Category: San Diego Hikes

Coyote Peak in Anza Borrego

@serafinahikes

I drove into Borrego Springs and I made a right through the center of town. I drove around the traffic circle and noticed a farmers market. From here, I drove straight out into what feels like the middle of nowhere. Rego Springs that's one of those places where you feel like you're getting away from it all every sense of the word. Very few stores, homes, or anything here, yet it still hangs on somehow I personally like this little town a lot. I continued onto Sultan seaway. I could see the coyote peak off in the distance illuminated by the morning sun. I wasn't expecting to see an actual coyote, driving up the road to Coyote Canyon. I headed up Rockhouse Canyon Rd. and parked in what looked like a small turnaround, next to a bush. It would be a 6.2 mile hike to Coyote Peak, and there was no trail.

2 Peaks in a day: El Cajon Mountain and El Capitan

@serafinahikes

My hike to El Cajon Mountain (ECM summit) and El Capitan, was a long time coming. I had wanted to hike to these two San Diego foothill peaks for a couple of years. I was waiting for the right opportunity to present itself. The weather and conditions were right, it was the right season, and I was finally feeling up for the challenge, fitness wise.

Stonewall Peak and Cuyamaca Rancho in Fall

@serafinahikes

So this would be my second hike in this beautiful historic wilderness park, and former rancho, with habitation dating back over 9,000 years. It was the home of the Kumeyaay tribe, and seven villages were located here. It would be my second time hiking here. I was coming on a busy weekend in fall. I drove up Hwy-79 and parked at Trout Pond trailhead, not noticing any indication of a need to display a parking pass here. There were about 5 cars parked here, and across the road. I exited my car and was just in awe of the fall colors. It had been unknown to me in planning this hike that the fall colors would be at their peak. I began hiking along the Marty Minshall Trail, heading towards the forest, which was glowing in shades of bright yellow.

A 6 mile hike in the Blue Sky Reserve and Lake Poway

@serafinahikes

Nature and wilderness are a pristine, unpolluted place to find solitude. I have a thing about hiking in and exploring ecological reserves, with their intact natural beauty, native flora and fauna. You can learn the story of a place not just by what is placed there, but from what was there all along, before any development ever took place. Several of these wild places are found throughout socal, and today I was going to explore a new one, exploring 6 miles throughout the Blue Sky Ecological Reserve.

Annie’s Canyon and the San Elijo Lagoon

@serafinahikes

I have known of Annie's Canyon a few years, yet strayed away from visiting it, placing my efforts more on long strenuous climbs, challenging myself. I did not think this would be challenging, and I knew it was a very crowded popular spot, so I kept putting off visiting here. The trail through the San Elijo Ecological Reserve leading toward Annie’s Canyon, has several different options to accessing the canyon. I ended up choosing the trailhead located at the end of North Rios Avenue, also referred to on maps as the Gemma Parks Interpretive Trail. The San Elijo Lagoon is an estuary, surrounded by a series of winding trails throughout the marsh.