend. Shantel was very responsive and helpful…read moreduring our stay. All cooking and sleeping amenities included. All we had to bring was our own food and drinks. 100% will be back.

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!

My friends and I weren't planning to come here but the mission we drove out here to see was…read moreunexpectedly closed today so we stopped by the nature center after a slice of pie. The facility is very clean and seems to be on the newer side, with lots of large windows and central A/C. There's a room with some taxidermy wildlife and informational boards to read about the various types of wildlife and plants in the area. There's a room with a projector and a ton of chairs that is probably used for teaching, but today they were just showing shots of a mountain Lion caught walking by a camera. Out on the patio there are seats and tables, as well as interactive gold panning and archeology installations. We spent some time at them and thought it was cool (as adults) so I'm sure kids love them. Then there's a short nature path you can walk down to get to a limited playground, and there is also stadium-like seating off to the side so maybe they do some sort of show here? Not sure. But that's pretty much it. Less one star because there's not much to see, but everything that is there is nice. There were only three other families we ran into while exploring, so not sure if it was an off hour or if this is typical.

Great place to visit. The center is full of information and exhibits showing the local plants and…read more wildlife. There are 12 miles of trails with different degrees of difficulty. Some of thrails are very step with long downhills, not good for people with bad knees. Hours of operation are from 8:00am to sunset.

We had a great time with Emil on a 1 hr ride through rain and snow flurries. The ride was safe,…read morewell paced and super fun. I would recommend wearing some waterproof pants/jacket if you are going during such weather. This is my new favorite activity! Can't wait to do it again.

I booked this adventure for 2 reasons: (1) to FINALLY get out of the house during this pandemic…read moreespecially since all we have been doing is working and we have been working more than ever since our job is considered 'essential', and (2) celebrate my boyfriends 30th birthday. This was my first time on a quad/ATV and my boyfriend has been riding dirt bikes since he was like 6yrs old. I love being outdoors & going on new adventures, and he loves riding ... so the mixture of those things i came upon this place. For birthdays I love and prefer creating memories instead of giving materialistic gifts. Example: For his 28th birthday I booked us a little personal speed boat in San Diego. Upon arrival check-in was easy, quick, and they gave us hand sanitizer so we felt assured. They had helmets and other PPE lined up and available for us to use, however we had brought our own (riding gloves, riding jerseys, riding DOT certified helmets, and googles) which they allow. Our guide Jorge was funny and very easy going. The ride overall was really fun!! During our ride our guide also took pictures of us and he took some awesome ones with amazing backdrops! The only complaint I have was that I only booked us the 1 hour ride. Next time we are doing the 2 hour ride for sure! And maybe the Big Bear location as well.