I visited Double Peak Park in San Marcos recently, and it turned out to be a much more lively and memorable place than I expected. Even though it is an outdoor park, it has this energetic atmosphere that teenagers would enjoy a lot. I saw a surprising number of teenagers around the lookout areas, the trails, and the picnic spots, which made the whole place feel youthful and social in a way that reminded me of the playful energy I felt at Funko Hollywood. The wide open views at the top almost felt unreal when I first saw them, and I could easily understand why so many teens were taking pictures there. The scenery practically invites you to take photos without needing anything extra. As I walked around, I realized there was more to the park than I expected. Some parts of the trail felt a little worn down, and a few areas could have been more polished, which is part of why I would give it four stars instead of five. Still, I appreciated how easy it was to explore the park without feeling rushed or overwhelmed. Even with groups of teenagers laughing and taking pictures, the atmosphere stayed calm and relaxing. I only visited Double Peak Park one time before writing this review, but it left a strong impression on me because of how open, peaceful, and lively it felt all at once. It is one of the more refreshing outdoor places I have been to in a while, and I never doubted that the experience would turn out the way I hoped it would. I would highly recommend that teenagers go there because they would love the photo opportunities, the sense of freedom on the trails, and the creative feeling that comes from being somewhere with such a wide and inspiring view. It gives them a place to hang out, take pictures, and enjoy themselves without spending any money. read more

What a view! I came up for the Starwalk event hosted by the city of San Marcos through the Double Peak Astronomy program. There was plenty of parking but we got there early just in case. We walked up to the check-in desk, provided our info, and were given instructions, star maps, and red lenses for our phones. We then walked to Mahnita Boyden-Wofford Amphitheater (a large cement amphitheater) and found seats facing the volunteer ranger presenting the night's info. Unfortunately, it was a bit too foggy to see much. The volunteer ranger (John Walsh) answered questions and explained differences between various stars, meteors, satellites and sky debris. Occasionally, the sky would open up for us to see a few stars. We did get to see the summer triangle and a satellite though. It was a good learning experience and I hope to do more in the future on a clear night. Tip: apparently it's tarrantula season so watch your step. read more

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was looking for a beginner friendly hike in north county as I haven't hiked in a while and the weather is finally starting to cool down. this seemed like a perfect spot, I'm glad I read previous reviews that suggested to park at the Discovery Lake and hike your way to the Double Peak. although this seemed like a perfect warmup to my hiking journey before tackling on more moderate hikes, I am writing this 2 days after my hike and my legs still sore. this is your reminder to stretch!! read more

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Use your be one of my favorite places to relax and enjoy the view but it's no longer handicap friendly since they took out the only seating with a view by the handicap parking in the parking lot. Now we can't even enjoy the view from the car with the huge gated equipment. What's that all about anyways? Why put a little solar panel gated obstructing the view for those that are handicapped. When I have assistance I can go to and enjoy the viewer. That's still a nice feature. Still free. Thank you. Not a fan of the huge displays. Took two days for some goofball to graffiti it. Sad. Still a great place to come with help. Just not much of a view for handicap ppl. read more

This park is a local gem in San Elijo with a panoramic view of the world! I attended the Starwalk lecture evening which was so well run and informative. Thanks to the park rangers for presenting this great program. read more

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I love double peak!! Solid hike as well as a nice drive up. Parking lot gets full around sunset, but I am always able to find a spot. The views are great with plenty of places to sit at the top and on the side. On a clear day you can see as far as the entire sd coast line!! read more

Double Peak Park - Parking lot view - Parks Near Me - San Marcos, California

Great local hiking trail. Certain areas of the trail can be a bit challenging. There are some steep inclines but the view at the top is worth it. There is also mountain biking at this trail so a great place to spend with my partner. He rides I hike. If you go during the summer or any time it's hot make sure to bring enough water. read more

Good workout hike. It's my favorite kind of hike where you go uphill for most of it and get rewarded with a nice view at the top. Similar to Cowles in San Diego, Mission Peak in the Bay Area, and Bishops Peak in SLO. A little shorter though, and easy to get done in a little over an hour. Start at Lakeview Park -- there's a small lot and plenty of street parking. read more

