Hiking 12.5 miles to a waterfall, an Old Ranch House, over bridges and streams

I had hiked through Los Penasquitos Canyon once before, and was here for a second time. I was here a few years ago and this long, yet not so strenuous hike served as training for my solo thru hike backpacking the Trans Catalina Trail over 3 days.

Hiking Wild Horse Trail in the Agua Tibia Wilderness

Today I would be hiking Wild Horse Trail. I had been wanting to visit the Agua Tibia Wilderness along Hwy 79 in Temecula for some time. This rugged, beautiful, and isolated area, has several peaks to climb along with plenty of jaw dropping scenery. This wilderness area is located within rural San Diego County, about an hour from Orange County. I hiked 12 miles in the wilderness out and back experiencing my first taste of the Agua Tibia Wilderness, a place I vowed to return to again soon.

Cuyamaca Peak

I paid a visit to Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, located in eastern San Diego County, on the fringe of the Laguna Mountain Wilderness. If you're looking to get away from it all in the wilderness, the trails along Hwy 79 here are some of the least trafficked in the county. My goal was to climb to Cuyamaca Peak (Elev 6512 ft), one of the highest peaks in San Diego County. This peak is listed on the Sierra Club’s Hundred Peaks List, in the San Diego Section.

Sunrise to Scissors: PCT Section A Complete

Follow me on my journey, as I complete PCT Section A. There is beauty in completion, and though I may never complete the whole PCT, I completed the goal set before me, to finish PCT Section A hiking from Sunrise Trailhead to Scissors crossing, on a 17.9 mile day hike.

Starting at Sunrise: 20 miles on the PCT

I returned to the PCT to continue finishing hiking Section A, starting at Sunrise Trailhead, heading Sobo along the desert section overlooking Anza Borrego. I was treated to scenic boulder strewn vistas, rugged rocky peaks, and plenty of wildflowers. It is PCT hiking season, and I ran into several Nobo hikers throughout the day.