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    Lawson Peak Trail

    4.3 (9 reviews)

    Lawson Peak Trail Photos

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    Mountain side eroded
    James H.

    During different work breaks throughout the year I tend to venture out and try different hiking trails in the county. In January 2019 I tried Lawson as a hiking Meetup group I am in was going. Lawson Peak is a great location hike for several reasons: Pros - significant uphill to work the lower body -great panoramic view at the top -unique aspects such as the cave, Pancake Place, The Chimney Cons - no established parking lot and one must park along the highway I highly recommend you hike Lawson in the winter as there is no shade. I also recommend you come with a full stomach food as you will be burning many calories uphill. You should expect to spend about three hours to complete Lawson and that includes stopping for pics and breaks. Lawson Peak is now one of my most favorite hikes in San Diego County and I plan to return each year or so.

    It's the entrance to the trail. It's by mile 13 of Lyons rd. You can yelp secret canyon trail and I'll take you  right to the entrance.
    Anabel C.

    You're better of using secret canyon trail directions to get to the entrance. If you're on the dirt rd...turn back around and go to Lyond Valley Rd. Park by mile 13 and start your hike past the yellow gate. Bring pants and gloves because after the long hike up to the boulders you will have to do some rock climbing. Also you should bring a friend for safety and to pull/push yourself up and through the boulders. Great workout!

    No signs.. just this yellow gate.
    Jess Y.

    Great hike! Worked both my upper and lower muscle strength. We spent a loongg time trying to find the trail. Gps took us to a dirt road with lotsa private properties with no clear path to any trail. Most of these properties had loose dogs just ready to attack. Haha! We finally got it right by following Lyons Valley Road and parked at the Mile 13 marker. First part of the hike was lotsa little uphill...but not too bad. The hardest part was the boulders we had to climb to reach the peak. Bring gloves to help with your grip and someone stronger to help pull you up in some the harder parts of the boulder. Totally worth it!

    Hong M.

    Hiked here for the first time at the end of October. This was definitely one of the more challenging, dangerous and fun hike I've done in Southern California! The first 2 miles was all uphill and the second half required some bouldering, climbing and finding your own way to the very top. When you get up there, it's so worth it. Bring lot of water, food and a first-aid kit. I thought I was going to died trying to climb over all those tricky rocks but ended up tripping on solid ground and scraped my knees when I was hiking back on the cleared hiking path. Wow, failed! Remember mile marker 13 is where you want to park your car on the side of the road. "Lawson Peak Trail is a 4.5 mile out and back trail located near Jamul, California that features a cave and is rated as difficult. The trail is primarily used for hiking, off road driving & rock climbing and is accessible from November until May. Dogs are also able to use this trail." The link below will help you if you want direction there and good luck! http://alltrails.com/trail/us/california/lawson-peak-trail

    Cool looking tree in the bouldering area. I don't know the name of this tree.

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    Secret Canyon Trail - Wildflowers in January!

    Secret Canyon Trail

    4.5(6 reviews)
    2.9 mi

    Alltrails lists this as 'Horse thief Canyon', then I saw that I had this listing bookmarked on Yelp…read morefor sometime and noticed that they were the same thing! Distance: ~3.3mi., reverse out-and-back (you will be going uphill on the return trip) Difficulty: easy-intermediate-ish (~0.5mi ascent on your way out which can get the heart pumping!) Time: 1.5-2 hours Permit required?: No (according to permit site - https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/r5/passes-permits/?cid=stelprdb5208699&width=full) Sights of Interest: Mini waterfall and pool Parking is in a big dirt lot just off of Japatul Lyons Valley Rd.. Turn in at Forest Rt 16S04. No bathrooms, so bring some T.P.! There are three gates as you approach - two smaller ones and a large one leading to a service road. Take the gate with a sign marking the 'Epinosa Trail to Secret Canyon Trail'. You'll end up on the service road either way. Continue on the service road until you see a sign off to the right that says 'Trail'. This is where you'll begin the descent into Horse thief Canyon. Eventually it evens out into a nice shady area alongside a stream. Lots of vegetation and growth everywhere, so make sure to *bring the bug spray*! There's a stream crossing after which you'll come upon the pool! Lots of great places to hang out on and relax on boulders. Water is pretty clean for swimming too. Awesome place to bring your dogs to cool off after the dusty trail. Just remember to pack your trash out if you plan on picnic-ing down at the pool! Most of your journey is on the Epinosa Trail and supposedly the Secret Canyon Trail is just beyond the pool, but the trail doesn't seem to continue anywhere beyond it. Great trail either way that experiences very little foot traffic so the area is very well preserved and wild! FYI, apparently this area experiences an influx of illegal immigrants and smugglers, but I think that was in earlier years. It was pretty safe when I went and I only had my dog in tow. But, I like to live life on the edge, so if you are wary come with a group!

