Spectacular view at the top!! Highly recommend for local 4x4ers! Will need a spotter, if you have to reverse it. Mirrors are mounted at some turns so that you can oncoming vehicles. read more

Breath taking view! A wonderful g Family adventure arrive! This is a sign of California that is a must see! read more

Otay Mountain Truck Trail is an off-road adventure route in the Otay Mountain Wilderness, a nearly 17,000-acre expanse of rugged terrain in southernmost San Diego County. The trail offers opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, and off-road vehicle recreation, but is particularly popular among the hard core off-roading community which I am not a part of. However, it was still a fun experience with a local driving. Any weekend in the cooler months, you're likely to find Jeeps, Toyotas, and pretty much anything with four wheel drive exploring the area and testing the more technical off-shoot trails. It offers a number of optional routes for the more adventurous, some of which are best attempted in high-clearance, 4-wheel-drive vehicles only. If it's not rattlesnake season, you can also park and hike to abandoned WWII bunkers along this route! The Otay Mountain Wilderness is managed by the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM). There are large portions of this area set aside as an ecological reserve, so please stay on established trails to prevent damaging these important habitats. The trail is even better maintained on the second half, as US Border Patrol use the route to intercept anyone attempting to cross the US-Mexico border just to the south without documentation. You will be guaranteed an encounter with U.S. Border Patrol agents. The offshoot trail peaks narrow to one vehicle roads as they offer unobstructed scenic views along the border wall into Mexico. Be sure to stop and thank border patrol for their tireless efforts. Not just at keeping our borders safe, but for risking their own lives to save those who are in danger. It's another of those thankless jobs in today's America. If you're lucky like I was, at water tower 32, you will encounter a large metal mesh helicopter landing zone known to many as Bubba. It is still actively used by the Navy to practice mountain landing conditions and a photo is included. The Otay Mountains are an unforgiving, remote, and mysterious place. A popular thru-way for thousands of illegal immigrants, and the harsh mountains are shrouded in decades of violence. I'd like to add the road is extremely perilous in some areas with unsecure Cliff drop offs (as evidence by past wreckage in heaps at the bottom of ravines to deep to pull out). There are few passing opportunities so be secure in your reverse skill sets! More importantly- rumor has it to prepare for potential paranormal events. Beyond reputable tales of faceless ghosts and crashed phantom pilots, retired U.S./Mexico border patrol agent Rocky Elmore reported such compelling Sasquatch activity on the border, he documented and published them. It makes many of the 10 most likely spotting sights. After waiting until retirement to write his book- he details over 20 years of supernatural phenomena. Enjoy the trail, see the sights, and keep your nose out the window- from my understanding you'll smell a Yeti before you see one. read more

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I took my mountain bike up this trail last weekend. At first I couldn't find it because the directions sent me to an RV Park. I continued down the highway and ended up parking at the bottom of Honey Springs Rd. I road my bike back to look for the trail and found a locked gate where I thought the trail access should be. I found that there's a combination lock and you can get the code from the lady at the pico pico campground checkin booth. She said the combination changes frequently and be sure to lock the gate on your way in / out. There's barbed wire around the gate so while you might be able to jump over if you're hiking, vehicles or even mountain bikes would not be able to get through. This was kind of annoying and took an extra 20 minutes. After that inconvenience, the trail was pretty good. I was looking for somewhere to ride after the previous day's thunderstorm and the trail here was in good shape - no mud, even no standing water. The trail up from pico pico was in the afternoon sun almost the entire way. Bring a jacket for the descent though because it still gets cold. Took me about 3 hours round trip from honey springs road. read more

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As a native San Diegan, this was an unexpected find and with the recent rains, there were plenty of mud holes and puddles to play in. It's an easy trail and despite some steep drop offs, it's something a novice driver can negotiate. read more

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Very fun trail, close to San Diego. The view is breathtaking. I saw 3 border Patrol cars but they were all friendly gave us a wave :) Here is the address and look for the brown gate San Diego National Wildlife Refuge 14352-14366 Otay Lakes Rd Dulzura, CA 91917 United States read more

