Mount Woodson's East Approach

Mount Woodson is a well-known hiking trail in San Diego County. It is known for its breathtaking views and the famous potato chip rock. The Trail on the east side of the Mountain is fairly steep but is about half the distance of the trail on the west side of the mountain. To get to the trail on the east side of the mountain, from Poway Road turn left onto Highway 67 and head north until you reach the Mount Woodson Fire Station. Park in the pullout on the west side of the highway, where you will most likely see other cars. From there you will take the trail along the side of the road. Follow the trail for about 5 minutes until it turns into a paved road, which is fairly smooth. You will then be on the old fire road and starting your way up the mountain.

On your way up the trail, there are huge boulders on both sides of the road where you can watch people rock climb. As you keep going farther up, the boulders get larger and the road gets steeper. There are plenty of spots on the way up where you can take a break and enjoy views of Poway and Ramona. Once you have reached the top of the mountain, you will see a field of antennas. Stay on the road and walk past the antennas, after that the road will turn back into a dirt trail and you will be going back downhill. Follow this trail for about a minute until it starts to level out, and you will then be at Potato Chip Rock and overlooking Poway. There are other trails you can take from this spot and explore that have some awesome rock formations. Overall, the Mount Woodson Old Fire Road is a great trail if you are low on time, want an amazing view, and do not mind a little leg burn.