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.

One of my favorite hikes in San Diego county- this one has it all!!! Perfect length, challenging…read morebut not TOO hard and the scenery OMG. I've included photos in my review from several trips to Eagle Rock over the years. You start out in a lovely shaded area by a stream, most of the incline is through a chaparral forest with manzanitas and blooming cactus, the last bit is a rolling prairie. The pinnacle of the hike is a huge rock formation that looks exactly like an eagle. I try to do this hike every year in the spring. Tons of flowers and gorgeous rolling grassy hills. This year we had a freakishly hot March and everything bloomed early and then got fried. It was still gorgeous though! We started early when it was still chilly and finished as the heat of the day was coming on. Be sure you keep an eye on the weather. It can get dangerously hot. I recommend a ton of water, hats and sunscreen. On the way home be sure to stop for Julian Pie in San Ysabel!

I had read about this random rock formation shaped like the profile of an eagle when I first…read morestarted doing San Diego County hikes. We tackled this 6.4 mile out-and-back trail in Warner Springs on a recent weekend. It seemed like most of the hikers were completing the journey when we arrived after lunch as they were returning towards the trailhead off Highway 79. You can park along both sides of the road on the shoulder, but don't pull into the fire station lot adjacent to the trailhead. The Eagle Rock Hike is actually a segment of the larger Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT). The PCT spans over 2,500 miles and runs through California, Oregon, and Washington from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. The first half of the outbound portion was rather flat and ran next to a creek that was still flowing with a good amount of water from the March rainfall. There was plenty of shade from the trees in that area. Once you emerged from that section, the path veered into a valley with a few curves and gentle slopes. The landscape looked nothing like what you would expect in San Diego. It resembled the Great Plains with grasses and weeds along with hills and mountains off in the distance. This continued until you could see a set of rocks appearing what seemed to be the middle of nowhere. The approach was from the south side which was the rear of the formation. The view from the north definitely resembled an eagle about to spread its wings. Only one other group of hikers was present when we reached Eagle Rock. You can climb up the back side to the top where you end up next to the eagle's head. Think of photo opportunities like at Potato Chip Rock but without the wait. According to a hiking app, there was an elevation change of several hundred feet. It wasn't noticeable because of the gradual sloping. The round trip took just under three hours. The only real drawback was the lack of shade in the meadows. It was windy during our visit which dropped the temperature by at least 10 degrees in that portion. At the peak of summer, the heat and dry air can make this five-star inland trek less comfortable. PS: Not only is this trail not crowded, but it's very kid and pet friendly.

Great hike. End of the line is a waterfall and grotto. It didn't disappoint. Pretty challenging…read moregetting there. A combination of flat desert hiking but then with rock scrambling.

Surprisingly nice hike with a tougher end-game to reach the "waterfall"…read more My biggest gripe with this trail isn't the $10 fee. It's the fact that this trail is poorly marked with wrong signage and no clear trail markers to get to the actual waterfall. There's also little to no internet serive here to double check. Tips - The trail to the waterfall starts behind the pay kiosk. No marking that this it the trail to the falls. The trail (little surprise trail) that's next to the bathroom isn't marked either. - About a mile or so into the hike you'll see a sign with an arrow pointing towards the hill.. IGNORE this sign and stay on the main trail. - The waterfall is basically at the third Oasis. Navigating through the Oases is like a labyrinth of different paths. Some are dangerous, some are easy, and some are dead ends. It's like a choose your own adventure book from the 80's and 90's. - Seeing a flowing waterfall is likely rare. Maybe early spring? - Best hiking is during the winter months or during a superbloom..

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

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.

Great trail! Well-marked path down to and back up from the falls. Gorgeous water feature!read more