Otay Mountain Truck Trail - Entrance gate San Diego National Wildlife Refuge 14352-14366 Otay Lakes Rd Dulzura, CA 91917 United States - Local Flavor Near Me - Dulzura, California

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This 13 mile long truck trail is open seasonally so call the Pio Pico Campground to see if the gate is open. Look on Google Maps and familiarize yourself with this trail before you go and check some trail websites' descriptions and reviews to see what you'll be getting into. The "trail" is a narrow dirt road that starts at the campground and climbs the Otay mountain while curling to the southwest. It is fairly smooth, but the northern portion has some deep potholes and ruts; the southern section is smoother. The trail is frequented by runners, hikers, mountain bikers and Jeep/truck enthusiasts. The road intersects another dirt road near the summit at a place called Doghouse Junction. The average car could probably handle the trail, but a vehicle with some clearance is recommended. There are a few spots to pull off and take pictures and a few more to explore if you have a 4x4 and high enough clearance. That said, if you encounter another vehicle going the opposite direction then negotiating a passing will be very challenging as most of the road is mountain side on one side and the other side is a complete drop off to the canyons below. About two miles south of the summit you'll find the concrete walls and historic remains of coastal observation protection bunkers. They are covered with interesting graffiti now, but it's a good spot to relax, take some pictures, do a little exploring and have lunch. A gaze to the south offers a stunning view of the US - Mexico border. Expect to encounter Border Patrol during your visit to this area. They regularly roam the region in Jeeps, aircraft, trucks and ATVs. The Otay Mountain Truck Trail is a really interesting diversion if you're seeking a bit of altitude and adventure. If you check it out bring plenty of water, some food/snacks and maybe a first aid kit. read more

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Easy ride. Some ruts and dips but nothing crazy. Beautiful views along the way. No need to use 4 wheel drive if you stay on dirt/gravel road. However there are multiple moderate to advanced 4wd off-shoot trails. read more

Otay Mountain Truck Trail - Good times. - Local Flavor Near Me - Dulzura, California

Such a fun experience! We went out in my best friends' new truck and had so much fun! Be careful if you have a longer bed truck as you won't be able to turn around until the very end or until you hit a turn out. Definitely bring emergency supplies just in case and be ready for a gorgeous view!! read more

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I rode this trail yesterday in my Jeep 4X4 Rubicon. I enjoyed the majestic views from several points long the way. One can see clear out to the Pacific Ocean while looking West, way beyond the Mexican border looking South, Across the vast Mountain range into the desert looking East, and Mt. Palomar and beyond looking towards the North. Understand this, if you come up here the U.S. Border Patrol will know it. I got buzzed by their helicopter while sitting atop the Mountain gazing down at the magnificent views. Also, I met up with Agents on the ground twice. That being said, they did not hassle me in any way. They are there to protect our border and not to ruin your day. Both Agents that I spoke with were very polite. Be mindful of the wildlife (rattlesnakes, mountain lions, and coyotes) and bring plenty of water too. At one stop, I was relieving myself of some Bud Light along the truck trail when I suddenly found myself staring down on three rattlers in the bush about 20 feet from my location. Since the snakes were not boxed into a corner, we all went our own way without incident. I was hamming around with my CB radio and was talking to a guy in Yuma Arizona, how cool is that? There are certain parts of the trail where the road becomes very narrow with no guardrails. If you are at all afraid of heights, I recommend that you do not drive this trail. Looking down several thousand feet with nothing between you and the bottom of the Mountain is not for the faint of heart. If you encounter another vehicle driving in the opposite direction, one of you is going to have to back up your rig for quite possibly a good long distance. if you happen to lose the coin toss with the other driver regarding who will back up on this dangerous strech of road, get him to help guide you backward to the next turnout. If you have someone riding shotgun with you, all the better. You have been properly warned... Enjoy! read more

Otay Mountain Truck Trail - That's Mexico down below me... - Local Flavor Near Me - Dulzura, California

