There are many miles of hiking trails in the San Diego County area. Some trails offer nice leisurely walks and others more of a challenge over rough uneven terrain. From the deserts and mountains to the coast, San Diego offers the most diverse trails in the nation. (www.sdcounty.ca.gov/parks/hikes)
Cowles Mountain:
Cowles Mountain (pronounced “kohls”) was named after George A. Cowles a prominent rancher who made his home in the El Cajon Valley in 1877. Cowles Mountain is located within the Mission Trails Regional Park. The main hiking trail is at the corner of Golfcrest Drive and Navajo Road.. This 1,592 Foot vertical hike is one of the best and most popular in the East County. This is one of the highest points in San Diego where the 360 degree view is breathtaking. This hike is about 1.5 miles to the top, however the elevations are more challenging and making it to the top of the summit is in itself an accomplishment. This trail is best taken in the early part of the morning and evening hours. The parking is limited in the lot, however there is street parking available. This is one of my favorite hiking trails for a quick burst of energy to begin the day. (www.wikipedia.org)
Torrey Pines State Reserve:
Torrey Pines was named in 1850 by a botanist who came to San Diego in order to determine the boundaries of California and Mexico. Today this area has become one of the best day hikes in the San Diego Area. This park is for day use only and offers several trails such as the Guy Fleming Trail, Razor Point Trail, Yucca Point trail and Beach and Broken Hill Trails. The Torrey Pines State Reserve is located between La Jolla and Del Mar and offers amazing views of the ocean. Each trail has well maintained paths and range from easy half hour to an hour hikes up to moderate two hour hikes. Walking along the bluffs, these trails offer a glimpse into the wonders of nature. Some of the oldest and rarest pine trees are in this area. The trails offer an abundance of wildlife and plants as well as views of the ocean and the beach below. Parking is available for a small fee of six dollars in the visitor center area. The Torrey Pines trails can be enjoyed all year round and are great for a family outing. (www.torreypine.org)
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park:
The Borrego State Park and the Anza Desert State Park merged in 1957 to create the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This area has some amazing hiking trails for the more aggressive of hikers. Some of the most popular trails include the Borrego palm Canyon Nature Trail, the Pictograph trail, and Ghost Mountain. Due to extremes in the weather these trails are more rugged in some areas. They are about 2 hours and range from 2 to 3 miles. The Anza-Borrego trails offer features indigenous to the desert areas along with wildlife and cacti, other features include a dry waterfall, remains of an Indian village and even an old abandoned house atop Ghost Mountain. The Anza Borrego Desert State Park offers a history of the area in the visitor center which would be a great adventure for the entire family. Make a day of hiking the trails in the Anza-Borrego Desert. This area is best during the Fall, Spring and Winter months. (www.desertusa.com/anza_borrego)
Whether you are looking for a nice easy hike overlooking the ocean or a challenging hike to boost your workout, San Diego has some of the best hiking trails in Southern California. There is an abundance of different hiking trails in the San Diego area, for more detailed information on San Diego hiking trails visit www.localhikes.com
