San Diego Hiking Trails
Lake Poway to Mount Woodson
Trail Distance: 8.7 Miles,
Best Times to Hike:: All Year Round,
How to get there: Lake Poway and Espola Rd | | DIFFICALTY: |  | | SCENERY: |  | | MAP INFO: |  |
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I did this hike on a Saturday afternoon. I only ran into three other hikers the whole way up. You start the hike at nice public park in Poway and follow a fire trail that overlooks the Poway dam for about 3 miles. The trail narrows as you start to climb the mountain. The trail is well marked and kept in great condition. The trail gets steep at times but overall I would give it a 6/10 for difficulty. The view from the top amazing on a clear day you can see the ocean, Downtown San Diego, Iron Mountain HWY 67.
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I just did this alone, it was a great hike...If your in decent shape I don't believe you will run into a lot of issues. I would say I am above average fitness level...So I rated the hike a 4 for difficalty.
The Scenic view is great - it was a little cloudy so it was great to see the clouds.
Great day!
We're new hikers, relatively fit, and enjoyed this hike immensely. We did 4.8 miles, 2.4 in and out. 'In,' was nearly 100 % upward; a great (albeit unexpected) aerobic and an-aerobic workout.
My calf muscles were speaking to me the next day, not complaining, just letting me know that they hadn't been used in a while like this.
Take your time on the way up, bring plenty of water, and enjoy the scenery. We were lucky enough to spot an amazing eagle overhead.
I agree SD Hiker. This hike is nowhere as crowded as Iron mountain. The sun will be at your back during the afternoon and there isn't much shade to take breaks at. I suggest wearing a hat and bringing plenty of water. There's a paved road and a radio station at the peak that you get to poke around as the fruits of your labor. Awesome hike.
To be honest this has got to be one of the best hikes I have been on in all of San Diego.
The trail begins with a steep ascent on a relatively wide dirt trail. Once you hike about 3/4 mile up the trail, the Mt. Woodson trail will be clearly marked and you will begin the ascent to Mt. Woodson. The main part of the trail is about 5-6 ft. across and is well maintained. Be careful about being the first one on the trail because there are many spider "webs" that you will have to push through. The latter part of the trail nearing the top is singletrack and becomes very steep. I was very satisfied with the difficulty of the trail. I was pushing a relatively fast pace and reached the top in about an hour.
Just FYI the gates for the park opens at 7am for this early birds...
I love this trail. It is only minutes out of Poway but a world away. This trail is much better than Iron Mountain
Thanks for information ;)
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Hiking Trails 
in Trails Around San Diego by Yenool, 03-09-10 11:44
