Adventure America! Hiking Cowles Mountain in San Diego, CA

As I adventure across America, I have to mention that I travel for work every week. This puts me in various places across the country on a regular basis. You will see several adventures while i’m on the road for work. I was on business in San Diego and found myself with an afternoon and plenty of daylight to go hike a thing. I jumped on AllTrails and searched the area from most popular to least and there were several short hikes. I wanted something I could get done in a couple of hours and still had a decent climb and some challenges to get a good workout.
Cowles Mountain is the highest peak in San Diego proper and I found an out-and-back with access from Barker Rd. I also checked this same route on GAIA GPS and found a loop route with the same climb and access point. I typically use GAIA on all my hikes to track and record the routes and altitudes. It’s good to have multiple resources as the community on GAIA also leaves reviews and trail condition reports. I included the link to the trail map below. I highly recommend the GAIA GPS app for all your adventures. https://www.gaiagps.com/hike/223348/cowles-mountain-loop-via-service-road-and-barker-way-trail/
I did this hike clockwise and it was really great. The climb is a series of cutbacks and is very rocky with several natural rock steps as you ascend. It seems to be a busy, heavily trafficked trail but there was plenty of room for everyone. The views on the climb are quite awesome. I kept stopping to snap pics and take it all in. You can see Mission Trails Golf Course, Lake Murray, and the San Diego cityscape off in the distance. I shared the pics on the Exploits and Adventures Instagram account and you can get to them here… https://www.instagram.com/p/B1uwlFMlU2q/
The climb up the front takes you right to the summit stone and you have plenty of room to take in the views and even sit for a bit before you make the climb down. I chose the loop route, so I took a stair case on the side and used the access road to head down the backside to the parking area. It’s a steep downhill walk and you want to make sure your shoes are tied correctly or your toes will hurt as you make your way down. There are several side trails that take you to other locations and trailheads, so make sure you stay on the road. As I was heading down, I saw a curious coyote that looked like he was carved out of stone. He stood there motionless as I passed and I just kept moving, looking back briefly to make sure he wasn’t following. They are harmless, but be careful if you have a small dog or child with you. There were also several rattlesnake warning signs on the trail so keep your eyes open!
All-in-all it was a great last-minute hike to find and a great way to clear my head while on the road. I recommend this if you’re in the San Diego area! 
Enjoy!!