I really loved this place! Despite this place only having 2 reviews and one of them being bad I…read morestill tried it. Originally I booked a campsite at oak grove in San diego County but when I went I saw that all the lots were so close to each other and there were no wood to gather, it was disappointing. I love disperse camping. I don't like people around and bathrooms and showers and all that. I suppose "glamping" isn't my thing. I was so disappointed at oak grove I had to find another site last minute. I stopped by a mini gas station along the road near oak grove to ask if they knew any disperse camping near by. She recommended Los coyotes but wasn't sure if it was open. I really didn't want to drive down to Anza Borrega. That was too far. We decided to try los coyotes and the drive seemed kind of sketchy. We kept going per the direction of the gas station worker/owner. Finally, we got to the entrance of the Indian reservation. Right there was the police station as well. We asked the security guard about camping here. He was very nice and helpful. He said we could drive there and check it out. If we like it, it will be 25$ a night. So we drove up, and it's a sort of windy, narrow path leading to finally what was a dirt road. It broke off to upper level and lower level camping. And to the left was a trail parking. We chose the lower level camping. The road was muddy and slippery. We also saw some snow here and there. It was very open! We were also the only ones there! Which was perfect. This place was beautiful! Sooooo, we decided to stay here for one night. It was the closest to dispersed camping on a last minute find nearby to my home. They have random benches and a few port a potty. There is no running water or showers or fire pit or grills. Which was what I was looking for. I brought my axe and chainsaw and all my survival kits. We make our own fire with tinder and a Firestarter. I brought my shovel just in case I needed to do "nature call" things. There were some stones there that were set for a fire. I didn't bring a grill so I had to make one out of wood and stone. We made some fried chicken wings and beef kabobs. It was extremely cold, but my 15-degree bag kept me super warm. It was very dark. I'd imagine this is how they lived a long time ago, but at least the sky was so nice you can see the stars CLEARLY!. The next morning I made some eggs and sausages pretty easily. We chopped a lot of wood and kept the fire afloat for most of the night. I had a great time and really enjoyed how beautiful it was. The security guy was helpful and the Indian natives were so nice. Everyone waved and said hello. It's pretty quiet and clean there. I will definitely come camping here next time.

Great camping and trails. Access to hot springs mountain peak viewpoint. Highest place in San Diego…read moreCounty.

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

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.

A small picnic stop on the way up to Julian. We stopped by…read moreto check out the nature trail and its viewpoint of the Santa Ysabel valley. The small loop trail is only .5 miles and about 15 minutes of hiking. This is a great place to stop and stretch your legs, go to the restroom, and maybe have a picnic before heading up to Julian.. - Restrooms - Views - Parking lot

As California's largest State Park, Anza-Borrego is another spot everyone should have on their…read morebucket list. They have some great trails, camping, star gazing, and a bunch of giant statues that are fun to check out. The visitor's center was fun with a friendly staff. Don't forget to ask about the Junior Ranger Program. We saw two coyotes outside the visitor's center. We did the Palm Canyon Trail. It was an easy and short trail that was perfect for kids. We walked past 4-5 bighorn sheep. That was very cool. Keep in mind there are certain areas that can only be reached if your vehicle has AWD. The town of Borrego Springs is nice with a couple restaurants, shops, and places to stay. Looking back, it would have been nice to spend the night to stargaze. Don't forget to hiking smart: sun protection and plenty of water. Stay on the trials. Leave no trace. And have fun.

Spectacular desert views just a short drive from San Diego or Los Angeles yet it feels like you're…read moreon another continent. Try a late March trip to see the desert floor ablaze in springtime flower colors, or the "secret" Dinosaur Trail, or searching for ancient Pictographs in the Blair Valley section of Coyote Canyon. Anza Borrego never disappoints for those seeking adventure right here in Southern California!

This is a difficult trail to find, but totally worth it if you're adventurous! The first time I…read morewent we couldn't remember if we were supposed to go upstream or downstream to the waterfalls. We figured we were "down" enough, so they had to be upstream. WRONG! The falls are definitely DOWNstream, so when you first hit the water, start your trek to the falls. The hike down is absolutely gorgeous, with rolling green hills, tree canopies, and beautiful vegetation. When you drive here, you can either hit 79 from 8E and go windy roads through Julian, or you can take 15 to 79. Either way, you're looking at about a 2-3 hour drive. Regardless of which way you're coming on 79, expect to drive about an hour before hitting the turnoff mile marker. Then another hour on the single-lane dirt road that can be extremely scary. Make sure you have traction and 4-wheel drive. Your Prius isn't gonna make it. Bring plenty of water and leave SD early. We left around 8:30am and just barely made it back to 79 before the sun set. You do NOT want to be driving on that dirt road in the dark! Overall, this was pretty awesome. Nothing too strenuous, but the river-hopping was awesome!

I give this hike a 10. it's an easy hike down a wide, beautiful trail. Once you reach water stay…read moreleft. Do not cross the stream at the junction. Left is right, and right is wrong. The water is exactly 3.2 miles from the trail head and the falls are approximately 1 mile further. My total hike was 8.5 miles. The falls were a little tricky to find, not knowing exactly where they were, so just stay left and HIGH on the trail. When it looks like the trail ends at a dry stream bed, cross and look up for the trail to continue. Don't follow the stream or bother climbing over rocks until you get to the pools. It's a gorgeous hike. Not many bugs. Not many people. Lots of oak trees with monkey grass or pastures to lay down by the water edge. Down by the falls the big rocks are smooth and comfortable. Nestled 1000 feet deep in a valley, surrounded by mountains the only thing one can hear is nature. it's about as pastoral as I've ever seen and I hike these mountains 2-3 times a week.