Mount Woodson and Potato Chip Rock
Poway, California
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.
Download the Outbound mobile app
Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.
Get the appFeatures
Mount Woodson and Potato Chip Rock Reviews
Not going to lie...this is a pretty difficult hike! You will sweat, maybe fall, & will definitely start to crave potato chips. Go on a weekday because you won't want to wait in a 45-minute line just to get up on the potato chip rock.
4.0
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
Community
© 2024 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy