What a gorgeous area to hike. It is so beautiful, and you see cows, horses, and other animals along…read morethe way. The trail is very popular and often busy but worth the visit. Parking is available on site, as is a portable restroom at the trailhead. We visited this site almost every day as it's a good way to start the day. Highly recommended.

This is an absolutely lovely place to hike. Actually we came out for more of a leisurely walk, just…read moreto enjoy some fresh air on and unseasonably warm winter day. I don't have much to say that others have not, but here are a few pictures. Definitely worth a visit!

Loved this hike ! As others mentioned though, the way back is almost 3 miles at a steep incline…read more There are a few benches and shady spots to rest but it's hot! I went in the middle of Jun and the water was pumpkin and there were three creek crossings and a great place to swim. Comfortable shoes a bathing suit sunblock and a ton of water. It was also packed down at the falls by 10, so get here early. It was worth the steep incline after, it's a beautiful hike.

Always get your pass to do this hike (they will be checking for it before you enter the hike),…read morewww.recreation.gov only $6. They have water, bathrooms before you start the hike, but nothing once your out there. Pack plenty of water especially in the summer, I had to run out to beat the night. Pack a flashlight! The water fall wasn't going too much this time but I will have to make my ways back for this was a very unique set up. I had a really relaxing time once I got to the boulders viewing the waterfall, ate my lunch and just took it all in. It is a very easy hike down, but make sure your prepared to possibly double your time trying to make it back, the path is very steep and sandy. I did see a few families who finished this hike when I was coming in, but I don't know how well kids would enjoy this hike in a hotter time of year..

Beautiful day for an easy walk/hike at San Dieguito River Park! There are a few different trails to…read morechoose from. I opted for an easy out-and-back route that was just under 4 miles total with a little over 200 feet of elevation gain. The trail is well maintained and offers some really nice views along the way. Perfect spot if you're looking for something scenic and not too strenuous. Would definitely come back!

Super cool and exciting trails! 10min from Ramona, kinda of…read morea hidden gem (locals know). Room for horses, bikes, dogs on leach and humans. We heard plenty of woodpeckers, saw a few rabbits and enjoyed the peaceful valley! Make sure you bring plenty of water Cell signal really spotty - download the map prior to heading out

I had always wanted to check this out and was not disappointed. There are ample walking trails that…read moretake you through oak woodland, and open grasslands. Lots of Raptors and great for birdwatching.

Fun little place to go for a hike or take pictures…read more There are plenty of trails, loop trails, signs. Some are shorter, some longer. Some easier, some harder. Only about 35 - 40 minutes E of Oceanside, so not too bad. There are plenty of animals to see the 3 or 4 times that I have been there. Including ground squirrels, rabbits, snakes, cows, coyotes, birds of all kinds such as woodpeckers, meadow larks, hawks, vulture or condors, etc. Pretty much dirt, so if it rains, mud. During the spring bloom there are some pretty flowers. There is 1 trail that leads to a pond, with some ducks, etc. There may be people riding horses, make sure you yield to them, whether walking, walking your dog, riding a bike, etc. There is a porta-potty at the beginning of the trail in the parking lot. Make sure you lock the gate when you enter the trails.

Had such a beautiful, peaceful hike at Helix Flume Trail in Lakeside on a late Monday afternoon! So…read morehappy it wasn't busy, felt like I had the trail all to myself. They have parking (no bathrooms, though!), and I finally understood why there's, uh, evidence of wildlife around... Let's just say it's quite a climb up there! Luckily, the trail was dry, but a heads up for rainy days, it could get slippery. For me, it felt like an easy-medium trail, and absolutely worth it for the views and that refreshing Monday reset. You should definitely give it a try!

This is a short but great trail. The first half mile is a bit moderate with the uphill climb. On…read morethe way up you can view the mountain side and a body of water across the street. Once you clear all that it's an easy hike toward Lake Jennings. Overall it's a 2.8 mile hike in total. Should take about an hour to hike it all. It's easy to miss the entrance and parking to the trail head. Look for a fence with a green sign. Parking is easy enough once in. It's all dirt and some terrain to park so if you have an SUV or truck I'd drive those. A car though can still make it in.

A very nice and short ~2.9 mile round trip hike that took about a hour. This must be a hidden gem…read morebecause there was no one else on the trail. The trail was mostly a dirt path with a couple semi-steep inclines. There were a few areas that were overgrown. The main attraction of this hike was the awesome view of San Vicente Reservoir! Free parking! There's also a restroom if you need it.

I came here to go to the star party which is held every second Saturday of the month. This is a…read morereally neat event. Astronomers come with their telescopes and volunteer their time to show us neat stars, planets and galaxies. You should arrive about 30 minutes before sunset to get a parking space and be on time for the twilight hike with the ranger. The ranger gives each person a flashlight if you don't have one to borrow and goes over some rules while on the hike and things you may see or come across. We saw bats, scorpions, stink bugs and a tarantula besides a beautiful sunset. Coming back from the hike the Astronomers have everything g set up and you an take turns looking through their telescopes and they will explain what you are looking at. We saw the Milky Way, mars, Saturn , Jupiter, satellites, shooting stars and the nebulous of a star that exploded. All pretty cool things you don't see on a daily basis especially living in the city. Later on they even made s'mores. Super cool and free event for the star gazers, family, girl/Boy Scouts, and couples.

This is my ideal type of hike. Can be completed in under 4 hours (only took us 1.5 hours including…read morelingering at the top), mostly shaded, lots of uphill, beautiful view up top. Aim to hike in the morning for the most shade. Start at the parking lot across the street and pay $10 to park. There are restrooms on site that are relatively clean. The first quarter mile is a little steep and not shaded, so it seems like you're in for a strenuous hike, but it quickly turns to shade and very gradual incline switchbacks. It's not until you get to the last quarter mile that it gets steep and sunny again. The trail is 2 miles one-way.

Stonewall Peak is one of the more underrated inland hikes of San Diego County located halfway…read morebetween Julian and Descanso at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. It's a little over an hour from the I-5/I-8 intersection to reach this trail. We visited during the cooler season when the afternoon temperature was in the low 70s without any clouds to obscure the sun. There was a parking lot across the road from the trailhead for campers and day hikers. The charge for the latter was $10 per vehicle. The trek to the summit was roughly two miles, and we managed to reach it in about 50 minutes. The trail itself had a lot of gentle switchbacks which made the ascent easier and allowed us to keep a good pace. There was also a lot of shade throughout the hike which made it even more pleasant. We saw many parents with young kids along the way. That indicated the difficulty level wasn't too strenuous. Having said that, the final climb did involve scaling across boulders before you reached a set of rock steps with metal handrails on one side leading up to the peak. The views at the top were gorgeous with the backdrop of a clear blue sky and other mountains in the distance. A few signs were mounted facing different directions. They described some of the landmarks that you could see from the respective perch. The only feature missing from this trail was the presence of a nearby body of water (e.g. creek, pond, lake). That would have elevated Stonewall Peak Trail to a full five-star experience.

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