    If you go during the week during normal business hours this trail is dead! It was our 2nd time here…read moreand there was only 1 car in the parking lot and we never even ran into the people. This is nice but also kind of scary especially since it's kind of in the middle of nowhere and you don't have great service but luckily I am alive today to write this review. The first time we went on this hike we missed the path and ended up just heading straight through on a dirt road so pay attention on your right hand side for a sign marked trail. This trail would have gotten more stars if it wasn't for the ridiculous amount of flies. I almost turned back because I couldn't stand them constantly flying in my face and in my ears. Maybe I am not an outdoorsy person if I cant handle that but it was hard to enjoy this hike when I was having to smack flies away the whole time. This is also one of those hikes that is fairly easy on the way down but tough on the way back because you have to go back up. I will say though that it was a really pretty hike and there is a creek at the bottom. We didn't go the whole way but did about a little over 3 miles of it. It's about a mile and a half to see the beginning of the creek. Maybe wearing bug spray might help with the flies?

    Photos
    Secret Canyon Trail - Trail is pretty well marked

    Trail is pretty well marked

    Secret Canyon Trail - Awesome sign.

    Awesome sign.

    Secret Canyon Trail

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    Viejas Mountain - The stone wind shelter at the summit; find the guestbook here!

    Viejas Mountain

    4.6(14 reviews)
    10.1 mi

    Native San Diegan, but never been here. From the start this trail is all incline, rocky, dirt, some…read morenative plants/shrubs and yucca but no shade. I saw no animals or even bugs... came December 2020. It's about 1.5 miles uphill with descent elevation and 2.5 down. I had to take a couple breaks due to the elevation I think...as I live near sea level and I'm fairly in shape, but more of a Hiit workout, sprints, weightlifting type, so endurance isn't my strong suite... but the top is worth the struggle. On a clear day you can see the ocean and such a beautiful sunset. Note the top is very windy and cold. I'd say it's great for moderate hiker, and I wouldn't bring a pet but I've seen dogs up there. Pros: - nature!! -free workout -some parking but limited - steep but not crazy difficult - more of a locals only location Cons: - rough dirt/rocky rode to get there -limited parking - no bathroom, trash or water stations

    Spectacular views at the summit especially when facing North. Easy to access from Tavern Rd exit on…read morethe I-8. It's about 3 miles RT on red-clay dirt and very loose rocks. Although Alltrails lists it as intermediate, I was breathless climbing this thing. I would describe it as intermediate-difficult. I mean, the doughnut holes in the morning probably didn't help and it was after Christmas Day indulgences, but the terrain was still very rocky and the incline was CONSTANT, making the ascent a little more difficult than normal. It was the ultimate thigh burner! A great workout! I took about 2 hours to finish, but did spend a lot of time at the top. Had the summit all to myself! Breath-taking! Parking is on a truck trail and the trail head is only marked by a simple metal gate. According to Afoot and Afield a **Wilderness Pass is technically required**, however I got away without one (didn't realize I needed one). Again, the terrain is quite rocky on the clay dirt ascent, so do not bring your kids! They'll likely fall flat on their faces trying to navigate over the rocks. As a note-- the truck road is a dirt one, but well graded with some humps every so often to prevent speeding. Parking near the trailhead is still quite secluded and a draw for thieves, so make sure to hide your belongings before you head out!

    Photos
    Viejas Mountain - The view from the peak!

    The view from the peak!

    Viejas Mountain
    Viejas Mountain - Yay!

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    Yay!

    Cottonwood Creek - Swimming in the river, before it got very crowded

    Cottonwood Creek

    4.7(7 reviews)
    14.5 mi

    It's a great river swim with the family…read more However be very careful.. I feel in a whole in Sept 5th,2022 and twisted both ankles. Which I'm still suffering pain from Two month in my injury. My family had lots of fun( I didn't since I was in pain but since it was 2hr drive I suck it up for them). My toddler love it.. we went when LA hit over 100* heat... it very nice in the water!! Many ppl with floating I do suggest to make sure everyone know how to swim as its now drag ppl down the stream..

    I could see this being a 3 or 4 star hike depending on the season and weather conditions you do the…read morehike in. I hiked it on 2/24/19 and found the conditions to be ideal for my enjoyment! Location- it was only about a 30 minute drive for me since I spent the night after attending a party at a family member's house in El Cajon (suburb of San Diego); I jumped on the 8 East and as the elevation reached 3,000 ft I could begin seeing snow on the hills near the fwy and I got even more excited for this hike- took Exit 47 for Sunrise Hwy and the trailhead parking was about 2 miles away from the fwy and there was a large lot on the side of the hwy to park Trail- you access the trail by walking across the road and going to the right of the metal barrier...the snow was the deepest on this portion of the hike for about half a mile and the first part of the hike is where the trail is the narrowest with portions where you have to bend over and get low to continue past low branches; at about 3/4 of a mile you will get down to creek level and make a left to get to the waterfalls...I carefully climbed up to reach about 4 parts of the waterfall and it was flowing really well with all of the recent precipitation of this winter and it was a pleasant surprise to find this so close to the city of San Diego; it is about 2 miles RT and not anything too extreme in the way of incline and I loved having the trail/falls all to myself for the nearly 2 hrs I was there *I used microspikes just to be safe but I could see it being fine with just hiking shoes

    Photos
    Cottonwood Creek - Watching from the bank since I was injured I would walk my ankles were beyond swallowed...

