This is a quite beautiful trail and short too. There are actually two sections where you'll see a…read more'waterfall' so make sure you pay attention. There are some areas where the terrain is uneven and you'll be walking over rocks and some bigger rocks, so be cautious if you have bad ankles. It can also get muddy in some sections so don't wear shoes that you don't want to get dirty.

Good hike, the trails get a little confusing and could be marked a little better, but a nice hike,…read morenot very challenging, but a nice walk through nature, one trail, that starts to climb is fairly narrow, be careful. I saw a snake, didn't look threatening, but I don't know much about snakes, other favorite being the black mamba #Kobe!!! Another hiker alerted us that she had seen a few snakes on the way coming up, we were headed down, but didn't run into them. One trail runs along a creek, very peaceful. A wedding was taking place at the oak trail center. There's also a nice lap you could do around the reservoir, check out the personalized rock collection or leave one of your own!

A great gem to boulder outside locally. Managed to send some boulders that were most likely v0-v1s…read moreout there. Although a few felt like v2s & up, hah! Park in the West Hills Park parking lot. Quaint park w/ clean bathroom then head your way out the park across the street. Spoke to another climber who informed us where some of the beginner boulders were. Basically about a 10 minute walk, set up, & have fun. Sunblock & hydrate especially around this time. Also, we were told there were coyotes so be careful. Luckily, we didn't see any. Stay safe & have fun!!!

Good trail.. there's a rock climbing part also. Saw a lot of people headed one way and asked what's…read morethat way.

Hubby and I hiking spot Cowels mountain beautiful place to…read morevisit Bring your hiking boots and night light for evening trails after sunset

A local and tourist fav!…read more Cowles Mountain is a San Diego classic and the highest point in the city (~1,593 ft.), which means this short hike hits HARD! The main trail is about 3 miles round-trip with a steady, rocky incline. Be prepared to have your heart pumping fast with some heavy breathing. Who needs a warm up? Just come here! There are other trails in the surrounding areas and the popular 5-Peak Challenge. It's on my bucket list for sure! Cowles is one of the most popular hikes in San Diego, so the timing matters. Early weekday mornings are ideal unless you enjoy crowds. Parking is usually easy with street spots and a small lot if you're lucky. There's a restroom, but not fully stocked or well-maintained. So use if absolutely necessary. Bring enough water (especially on a hot day), wear good shoes with grip since it can get rocky along the trail. Don't forget to stop a few times to admire the view on the way up! The payoff is worth it. You get a 360 degree view of San Diego from the oceans to the mountains. Short, steep, sweaty, and effective! 4 stars on a good day and still one of my favorite quick workouts to get the adrenaline pumping!

I live across from the park and I will state that the trails are amazing. There are trails for…read moreeveryone with different types of difficulty. Go early in the morning or after 5ish as it gets very hot in the summer. Happy hiking!

I was excited to discover this park recently, and had a fun time checking out the Visitor's Center…read more(mostly the outside as it closes at 5 pm and we arrived a few minutes before on our first visit) .We took a short hike nearby (the Visitor's Loop, about 1.5 miles). This park encompasses a mind-boggling 6,000+ acres, with 43+ miles of trails...the rugged, hilly landscape is pretty amazing. We're looking forward to hiking some of the other trails, one near a historic dam (Old Mission Dam) and a lake or two (or more). There is a campground somewhere. I'd bring water and sunscreen and a hat, as there isn't a lot of shade. There are several places I think you can park but it's confusing...I'd start with the Visitor's Center parking lot. There was construction going on when we last visited. Most of the parking lots closest to the Center and nearest the trailheads close at 7 during the summer (earlier during the winter months, check out the website for accurate hours). I'm only giving the park four stars for its limited and confusing parking after hours and lack of helpful information provided when I was at the visitor's center on a subsequent visit. There is no parking or entrance fee, though, so that is a plus....

This is a very nice neighborhood park at the base of Big Rock Trailhead. I stopped by the park for…read morea walk and to watch some pickle ball at play. The park has a nice grass area for dog play, but dogs must remain on a leash. There is volley ball court, basket ball court, a playground with equipment, picnic tables that can be reserved for events, restrooms, tennis or pickle ball court, plenty of shaded areas, and a bike rack to lock up your bikes. I liked that the grass area was very well maintained, but the parking area had several pieces of trash lying around. It is said that people just drop their trash when there are public trash cans in sight. At any rate, this is a very nice community park.

This park is great, there's a large field, playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, and table…read morearea. A few years back I rented out the table spaces for a baby shower. There's also a little creek area. This park is great to visit on the weekends and during the week as well.

At 1,369 ft, Pyles Peak is located near Cowles Mountain…read more There are a couple of ways to get to this hike, but I went through Cowles. I believe the other way is going to less trafficked route, the Barker Trail. At Cowles summit, if you follow the path near the antenna, it will lead you to Pyles Peak--a quieter 1.5+ mile out-and-back hike from Cowles summit. To get to Cowles summit you can either take the scenic route, which is a 1.5 mile hike to the summit or the service road, which is a 1 mile hike. There is a parking lot you can park in or street parking. There's restrooms at the entrance near the scenic side. There is not much shade so be aware of that. This hike is kept very clean. I just find it to be a little more on the boring side. This was the last hike I did for the five peak challenge! That could have influenced my feelings towards this hike.

