Trail Trips
The San Diego Sea to Sea Trail is not only an amazing thru-trail, it’s also an excellent opportunity to get out-and-about for a day or weekend adventure. Whether you’re a hiker, biker or equestrian - or a mixture of the three - there’s something for everyone, for all levels of experience, on the San Diego Sea to Sea Trail.
This page is dedicated to giving you as many ideas as possible to make the most of your time on the Trail. Where else in the world can you experience such a range of environment in just 140 miles?!
We’re also hosting a quarterly competition, sponsored by Gregory Mountain Products, if you would like to make your own Trail Trip submissions. Click here for more details!
High Mountain Views atop El Capitan: hike/equestrian
Introduction to the Trip: This is a great 13 miles workout, and for the awesome views and a seat high atop El Capitan’s face, the effort’s worth it all the way. This trip will take you to the Sea to Sea Trail’s highest point (3675’), and give you the Trail’s highest elevation gain/loss (4000’/4000') in just a few miles. Unfortunately, bikes aren’t yet allowed on this trip.
Gear: Good grip trail shoes or boots, day pack with plenty of water and snacks to keep you going, camera and mon/binoculars for the views. Hiking poles highly recommended.
Season: We recommend during the cooler temperatures of winter, from late October through May.
Maps: USGS San Vicente Reservoir and El Cajon Mountain (only beginning of Trail marked).
Getting there: Approximately 30 minutes from San Diego. From San Diego, take the 8W and then the 67 north, following all the signs to Barona Casino. After the 67 bridge after Lakeside, turn right at the traffic lights on to Willow Road. Follow that until the 4-way stop, and turn left on to Wildcat Canyon Road. At 4.2 miles, as the road hits its high point, park in the Trailhead’s carpark to your right. This is opposite the entrance to Oak Oasis Open Space Preserve, where the Sea to Sea Trail comes out from the west. The gates to the Trailhead open at 8am and close at 5pm.
The Trip: Out of the car park, head left/east up the driveway (dirt and concrete) past Blue Sky Ranch. You’ll soon find an interpretive sign with loads of information about the local habitats. The Trail then gets steep and windy for a short while, until you pick up the old miner’s road, and the surface levels out. The Trail is marked every mile, and at the 3-mile mark, turn back to the west to see the views of downtown San Diego and Point Loma. At the 4-mile mark, the Trail can be a bit puzzling, as suddenly you head steeply downhill again and lose all your hard won altitude! Don’t be alarmed as you’re going to get that entire altitude back again. At the bottom of this descent, there’s a shady stop for a break, with corral fencing and a water sign. We’ve never seen water here, but it’s good place to stop and catch your breath. Back up the Trail again, you’ll pass an old army jeep that won’t be going anywhere soon. Just before five miles, you’ll have reached your ‘where-to-go-next’ decision point. At this col there’s a sign with three options: up El Cajon summit to your left (3675’), or the old radio shack and its lower summit to your right (3367’), or the top of El Capitan’s face straight ahead (2900’). On this trip, we’re going straight ahead!
The trail’s very obvious, though washed out in some places. But it soon eases out and it’s easy hiking for the next mile-and-a-half. Further out the trail splits in two – take the right fork and follow the obvious but slightly overgrown path SW. As you walk further out on El Cap’s face, be wary of the rock edges – it’s a long way down! At the furthest point, there’s an obvious seat to sit and admire the enormous views up to Viejas Mountain to the east, the mountain ranges way to the south, and San Diego City to the west. Below you is the San Diego River Valley out it winds out of El Capitan Reservoir – San Diego’s very own Grand Canyon!
Desert to Mountains Circuit: hike/equestrian/bike
Introduction to the Trip: This is an adventurous circuit day trip for experienced hikers and mountain bikers (or even road bikers). Starting from just above sea level outside of Borrego Springs, you’ll experience a nine-mile steep 3000’ elevation gain hike with wondrous views up the ridges atop Hellhole Canyon, and once you reach the S-22, a fast bike ride 3000’ down Montezuma Grade back to your starting point. If you haven’t a bike, or you’re on a horse, have someone pick you up from the Trailhead at Jasper Trail/S-22. You can get mobile reception there if you need to make a call.
Gear: Mountain or touring bike, bike helmet and gloves, good grip trail shoes or boots, day pack with plenty of water and snacks to keep you going, camera and mon/binoculars for the views. Hiking poles highly recommended.
Season:
We recommend during the cooler temperatures of winter, from late October through May.Maps: USGS Borrego Canyon and Tubb Canyon, CA (out-of-date re Montezuma Grade and Trail not marked), or Tom Harrison’s San Diego Backcountry (Trail marked).
Getting there: Approximately 90 minutes from San Diego. From San Diego, take the 8W and then the 67 to Ramona. Follow the 78 northeast out of Ramona, and at Santa Ysabel, take a left on to the 79. Follow the 79 north, until a right hand turn on to the S2. A few miles ahead, watch out for the hard left-turn on to the S-22, heading to Borrego Springs. Drive through Ranchita, and just after the cattle stop and entry signs for Anza-Borrego Desert Park, find the trailhead sign for the Trail on your left (north). It’s an easily missed brown stake with yellow topping, marked ‘California Riding & Hiking Trail’, just after the entry sign for the Jasper Trail (also the San Diego Sea to Sea Trail) on the opposite (south) side of the road. You’ll actually need to stash you bike for the homeward stretch of trip off Jasper Trail, as north of the S-22 is designated Wilderness and no bikes allowed. Continue driving down Montezuma Grade (S-22) and at the very bottom to your left, there’s the Hellhole Canyon trailhead parking area (with toilets and interpretive sign), where your adventure begins. As the first stretch of the Trail is designated Wilderness, mountain bikes are not allowed until you reach the S-22. And no dogs allowed either.
The Trip: The interpretive sign in the car park actually maps out your hiking or equestrian route for the day – it’s the yellow trail marked the California Hiking & Riding Trail. Follow the sandy trail west out of the car park, and at the marked junction, make a hard left (south). Here’s where the hard work begins! The Trail is narrow, steep and rough, but very clear. Keep looking behind you and the views will astound – the Santa Rosa Mountains, Borrego Springs and the Salton Sea. The ridgeline of the San Ysidro Mountains to the west is also a grand sight, and the cacti and ocotillo vegetation get more interesting the higher you get up.
At a vista high point of 3400 feet, the Trail will drop you down into the northern end of Culp Valley, passing across the trailhead for the short hike to Pena Spring on your right (a possible side-trip of 1.2 miles return). The eastern most extent of the damage from the Julian Fire of 2002 is evident here, but keeping a sharp eye for the Trail, occasionally marked by pink ribbon and cairns/ducks, you shouldn’t have any problems as you continue to gain elevation. Once you top out at eight miles and 4000 feet, the Trail levels out to a slightly wider clear sandy trail as it heads towards the S-22. The end of the hike is just ahead, and the beginning of your exhilarating nine miles, 3000 feet bike ride down to where you parked your car.
Click here for directions for the San Diego Sea to Sea Trail!