South Fortuna Peak

South Fortuna Peak hike

Distance: 4.5 miles | Hiking time: 3 hours | Difficulty: 6/10

South Fortuna Trail is best known for the wooden stairs that lead you up the final ascent to the summit, but there’s so much more to love about this trail. If you’re in search of a fun and diverse hike with an abundance of scenery and a few worthy challenges, then the hike to South Fortuna Peak will not disappoint. Oh, and did I mention that the views from the summit of South Fortuna Peak are spectacular?

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North Fortuna Peak

North Fortuna Peak hike

Distance: 6.5 miles | Hiking time: 4 hours | Difficulty: 7/10

North Fortuna Peak is the third highest peak in Mission Trails Regional Park, behind Pyles Peak and Cowles Mountain. This is a fun hike and an easy extension when hiking to South Fortuna Peak via the same route. There’s more than one way to reach the summit of North Fortuna Peak, but South Fortuna Trail is by far my favorite.

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Related posts:
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Pyles Peak

Pyles Peak trail

Distance: 6 miles | Hiking time: 3 hours | Difficulty: 7/10

Beyond the summit of Cowles Mountain, another 1.5 miles down the trail, there is a peak that few people know about, and even fewer make the effort to visit. Pyles Peak may be Cowles Mountain’s lesser half, but only in stature. The 3 mile out and back extension offers a number of impressive viewpoints, while leaving the crowds and chaos of Cowles behind.

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Related posts:
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Kwaay Paay Peak

Kwaay Paay Peak Trail

Distance: 2.5 miles | Hiking time: 1.5 hours | Difficulty: 5/10

Kwaay Paay Peak Trail in Mission Trails Regional Park is a short, out and back hike that will leave you breathless, both on the hike up and from the view once you reach the top. Not for the faint of heart, this trail is steep, rough and tough. Wear a rugged pair of hiking shoes and prepare yourself for a quick, but memorable hike.

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Related posts:
Cowles Mountain Trail Hike: Rewarding Views are Worth the Challenge
Kwaay Paay Peak Hike: A Short, but Challenging Hike Through a Manzanita Forest to One of San Diego’s Highest Peaks
Pyles Peak in Mission Trails – a Little Known Hidden Gem
South Fortuna Trail Hike to North & South Fortuna Peaks
Take on the Mission Trails 5-Peak Challenge

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Cowles Mountain South Trail

Cowles Mountain Southern Trail

Distance: 3 miles | Hiking time: 2 hours | Difficulty: 6/10

If you’re looking for a quick, challenging hike in San Diego that is easy to find and offers unobscured views of San Diego for as far as the eye can see, look no further than Cowles Mountain. But be ready because lots of other people are looking for the same thing.

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Related posts:
Cowles Mountain Trail Hike: Rewarding Views are Worth the Challenge
Kwaay Paay Peak Hike: A Short, but Challenging Hike Through a Manzanita Forest to One of San Diego’s Highest Peaks
Pyles Peak in Mission Trails – a Little Known Hidden Gem
South Fortuna Trail Hike to North & South Fortuna Peaks
Take on the Mission Trails 5-Peak Challenge

Read more