A fun ride along this 4x4 trail that the Border Patrol uses to get between Hwy 94 and the border. This trail goes up quite high on some narrow roads where barely two vehicles can get by one another. They really should make it one way. We had to help some man towing a trailer(!!) on this road to get by us as it was so tight. Expansive views of the Mexican factory zone, Brown Field, and Donovan State Prison as well as spectacular views of the Otay Mountain range. High clearance 4x4 vehicles are required here. read more

Otay Mountain Truck Trail - from my personal collection (c) 2006 - Local Flavor Near Me - Dulzura, California

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Going to the Otay Mountain trail was a super good time! I took the fam all the way up to the highest radio tower and the view from up there was amazing! Drove up there in my 01 GMC Sierra Z71. Highly recommend 4x4. Great for the family! I would give 5 stars but there is only one entrance. The only way to get in is right in front of Pio Pico. If anyone knows another entrance, let me know. Great time though. read more

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Great trail. Very easy off roading that anyone can try. Best part is there are plenty of border patrols so no need to worry about finding yourself stranded without help. There are plenty of offshoots that have trickier terrain also so it's got something for everybody. One thing, it does get quite busy and passing on some of the tighter spots is a little tricky as the edges drop off pretty steep. It's wicked at the top being able to overlook USA and Mexico all at once. Great day out. read more

I love it because it's so remote and it's the closest place to off road near San Diego that I know of.

GPS took us to the exit, so we had to google map "Otay wilderness" which was a 48 min drive from the exit. Worth it, great views all around. read more

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Nice trail for someone starting out! Border Patrol didn't bug me at all. I started by the Pio Pico RV park and it took me about 2 hours with stopping to take pictures. read more

Otay Mountain Truck Trail - Local Flavor Near Me - Dulzura, California

Please call the RV park or the general store near because it is closed for construction. read more

Otay Mountain Truck Trail - Please call this place before you make the drive because it might be closed for construction. - Local Flavor Near Me - Dulzura, California

A nice fun place to go for a drive but kinda sketch at the same time. I read some reviews about this place on random sites and watched some videos on youtube just to see if my buddies 71' bug can handle it. It crawled the trails just find. There are a lot of small side trails that a4x4 would enjoy more. Besides the main road there was a lot of border patrol activity. Two people were found in the hills and were put into the agents trucks. A US Homeland Security / US customs chopper circled us from no more than 20-30ft above. Other than the high border patrol activity the place was really scenic. read more

Super cool trail! BP is everywhere tho! It was awesome when the clouds were rolling in. I was kind of scared about the shooting range that's near by but other then that great trail! nice way to get out of the city! read more

Otay Mountain Truck Trail - Local Flavor Near Me - Dulzura, California

Excellent place to leave the city behind and relax for a day. There's only one road with a few side trails for vehicles so your Ford Raptor might be a little too much for this. The trip can be done from Dulzura to Otay or viceversa on a two wheel drive as long as you stay on the main road. Make sure to drive slow since there's traffic heading both ways and remember, California law says that traffic going uphill has the right of way. read more

Finally took my new truck onto this trail and it was fun! Probably can get away without 4wd in dry conditions, but I prefer having the control regardless of. We stayed on the main trail beginning at the RV park and was lucky to have the whole trail to ourselves. It was a Sunday, mid day. They really should make it a one way road as it can get tricky having to backup to the next turnout. Great views throughout and the initial ascent felt like we were driving up to heaven with no guard rails! read more

While visiting our son last year he took us out for a "ride" in his new truck. We love it! The roads were not that bad at all! Little bumpy in spots but I handled it just fine. The views were amazing! At one point a helicopter flew by and it was so cool.... how close we were to it! Border Patrol was everywhere but the just waved as they went by. If you have a truck, and are in the area.... I definitely suggest checking out the amazing views from this trail. read more

Set your GPS to Pio Pico Campground (it's a trailer park). The trail starts just to the North side of the mini-mart. Go through the BROWN gate, not the yellow gate. prepare for a full day of mud and dust and taking pictures. The best views of the rolling mountains i have found in any desert I've visited. read more

