3 min
Overview
Cowles Mountain is hardly a secret to San Diego hikers. This easily accessible, moderately challenging peak can be reached from several different directions, and it offers the best views (marine layer permitting) of downtown San Diego county. In fact, the peak is the dead opposite of a secret, as the summit can be crowded with visitors at any given time on any given day. Therefore, I’ve included a side trip to lesser visited Pyles Peak, which is an easy 2 mile addition that branches off from the summit of Cowles Mountain. Cowles and Pyles Peak are contained within Mission Trails Regional Park, which is a 5,800 acre open space preserve that is also the 6th largest municipally-owned park in the United States and the largest in Southern California. Similar to Los Angeles’ Griffith Park and San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, Mission Trails attracts countless hikers from all over metropolitan San Diego, and it is the most accessible and visited urban oasis in the county. The park, established in 1974, contains over 40 miles of trails and includes rugged canyons, peaks, riparian ecosystems, and a section of the San Diego River. Lake Murray The area has a rich Native American history, which is reflected in the name for nearby Kwaay Paay Peak and numerous exhibits in a separate part of the park detailed Kumeyaay life. Cowles gets its name form a more recent San Diego resident named George Cowles, who was a New England rancher who settled in El Cajon. His name is now affixed to the highest point in the city of San Diego. Before the Cowles moniker stuck, the mountain was also known as “S” Mountain. That name originated from a large “S” painted by a number of SDSU students in the early 1930’s. Over the years, there have been numerous attempts to restore the “S,” but as Cowles is now in a protected area, the “S” has met a sad and ignominious demise. Monkeyflower Starting from your parking spot at Big Rock Road, walk south toward the trailhead and step onto the narrow but well-maintained trail. Immediately, the trail will
Trail Stats
10.5 km
518 m
490 m
128 m
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Photos
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