Distance:2.4 miles | Hiking time:1.5 hours | Difficulty: 5/10
Garnet Peak is located just off the Pacific Coast Trail on the northeastern edge of the Laguna Mountains. At 5900’ in elevation, it sits at number seven on the Sierra Club’s list of the 100 highest peaks in San Diego County.
Related posts:
Garnet Peak Trail – Catch a Sunrise on the Summit in the Laguna Mountains
Pine Mountain Trail: A Summit Adventure Hike in the Laguna Mountains
Distance: 10 miles | Hiking time: 5 hours | Difficulty: 7/10
Pine Mountain Loop is a fun, scenic hike that uses a series of connecting trails and fire roads to circle around, and eventually past the summit of Pine Mountain. The route is frequented by hikers and mountain bikers and offers views of Cuyamaca Peak, Middle Peak, Stonewall Peak and more. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can take a short hike off trail to the summit for a secluded picnic in a pine tree forest.
Related posts:
Pine Mountain Trail: A Summit Adventure Hike in the Laguna Mountains
Distance: 10 miles | Hiking time: 5 hours | More info. If you’ve been following my hikes, you’re likely aware that I’ve been tackling the
Distance: 6 miles | Hiking time: 3 hours | Difficulty: 6/10
Standing at 6512 feet, Cuyamaca Peak holds the top spot on the Sierra Club’s 100 Peaks of San Diego County list, and is officially the second highest point in the county. During the winter, Cuyamaca is one of the few places in San Diego that’s almost guaranteed to get snow. Aside from the views along the way, hiking the paved road to the summit isn’t that noteworthy. But if you don’t mind putting in the work to get there, the views from the summit are better than anywhere in the county.
Related posts:
My Cold Weather Clothing System Tested on Cuyamaca and Stonewall Peaks in the Snow
Distance: 3 miles | Hiking time: 2.5 hours | Difficulty: 6/10
The Viejas Mountain Trail hike takes you straight up the western face of the mountain to the summit. Viejas Mountain is a thigh busting, lung burning hike that’s the perfect length for a quick workout, and the rewards at the top are worth every ounce of energy it takes to get there.
Related posts:
Viejas Mountain Trail: A Quick Hike to an Ancient Kumeyaay Ceremonial Site with 360 Degree Views
Distance: 4.0 miles | Hiking time: 3 hours | Difficulty: 7/10
Three Sisters Falls is a popular hike buried deep within Cleveland National Forest, just southwest of Julian. The unmaintained trail is steep and rugged, and provides a variety of obstacles and technical challenges for the adventure seeking hiker who’s not afraid of bumps and scratches. When the water is flowing, the Three Sisters Falls are spectacular and offer a refreshing spot to cool off before setting out for the difficult hike back out of the valley.
Related posts:
Three Sisters Falls Trail – A Beautiful Destination Hike, With One Caveat
Three Sisters Falls – A Springtime Reunion Waterfall Hike
Distance: 4.5 miles | Hiking time: 3 hours | Difficulty: 7/10
The hike along the fire road leading to Lawson Peak is really just the price of admission. The real adventure begins when you reach the base of the peak and begin your scramble for the summit. If it’s a challenge you’re looking for, it’s a challenge you’ll find at Lawson Peak
Related posts:
Gaskill Peak: Off-trail Adventures in San Diego’s Backcountry
Lawson Peak Trail: Hiking, Scrambling and Climbing to the Summit
Distance: 7.1 miles | Hiking time: 4-5 hours | Difficulty: 7/10
With a peak elevation of 3836 feet, Gaskill Peak stands nearly 200 feet taller than its little sister 1.5 miles to the south, Lawson Peak. Gaskill Peak can be hiked by itself or included as an add-on adventure when hiking to Lawson Peak.
Related posts:
Gaskill Peak: Off-trail Adventures in San Diego’s Backcountry
Lawson Peak Trail: Hiking, Scrambling and Climbing to the Summit
Over the last couple of years I have been working on putting together an effective cold weather clothing system. It’s a work in progress that continues
Distance: 3 miles | Hiking time: 2.5 hours | More info. The hike to the summit of Viejas Mountain trail begins with a steep 1.5
