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Mount Woodson and Potato Chip Rock

Poway, California

4.6/5
based on 13 reviews

Details

Distance

6.45 miles

Elevation Gain

900 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Dane

Hike to the famous "Potato Chip" Rock formation along the Mt. Woodson Trail and enjoy amazing views of all of San Diego.

Mt. Woodson is located in Poway's most eastern region and is one of San Diego's most popular and most iconic hiking trails. Known for its grand photo opportunistic "Potato Chip Rock", Mt. Woodson is a 7.5mi out-and-back trail with amazing vistas, convenient rest stops and breathtaking views.

The trailhead begins at Poway Lake & Park (open 6:00am-5:00pm) and the parking fee is $5.00 to enter. The park is extremely clean with picnic tables, shady trees, restrooms and an adequate amount of parking spaces. From the parking lot to the top is roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes.The hike begins near the south east side of the park on a wide flat dirt trail horseshoeing east around the lake. For the first half of the hike you will find portable restrooms and trash cans every 1/4 mi which are great for families or tossing doggy bags.

The climb begins around mile 1.5, where there are rigid, steep switchbacks consistently until the halfway point. The reason I love this trail is for its physical challenges! There are signs posted along the trail, making it very easy to follow. Once you make it to the top, enjoy the famous Potato Chip Rock and its incredible views.

I would like to note that weekends can get pretty crowded, which leads to a line forming to see the rock. I recommend coming on a weekday where you can expect to see 5-10 people total.

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Features

Photography
Hiking
Bathrooms
Dog Friendly
Easy Parking
Food Nearby
Groups
Lake
Scenic

Mount Woodson and Potato Chip Rock Reviews

I love the hike to Woodson's Summit. One of the toughest hikes in the city, and also one of the most rewarding. I've been hiking Woodson since 2009 and have yet to have my picture taken on the chip. I'd rather slip past the crowds and shoot pics from the real summit a couple of hundred yards further up the hill.

If you're here to get that "Lion King" shot you've seen on instagram, maybe consider going during the week. Be prepared to hike through throngs of people and wait in line to get a picture on the rock during the weekends. For a more interesting experience, you can do this hike for a full moon!

There's an awesome park and lake right by the trailhead, so pack a cooler and sandwiches and enjoy them after the hike

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Relax at Lake Poway

Blue Sky Ecological Reserve to Ramona Dam

Catch a Sunset at Twin Peaks Mountain

Iron Mountain Peak Trail

Mount Woodson's East Approach

Battle Mountain's Cross