Guided Hike

Saturday, August 17th: Join park staff for an easy three-mile round trip hike into Santa Ysabel East Preserve for blackberry picking. Yes -- they are an invasive plant so you are helping rid the preserve of seeds! It's a pretty tasty way to help out.

Date: Saturday, August 24th

Time: 8:00 am - 10:00 am

Wear: Walking shoes, and long pants are recommended as well because of the blackberry thorns

Bring: Plenty of water, snacks, a pair of gloves, bucket, sunblock, and sun hat.

Thursday, December 26, Get away from the stress of the holidays and hike to the summit of the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve. The preserve offers great hiking through 2,900 acres of beautiful mixed conifer forest, offering breathtaking views. Due to the trail altitude (4,100 feet at parking and 5,353 feet at the summit), this 5.5-mile hike is considered moderately strenuous. Dogs are permitted as long as they are leashed.

Saturday, October 19: Join County Park staff for an autumn hike through the Santa Ysabel Preserve-East to Kanaka Flat.

Saturday, October 12, join County Park staff for a full-moon hike on scenic Volcan Mountain. Led by a Park Ranger, you'll learn about the nocturnal animals who live there. This moderately-strenuous, five-mile hike will include an elevation gain of approximately 1,000 feet. 

Time: 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Wear: sturdy hiking shoes and dress in layers as the temperature can change dramatically as we reach the summit

Bring: a flashlight for the hike, plenty of water, and a snack

Sunday, September 22, join County Park staff for a short walk. You'll collect leaves along the way and get a chance to press them. This is a fun way for children and adults to be in nature together.  

Saturday, Sept 21: Join park staff for an easy three-mile round trip hike into Santa Ysabel East Preserve for blackberry picking. Yes -- they are an invasive plant so you are helping rid the preserve of seeds! It's a pretty tasty way to help out. 

Date: Saturday, September 21

Time: 8:00 am - 10:00 am

Wear: Walking shoes, and long pants are recommended as well because of the blackberry thorns

Saturday, August 17th: Join park staff for an easy three-mile round trip hike into Santa Ysabel East Preserve for blackberry picking. Yes -- they are an invasive plant so you are helping rid the preserve of seeds! It's a pretty tasty way to help out. If you aren't able to join on the 17th, there's a second blackberry picking hike the following weekend on Saturday, August 24th. 

Date: Saturday, August 17th

Time: 8:00 am - 10:00 am

Thursday, July 4th: Enjoy a bird's eye view of the many firework displays around San Diego County from the Volcan Mountain summit. Our friends from the Curiousity Peak Observatory and the Julian Dark Sky Network will meet us at the summit with a variety of telescopes for stargazing after the fireworks. 

This hike is moderately strenuous with an elevation gain of approximately 1,000 ft. in two miles and a total round-trip distance of approximately seven miles. Dress in layers as the temperature can change dramatically as we reach the summit. 

Saturday, June 8th - Hike the Santa Ysabel East Preserve from end to end with San Diego County Park staff. The eight-mile, moderately strenuous hike will start at the east side of the preserve on Farmer Road and head west to the Highway 79 staging area. Along the way, we'll walk through grassy meadows, oak groves, and chaparral.  We'll meet at the Highway 79 staging area and carpool to the east entrance on Farmer Road. 

Date: Saturday, June 8th

Time: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Bring: Water and snacks

Sunday, June 2nd rise with (before?) the sun and stretch your legs on a ranger-led sunrise hike up to the summit of the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve.

The summit of Volcan Mountain boasts beautiful panoramic views of both the Anza Borrego desert and San Diego County all the way to the coast. Getting to see the sunrise as we hike to the summit will be a wonderful sight to see!

This 5.4 mile round-trip hike is considered strenuous and takes about 3 hours. Be prepared for a 1,000 foot elevation gain to the summit of the Wilderness Preserve.