Such a nice area ! Very family oriented and well traveled , but not overly traveled! They have a walking area around a duck pond , they also have the trail that leads up to the mountain trail to Double Peak . It's not for the faint of heart . Lots of uphill climbs but great exercise ! They have a great kids park with an area in the summer that allows water play ( you can look on their website for the times) . If you want the long trail hike you must type in Double Peak Park into GPS .. if you want just the view you just type in Double Peak as there is a road that goes almost to the top . Love this hike and this area ! read more

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Still one of my favorite hikes in north county! The trails are nicely maintain, although there are a lot of dog poop... people just need to be respectful and pick up after their dogs. I actually call this hike "double poop" never know when you're gonna step on dog, coyote or horse poop! The hike starts from Lakeview park and a full loop is about 4 miles, and about 950 elevation gain. You can finish fast in an hour or take your time and finish in 1.5 hours. Good workout! There's some off trails that you can do like around the water tower versus the top. Great views of the ocean, big homes in San Elijo and even the mountains of San Jacinto, LA and San Bernardino. Love that it's in my backyard! read more

Double Peak Park - Peak - Parks Near Me - San Marcos, California

I learned about double peak park from TikTok and when I came it was on a road trip going down to San Diego, so I was just passing through. I actually only had about 10-15 mins so I couldn't do any trails, but lucky enough the main viewpoint is right at the parking lot since you ascend up the hill to get there. The view around 4p in early April on a clear day was absolutely STUNNING - you can see all the way to the ocean but also over San Marcos and Carlsbad, and over the hills/mountains in the north and east. There's a little lookout area where you can see into some binoculars and some little benches/a table or two so you could picnic there. Really it's just such a cute state park, I'm envious of the folks who live nearby and can frequent it because it looks like a great outdoor spot in the city. I hope to come back soon for some actual trails, but still spotted some cool plants and got a gorgeous view right there at the park entrance! read more

Double Peak Park - Pano of the view point - this is a 3 min walk from the parking lot. Just stunning - Parks Near Me - San Marcos, California

Double Peak is the key word enjoyed great sunset at park after peaceful hike. Bring family and friends

Double peak has amazing views. I recommend hiking so the view is a nice treat. Amazing place should visit.

Stunning views! But man... someone got ROBBED on the trail today, and the robber had a WEAPON... there was a helicopter above, announcing it, and I spoke to a cop directly. I was out hiking on a nearby trail when it happened. I hope the person who got robbed is okay. Guess I won't be visiting this place for a while... read more

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If the Elfin Forest is closed due to potential fire hazards like it was when we drove down from OC to hike it then this is a spot that you can get the legs moving and the heart rate up. My kids were non plussed and said it looked like any suburban OC hill hike. However, I appreciated the rocky trail that is carved down the face and the horizontal trails that seem to all lead around the base of the hill eventually forcing you to hike back up to get to your car in the parking lot up top. If you went for a picnic I could see the convenience and there is an informative monument up top to help you comprehend the view you can appreciate. However, it is a like many a suburban OC hike. read more

This is a Great weekend hike! Love the views this is a must visit staple in San Marcos read more

Double Peak Park - Top of the hill! - Parks Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Hands down the best view in San Marcos. You can see quite a distance of everything on a clear day. Best time to be here is sunset. Can be a bit crowded so be wary of parking. You can access a few hiking trails up here. There's a small auditorium area and a small playground next to the housekeeper area. Definitely a good view point comparable to Mount Soledad 360 view. read more

Great local park with amazing views! They have a small trail that you can walk on that's around 2 miles. If you don't want to do that. You can walk up from the parking lot on a small path to the summit of the mountain. At the top, there's a few picnic tables to hangout at. There's also a telescope to check out the views. Overall, great spot for pictures and to hangout at for a little read more