    Watching from the bank since I was injured I would walk my ankles were beyond swallowed...

    Cottonwood Creek - Seeing the lake before getting to the river

    Seeing the lake before getting to the river

    Cottonwood Creek - Cows on our way to the river.. leaving LA behind us

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    Cows on our way to the river.. leaving LA behind us

    Cedar Creek Falls - Cedar Creek Falls

    Cedar Creek Falls

    4.4(358 reviews)
    20.2 mi

    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.

    Having lived in San Diego for so long, I honestly don't know why it took me this long to do this…read morehike. I finally got the permit online (definitely download it before you arrive since service can be spotty) and decided to go for it. I went in early May and started the trail around 8am, which turned out to be a great decision. The trail was practically empty at that time, and the downhill views were absolutely beautiful. I even saw two rattlesnakes before 9am, so definitely stay alert while hiking. At several points I had to remind myself I was still in San Diego and not somewhere in a huge national park. Once I got near the bottom, I did lose track of the trail a little and it was SOS, so having the AllTrails map downloaded beforehand was really helpful. It took me a little over an hour to reach the waterfall, and there were only two other people there at the time, which made it feel really peaceful and private. The water felt AMAZING after the hike down. There were so many fish in the water, and the whole area was honestly so pretty. By the time I started heading back around 10am, I noticed a lot more people arriving at the falls. The hike back up wasn't terrible, but the sun definitely makes it much harder on the return. I was very happy to make it back to the parking lot by around 11:30am. I would definitely bring lots of water, sunscreen, and some snacks.

    Photos
    Cedar Creek Falls - Cloud porn in the beginning of our hike!

    Cloud porn in the beginning of our hike!

    Cedar Creek Falls - Awesome day with one of my best girlfriends

    Awesome day with one of my best girlfriends

    Cedar Creek Falls - Morning frost

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    Morning frost

    Descanso Wall Trailhead - BLUE MOON. Only road to Descanso Wall Trailhead. Image taken with my Google pixel pro using astrophotography. Unedited images

    Descanso Wall Trailhead

    5.0(1 review)
    9.9 mi

    UNDER THE BLUE MOON'S SPELL…read more Just like Nina Simone (jazz legen) Descanso Well Road in Alpine, CA put a spell on me. The location is nearer en route to Lake Cuyamaca campgrounds. I love experiences that words cannot describe, so perhaps I'll describe the Super Blue Moon Through a person's point of view. ASTRONOMER POV As an unofficial stargazer I was astonished to capture this event in my lifetime. PARENT POV As a parent, me and my kiddo made a pinky promise to meet at this location again when the Blue moon occurs in 2037. HIKER POV As a hiker that once got lost in the dark, I was thinking, " The moon is so illuminated. I can be brave on a hike right now." GOOGLE PIXEL-ER POV As a Google pixel-er, I was diving into the astrophotography features. All of the pics and vids were unedited and untouched. Taken by my Google Pixel Pro-7. I went to YouTube University. Maybe I need more course time. ASTROLOGER POV One shall release old aspects of darkness, sorrows, etc. and request the moon to illuminate it's full power to bring you whatever it is you desire. Ode to da moon. I was releasing like a windmill. Just in case it might be true. WHY WAS I AT THIS LOCATION? A friend suggested I try out this location because she watched the meteor shower. My go to is Anza Borrego. Easy to find. Asphalt road and restrooma are available. Even though the moon was illuminated, I dared NOT check out the restrooms in the dark. NEED TO KNOW 40 minutes east from downtown San Diego. There are a few homes in the road. Be respectful and responsible. Asphalt and well manicured road. Free parking available. Maybe 10 spots comfortably. And some alongside the road. Trail starts at the parking lot. I read it's only a mile trek. Must do in the Fall. My Blue Moon evening was 935 PM - 12115 AM. There was only one other car.

    Photos
    Descanso Wall Trailhead - BLUE MOON. Descanso Wall Trailhead bathrooms. Image taken with my Google pixel pro using astrophotography. Unedited images

    BLUE MOON. Descanso Wall Trailhead bathrooms. Image taken with my Google pixel pro using astrophotography. Unedited images

    Descanso Wall Trailhead - BLUE MOON. Descanso Wall Trailhead parking lot. Image taken with my Google pixel pro 7 using astrophotography. Unedited

    BLUE MOON. Descanso Wall Trailhead parking lot. Image taken with my Google pixel pro 7 using astrophotography. Unedited

    Descanso Wall Trailhead - Blue Moon. Image taken with my Google pixel pro using astrophotography. The moon was well illuminated. Unedited images

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    Blue Moon. Image taken with my Google pixel pro using astrophotography. The moon was well illuminated. Unedited images

    Lawson Peak Trail - hiking - Updated May 2026

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