Instead of following the traditional route of hiking up the front (south) side of Cowles Mountain,…read moreI started my trek from the end of the Mesa Service Road on the east side of Mission Trials Regional Park. The Mesa Trail actually had more shade to protect you from the heat and sunlight than if you started from the main trail head at the corner of Golfcrest Drive and Navajo Road. The tough part began when you ascended west on the Cowles Service Road towards the summit of Cowles Mountain. It was nearly a mile stretch in which the incline became rather steep in a couple of spots. As soon as you pass the top of Cowles Mountain, you keep going west for a few hundred more yards before you see a sign that directs you to a trail towards Pyles Peak. From that point, it was another 1.5 miles of decline and incline before you reached the summit of Pyles Peak. About halfway into this part of the trek, there was a view point (i.e. Pyles View Peak) where you could branch off back east for maybe a 1/4 mile until the path ended in a cul de sac. At that location, you get a wonderful view looking back towards the top of Cowles Mountain. It's a nice rest stop and photo opportunity. There was about 3/4 mile left to hike before reaching Pyles Peak. A sign posted 1/4 mile from the summit warned hikers that this was a difficult climb. I actually didn't find it any worse than the ascent up the Cowles Service Road. The sign at the Pyles Peak summit indicated you were 1379 feet above sea level. After taking several pictures and eating some snacks, I started my journey back to where my vehicle was. In total, this hike took approximately 3.5 hours with breaks to cover about 6.5 miles.

This is a great place to go for a walk or run. I started on the east side of Lakeside. The trail…read moreleads all the way to Santee and past The Lakeside Base Ball Park. What I really liked about the trail was that it was well maintained and the scenery was very nice. It's a great place to walk and talk. On the trail there are sections where there are small lakes and ponds with wild life to check out along the San Diego River. I observed a few benches a long the the trail. There's dirt parking on both ends and a lot more at the base ball field that I mentioned. Oh yes! I did spot a coyote on the trail, so be on alert if you bring a small pet or child.

Such a beautiful trail to walk in the early morning! The trail is well kept for bikes and bringing…read moreyour pets. You can look out to the lake as you walk along the trail. Although being right next to the lake there aren't many mosquitoes. Along the trail they have benches, informational signs, and dog poop bags!

This was my second time visiting San Vicente Reservoir, and it's quickly becoming one of my…read morefavorite places. Admission is $10 per person (for adults), and there's plenty of parking available. The reservoir recently expanded the dam, and the lake is absolutely beautiful. There's people fishing, wakeboarding, tubing, jet skiing, swimming, or simply relaxing by the water. Just keep in mind that Monday through Thursday is reserved for fishing only while the weekends are open for recreational boating and water sports. The scenery is gorgeous, and the atmosphere is incredibly peaceful. It's the perfect place to escape the city, spend time with family or friends, or just unwind and enjoy nature. If you're looking for a relaxing day on the water in San Diego County, San Vicente Reservoir is definitely worth the visit.

I looked up spots to fly drones in town and this one popped up. It's a nice reservoir. If you…read morehave boats and water toys this is your jam. I believe there are entrance and other fees for using them. Since I was not using any of those I got a free pass in to look around. Definitely a nice back drop to just chill and observe even if you do not have any water toys. I hear drone enthusiasts dig this spot. I can see why.

Lake Murray is so beautiful and I enjoy coming here! I've been here a few times to walk the trail…read moreand also sit by the lake and read on a nice sunny morning. The birds can be a bit annoying, but guess that comes with the great outdoors. Definitely a nice spot to chill, take a walk and get those steps in. This area feels safe and well maintained. When I went, there weren't too many people, so it was pretty peaceful. The trail can get busy and there are bathrooms along the way (I didn't use them though) There's plenty of parking here, but just be sure you leave on time for closing. I've heard they lock up and it can be an issue with getting out. (not sure how true this is but I won't chance it) There is more parking elsewhere with trail access too, I just personally haven't found it.

Lake Murray Service road walking trail is one of my go-to workouts--about 5.5 miles to the locked…read moregate and back. After entering the main entrance, follow the road and turn right where you will see a yellow locked gate. This is the beginning of the paved walking trail. There's plenty of parking at the main entrance, and the paved trail is perfect for walkers, runners, bikers, and even kids tagging along. It's basically a choose-your-own-adventure: bird watching, fishing (permit required), or just a casual picnic. Bonus perks: lots of porta potties and benches when you need a breather. If you're holding out for a real restroom, there's one just past the second baseball field--plan accordingly. Photo is attached to show where to locate this. Heads up: the main gate is closed every 2nd Tuesday of the month, but don't panic--you can still access the trail through the neighborhood entrance off Baltimore Drive. Hope you enjoy this walking trail as much as I do.

Just in advance, I haven't stayed yet, I just drove through and talked with staff (Debbie). She was…read morethe kindest and most professional person I've met in a while. I have some work in El Cajon that's going to take a few months and I live in North County so don't want to be driving down everyday. I stopped at the gate and was greeted by Debbie who gave me all the information I needed and answered all my questions. She was extremely knowledgeable and very kind. If they have other people like her on staff everyone staying there I'm sure is happy and taken care of. When I drove around I was stunned at how clean and well kept eveything was. It was also beautiful. All the ponds for fishing and areas to relax. Looking forward to a stay here. Will update review later.

This past Friday afternoon Janice derailed this before I could even give Santee Lakes RV Park a…read moretry. I visited their office in person last Tuesday to verify my 1991 Ford Econoline Jamboree RV would be accepted at this RV park, and they said absolutely yes. Then yesterday after speaking to Janice, apparently my RV is now no longer accepted at this RV park. I ran the website, policies, protocols and procedures through my ChatGPT and he verified that my RV is within the allowable ranges. After repeating myself twice to Janice MY RV IS NOT A RETROFITTED VAN and correcting her, she ignored me completely. Then doubled down and said "absolutely not, we do not accept Vans 14 years or older". Well that's funny JANICE because those words are NOWHERE to be found IN YOUR OWN RV PARK RULES dated 2026. And to think I was going to stay a month! Not a smart move at all Janice.