Coming from the East Coast, where summers are humid and rainy season is no joke, I still sometimes find it surprising that I landed in this desert city of San Diego. The coast and beaches certainly help me forget that, but drive a little east, where most of the harder hiking trails are located, and you’re in legitimate cacti country. That also means dry, dusty hikes that—I’ll be honest—I’m not incredibly fond of.
But that’s why it was such a pleasant surprise to find the lush and verdant scenery at Los Penasquitos (“Little Cliffs”) Canyon Preserve, situated between Ranchos Penasquitos and Sorrento Hills. Sometimes the greens were so bright that it was almost like someone cranked up the saturation levels. And minus a few times when you see houses or the highway, you feel secluded à la Cheryl Strayed hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in Wild. OK, Los Penasquitos is a totally flat course, so not at all on par with the difficulty of Cheryl’s journey, but that same palpable feeling of being away from it all is there.
The nearly 4,000-acre preserve includes more than 10 miles of trails—a mix of shaded and non-shaded areas—that accommodate hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians, as well as a historic adobe ranch house and event space for weddings. Along the trails you’ll find sycamores, cacti, and even bobcats and coyotes, one of which I spotted the first time I walked this trail.
The most popular route is a six-mile loop that brings you to the waterfall—it’s pretty, but “waterfall” is a generous term—at Lopez Canyon before either rounding back the way you came or completing the loop, which involves crossing the creek to get to the other side. Since the trail is all walking and can get a wee bit monotonous, we definitely wanted to cross the creek and finish the loop on the opposite side of the trail. It takes some delicate hopping-over-stones footwork but is very much doable. Eaman even did it while holding Teddy by the leash! You’ll see people stop at the canyon to sun on the rocks, take pictures, picnic, or even read a book. And more than a few dogs will eagerly pull toward the water desperately wanting a quick dip in the cold water.
Tired, sore, and fueled with enough Vitamin D for a good month, you’ll likely want copious Mexican food after. At least that’s how we felt.
Take a look at scenes from Los Penasquitos:
Will definitely have to do this hike on a cool day! I love how that sign points you in the direction of the waterfall :)
Kristin
I am intent on taking up at least a few exercising activities this year, and hiking seems like a such a fun thing to try. I might just try and go around this area, especially with the waterfall nearby. Does the area get hot around certain times? Or is it manageable?