I go to the top of Otay Mountain alot, I've seen the landscape in many various conditions. Sometimes the spring flowers are so abundant I feel like Dorothy in the Land of OZ. There are other times when I feel so helpless like after the annual wildfires destroy so much of this majestic quiet place. My family likes to ride their quad-runners to the top of Otay, please be careful of the rattlers we have had more than one run in with them. You should also be aware of fresh poop on the trail, mountain lions, and coyotes live there too. We encountered a man of Mexican decent on the mountain once we asked in Spanish if he needed some water to drink, he declined and asked for a cigarette. read more

We have driven this trail in my truck without even using 4x4. The road is narrow at points. Border patrol is very active on this trail and doesn't even look at us! Whew! I don't like getting out of the city just to get into trouble out in the country. This trail can be accessed right next to the Pio Pico campground and market. Well worth experiencing! We could see Otay lakes, parachute rs, and even the ocean! Panoramic views are the best! read more

We did this trail yesterday afternoon with my step-daughter who is a new driver. We had a super hard time finding the trail, but somehow, some way we were able to stumble upon it in Dulzura and then came out by the Pio Pico RV Park. Once we were on it, we were blown away by the beauty. We didn't run into any Border Patrol, or anyone else for that matter, which made it all the more magical for us. On a super clear day, one would easily be able to see Cabrillo Point-- we were just happy with what we saw! read more

I loved this trail-- Theres nothing dangerous about it, its just a good trail for the wife and kid to come along and not get too freaked out.. The views are amazing read more

Easy trail for my FJC, enter in past Dulzura or through the gate next to Pio Pico Camp Ground. A little steep in places and sharp turns but a friend said he took his Honda Civic up there, good luck. Nice view from the top when clear, from Rosarito to La Jolla. Fun easy drive... read more

This is a great area for chopping up fallen trees with an axe, going mountain biking, and having a picnic with GORGEOUS views of the sun dancing off the ocean, the Otay valley, and Mexico. Go during the rainy season and walk in the clouds. Go a few weeks after the rainy season and their are wild orchids and a perfusion of brightly colored wildflowers in the eastern valley. The whole area smells like lemon pine. Words alone can't describe the majesty and magic of this place - but Richard Souther's Vision: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen, For the Creator (O Quam Mirabilis) comes close: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67qHEPkrxV8 read more

It is the closes place to go 4wheeling from the southbay and you can go up off the 905 by Donovan Prison and come down by the ThousandTrail RV park or more east on Maron Valley rd.The view up there is hard to beat day or night.There are lots of trail to exsplore and all the trail are easy for a wrangler.There are lots of Boarder Patrol but they are just doing their job.They know the erea well so if you want to know something about the erea they are the ones to ask. read more

I stopped by for a quick lunch at theOtay Mountain Truck Trail Bakery in the lower level at Macy's near Dulzura. I had a sumptuous chicken salad sandwich stuffed with chicken, grapes on thick sliced sour dough bread, lettuce and tomatoes. It was served with chips. My order was delivered quickly by attentive and friendly staff. I appreciated the soda machines there for refills and left with several loaves of bread and some other fresh baker items.a cookie and apple bar.both mouthwatering. read more

This was a very fun trail to drive. It's not too far away, and it's very scenic. There are great views as you are going to the top, and the view from the top is amazing. It's a very easy trail to drive, I drove it in a 2WD truck with no problem. There are several trails off to the side that require 4WD, which I attempted and made it a good portion of the way up, but at one point or another you will need 4WD to make it through the side trails. The road is pretty narrow, I do not like heights, but I did not have a problem driving this trail. It's a relatively safe drive, you just need to be careful and watch your corners as you don't want to run into a truck coming down the trail. If you are really really uncomfortable with heights and don't trust your driving, then I wouldn't recommend driving this trail. There is a lot of border patrol activity but they are friendly and just leave you alone. The trail isn't too hard to find, you are going to turn right onto Marron Valley Rd from Campo 94. The trail is down Marron Valley 2-3 miles. Until you leave the pavement and hit the dirt, there is a slightly faded sign labeled Otay Mountain Truck Trail off to the right which is the base of the trail. read more