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Can't get enough of these views, from the ocean to the mountains, even to downtown San Diego. It's not often in our busy lives that we stop to take a deep breath and contemplate the bigger picture. Seriously, being at Double Peak Park can give you hours of your life back! Worries go out the window - being in such a beautiful space. They seem so small when you're up above it all. This park is also a must-show when visitors are in town. I love that you CAN hike/bike up to this peak, but there's also a beautiful road you can drive right up to the top. That's my choice for sure! Ha Any of you bikers that frequent these trails - please be considerate of those of us walking around. Sometimes I've almost had a collision with bikes zooming down a trail. It's steep enough that we walkers/hikers need to watch our steps, so there's a chance we may not see you. There's room for all of us out there. Enjoy what the good Lord has given us. Mountains, oceans, fresh air and majestic skies. read more

I really enjoyed this beautiful, scenic place. The trails are paved or one can explore it off trail with great adventure and challenge. The top of the mountain have good parking spaces, stunning 360 views, and spaces to sit and rest. I have been here a lot of times and each experience was wonderful. Highly recommend ! read more

Our females only Moto riders group loves planning monthly events. Ranging from rides and meetups. Since some of our gals have hiked here at Double Peak- they already knew this location would be a hit! What do we look for in a moto destination? The ride getting there (which we had 3 meetup spots for our gals to assemble), BATHROOMS ( a MUST), and a decent sized parking lot for our motorcycles. Well- "decent sized" parking lot is an understatement! And the bathrooms were clean as could be. There are 2 spots to choose from if you plan on hanging out here. When you approach the top of the driveway- you go left- and the 5 cement picnic tables await. THIS is where the best view is! To the right, is the amphitheater. We had 22 motorcycles altogether. Depending the time you arrive- some shade is available. read more

Double Peak Park - The view! - Parks Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Best view of North County and you can drive right up to the top or park down the hill and get some exercise walking up to the top. 360 degree view of North County and depending on the weather yoy can see the islands off the coast, the mountains to the east and north, and buildings south towards downtown. There is a telescope but bring binoculars, or a telephoto lens for your camera to take full advantage of the stunning views. Down the hill from the top there are gates to block entry. I think they close at sundown and open at sunrise, 6 am - 8 pm. There are trails that lead to and from the top of the hill, down to a nearby lake Definitely a great spot to check out if you want to see a fantastic view of the area. read more

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This is a fun hike. It's about 5 miles or so round trip starting from Lakeview Park/Discovery Lake. The first stretch is very steep but most of the hike is pretty moderate. Some of the trail is paved and there are only a couple of short rocky sections. No shade whatsoever so keep that in mind. Very nice views of San Marcos as you head up. Once you reach the top, you've got 360 degree views all around. Most days you can even see the ocean but it was very overcast and misty during our hike. There's some free parking in the lot of Lakeview Park but not a ton. There is plenty of available parking in the nearby neighborhood. read more

Double Peak Park - Another view from the top. On a clear day, the views are far and terrific. - Parks Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Beautiful view of the whole north county and on a sunny day you can even see the ocean! You can choose to hike up to this peak via a few different trails or you can drive up here. Or do both! Hike up and take a Lyft or an Uber back down! The area has some picnic tables and also bathrooms. Some picnic tables have shade in a pagoda. On weekends it can attract some crowds but I wouldn't say it's crowded, still plenty of space to move around. If you still play Pokémon go, this was a gym a few years back haha. But not sure about now because I stopped playing a long time ago. read more

- Businesses operating during the pandemic, "thank you" - Life is a weeeeee topsy turvy, which can make you feel a little out of sorts. Being with nature can help you get back into feeling more into sorts. We took a drive today to this park and it was gorgeous!! There is enough space to keep practicing your social distancing. The view to the Pacific Ocean is amazing. You can even see Catalina. I imagine at sunset it's breathtaking. Remember, it's important to take care of your mental and physical health during this unprecedented time. And some fresh air really helps. Thanks to all the park ranger ladies and staff who make sure we can still see beauty during this time!!! - *As long as the world is in an unpredictable place with the coronavirus dictating our lives and schedules, I'm going to review businesses who are still operating to provide us some sense of normalcy, and this is one of those reviews. My reviews will be 100% positive when clearly indicated with the "Businesses during the pandemic" header and footer. Feel free to steal the format and do the same for the hard working businesses that you come across. - read more

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Parking wasn't bad, there's a few parking areas. We hiked the Double Peak and San Marcos Peak trail from AllTrails. The first half was on a nice paved road and the second half was on this trail called "secret trail" which was narrow and not well maintained. I would recommend only doing the second half with trekking poles and hiking shoes because there was a lot of loose gravel and dirt. The view is houses in San Marcos and a bit of the ocean - probably better at night with all the lights. On the paved road, I could see it being a good running route! No shade so wear sunscreen and a hat! read more

Double Peak Park - Parks Near Me - San Marcos, California

I was looking to get in one last hike before the end of the year holiday break. I decided to head north to San Marcos to tackle this short neighborhood trek. The legitimate trailhead began at Discovery Lake that results in a round trip of about four miles. There was a small parking lot at Lakeview Park which was adjacent to the lake that could hold about fifteen vehicles. The trail was wide and one of the most well maintained I have encountered in quite a long time. You actually snaked through parts of a neighborhood before you remained on a dirt path to the top. In the middle of the ascent, the skies opened up so I was hiking in a steady rain shower for about 15 minutes. It wasn't pleasant, but at least I was wearing more than a t-shirt and shorts in wet 50-degree weather like a casual runner in front of me. The climb to the summit took about 40 to 50 minutes. There was a small park with a ranger station, gazebo, and an amphitheater when you reached the peak. The views of the surrounding municipalities of San Marcos and Carlsbad were lovely. A faint rainbow even popped up in the distance while I was nearing the top. You could turn around and go back the way you came up, or you could continue east to complete a loop which was what I did. At this juncture, the trail became very narrow and rocky and descended steeply. I am glad I had my trekking poles to navigate this portion. When the descent finally merged with a wider path, it was a smooth trip back down to the lakeside. You can easily complete the entire circuit in under two hours so it doesn't take too long. The gradient in certain parts was sufficient to give the calves a good workout. I enjoyed the experience enough to give this trail four stars. read more

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What a beautiful peak. Three hundred degree view. GORGEOUS and SERENE! Sunset brings cars so plan to arrive about an hour before sunset to get a good parking spot! read more

Double Peak Park - Sunset - Parks Near Me - San Marcos, California

If you come early you can see the sunrise which is nice, or wait till later and watch the sunset. read more

Double Peak Park - Parks Near Me - San Marcos, California

Hidden gem! 360 degree views of North San Diego County. Bravo to the city of San Marcos. This property could have sold for top dollar to some slick developers, however, they saved it for everyone to enjoy. The park was packed on a cold Friday evening. read more

Double Peak Park - Parks Near Me - San Marcos, California

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The park and actual hike are fantastic. I love the view from up top and brought my family here when they visited. I'm not good with directions so I loved how they have a map on the ground near the telescope pointing out which way different cities were located. They also have picnic tables and benches around so it's a nice place to relax and sit for a while. read more

Double Peak Park - Parks Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Growing up getting to the peak of this park was one of my favorite outdoor activities. The view never gets old and the hike isn't anything too difficult but when you get to the top it is totally worth it. I recently came back and drove (because yes that's an option!) to the top and hung out with my brother and just enjoyed the view. On a clear day you can easily see all the way to the ocean and the view truly never gets old. It will always be a close memory to me with the amount of times my friends and I came here growing up. read more

My husband and I are kind of new to this hiking thing. We discovered a love for hiking while scaling Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, and decided to explore the trails in our own backyard. Okay, so San Marcos isn't exactly *in* our backyard; it's almost 40 miles north of us. But the drive is part of the experience! Note - if you're new to the trail, it might be a good idea to do a bit of research on how exactly to access it. We park at Lake View Park and walk in. Our first attempt at Double Peak was a massive failure on our part because we followed the wrong trail. Instead of turning left to start the hike, we turned right and ended up a the top of a mound. And it certainly wasn't 5 miles! Our second trip was a success, though. That research, man - it helps! It's a bit dry and warm now, so be sure to lather up on the sunblock and bring lots of water with you. I think if we do this hike again, I'll pack a few snacks, as well. It would have been nice to have something to gnaw on while we took in the views and rested our limbs for a bit. Once you get on the actual trail (turning left to go through the residential area), the signs are plentiful and easy to follow. Stick to the trail and follow the signs, and you should get to the peak in no time at all. They have a couple of different ascent options; we're new and out of shape, so we took the easier slope at the end. Maybe one day we'll try the crazy slope that had the warning sign posted at the bottom. Maybe. The views from the top are definitely worth it. They had an emergency responder worker sitting at the top, at one of the tables, when we arrived. It was just after 11 am and already hot, so it's nice to know they have someone on hand should there be a need for assistance. One thing I want to add - IF you do end up taking a wrong turn at Albuquerque (anybody? anybody?) and find yourself on a trail that passes by people's backyards, you'll see that at least some of those neighbors appreciate the fact that their backyard faces out onto a popular trail. One home in particular has a sign posted encouraging people to reach through their gate to pull fresh water for pooches, if needed. Little things like that really warm my heart. read more

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Great view on the top! I drove up my first visit just to enjoy the view and have a snack. I came back another time to park at Discovery lake and hike up. The path is not nicely paved as Ridgeline Trail and can be slippery if your shoes don't have proper grip. Overall a great view if you're a local. read more

I'm so grateful in these wild times to get outside and get fresh air. I will never take that for granted! Now more than ever I am so grateful to reside here in beautiful North County. I try to get outside every day. Some times I need some extra stress relief and to go the distance. You can do that here. You can park at Discovery Lake and start your 6 mile incline trek up the mountain. The view is worth all the efforts. You can safely keep your distance from people there too. There are options to stop for a snack or picnic at the top or on the way back down. Wear your sunblock and take some water. Please take all your trash back home with you too! read more

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This is a small public park at the top of Double Peak popular for watching sunsets. The park has a private lot with a decent number of parking spaces. There's a restroom, picnic table with canopy, stationary binoculars, and several open-air benches and picnic tables to enjoy panoramic views of North County. If you want to hike to the top of Double Peak, don't drive all the way up here obviously. Park at Lakeview Park in San Marcos and begin the trail there. All Trails link: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/double-peak-trail read more

Double Peak Park - Wild lupine growing on the side of the road as you reach Double Peak Park at the summit. - Parks Near Me - San Marcos, California

I love this hike! Even after a year of hiking it regularly, it still kicks my butt (in a good way)! It's a mix of beginner and moderate hiking experience (just take your time if you're just starting out), but just keep going and the view at the top is worth it! The path is clearly marked and there's always a good amount of people on the trail, so very little risk of getting lost. There's also a few different trails that connect so you can switch it up sometimes! read more

Double Peak is the place to go! You can come and watch the sunrise or sunset, but you can also hike here! The hike is super easy. It's a bit confusing where you can go though. If you want it to be even easier, you can just start right at the gate and walk along the road to get to the top with the entire view lol. Some of the lower trails are pretty average width, but if you're a new hiker, it could seem a bit narrow. But I wouldn't worry about it. The majority of the trails are actually huge! As for parking, there is so much! You will never have a hard time finding a spot. It is a bit more difficult to find parking during sunset hours, because a lot of people come to see it from the parking lot, especially high schoolers! I would recommend coming at least 30 min before the start of sunset to get a prime location at the edge. Regardless, even if you came right at sunset, you will still find a parking spot! my boyfriend and I came pretty late and we were still able to easily get a spot. I also recommend bringing a meal to just sit there and relax in the back of your car. You can also go all the way to the top and sit at the benches. read more

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This lookout is one of those spots you can go back to a million times and never see the same sunset or sunrise. It's amazing to see when it's clear and you can see the ocean. The hike itself is not too rigorous and can be done with kids and dogs. Mt Biking it is fun as well. But just driving up there to see it is worth it and you won't regret your evening. read more

Double Peak Park - Parks Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Awesome 360 degree views of ocean, mountains and city. Easy drive was about 10 minutes from Cal State San Marcos.