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Escondido, California

Looking for the best hiking in Escondido? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Escondido. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Hiking Spots in and near Escondido

  • Campo, California

    Hike Corte Madera Mountain

    7.75 mi / 2375 ft gain
    From Buckman Springs Road, turn onto Corral Canyon OHV/Morena Stokes Valley Rd and drive almost 5 miles to a green gate with a red heart on it, this is the trailhead. Just past the turn is the parking area that fits 5-6 vehicles. Walk across the road past the locked gate and head up the oak cover...
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  • Borrego Springs, California

    Hike the Panorama Overlook in Anza Borrego Desert State Park

    1.6 mi / 636 ft gain
    This is an out and back 1.6 mile round trip with 636 feet of elevation gain. The top has excellent views of Anza Borrego. It is close to the visitor center.
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  • Julian, California

    Ghost Mountain Trail to Yaquitepec

    5.0
    1.29 mi / 443 ft gain
    Ghost Mountain Trail to Yaquitepec is an out-and-back trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Julian, California.
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  • Canyon Lake, California

    Kabian Memorial Park Loop

    5.0
    3.48 mi / 335 ft gain
    Kabian Memorial Park Loop is a loop trail that takes you by a lake located near Quail Valley, California.
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  • Mount Laguna, California

    Night Shoot at Mt. Laguna USAF Station

    This is a great stop when passing through the Anza Borrego Desert. The drive is very scenic, and passes through Sunrise Highway. Once you turn off the road, it's a very short drive up the hill where you will find a large spot to leave your car. There is a service gate that you can't drive through...
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  • Mount Laguna, California

    Red Trail Roost and Agua Dulce Trail Loop

    4.0
    4.63 mi / 591 ft gain
    Red Trail Roost and Agua Dulce Trail Loop is a loop trail where you may see wildflowers located near Julian, California.
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  • Dana Point, California

    Walk the Dana Point Preserve Trail

    5.0
    0.5 mi
    Ocean views the whole time, plenty of wildlife and different species of native plants make this short hike beautiful. With the hike being short enough to complete in the afternoon after a day at the beach you can see a beautiful view of the coastline north and south. There is plenty of parking in...
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  • Laguna Niguel, California

    Colinas Ridge Trail

    2.01 mi / 131 ft gain
    First, you'll be parking in the parking lot for the dog park. It's free parking and there are roughly 40 spaces, so there is plenty of parking. I've never seen more than 20 cars here at any one time. Once parked you'll find the trail head/ start on the northwest side of the lot (opposite the dog ...
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  • Campo, California

    Kitchen Creek Falls Trail

    4.0
    4.83 mi / 722 ft gain
    Kitchen Creek Falls Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Pine Valley, California.
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  • Dana Point, California

    Hike the Salt Creek Trail

    5.0
    3 mi / 20 ft gain
    Starting from the Salt Creek Beach parking lot (a paid lot that takes cash, debit, and credit cards and charges by the hour. There are pay stations at a few points in the parking lots), you head west towards the ocean...through a tunnel and down the hill towards the beach. Once you get to the bas...
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  • San Diego County, California

    Hiking the Laguna Hills via the PCT

    5.0
    20 mi / 2000 ft gain
    This trail is well-maintained, but gets a little rocky on the PCT, and the Chariot Fire burn-zone between Penny Pines and Hayes peak will have a few downed trees and some overgrown grasses. On the other hand, the trail network of the BLT is confusing to follow as the entire network is named "Big ...
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  • Hemet, California

    Hike South Fork Trail

    5.4 mi / 1056 ft gain
    Begin by following the unsigned but visible trail on the south side of the turnout. You climb steadily through bushes and past granite boulders. At half a mile, you pass over to the western slope of the hill where the trail bends southeast, providing your first look of the river valley far below....
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  • Corona, California

    Hike to Santiago Peak via Holy Jim

    5.0
    15 mi / 4500 ft gain
    When you think of Orange County, you think of beaches, boardwalks, but what you may not know is that there are some great hikes in our very own backyard! My favorite is a fairly strenuous day hiking adventure that only the strong survive. Not to dissuade any interested parties, since this is a ...
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  • Corona, California

    Hike to Holy Jim Falls

    3.0
    2.9 mi / 570 ft gain
    To start, directions on how to get to the trail there are two different ways, the most common , which I will explain, being through Rancho Santa Margarita you will head east on Santa Margarita Parkway, turn left at the dead end (into a parking lot for a shopping center) on Plano Trabuco Road, thi...
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  • Lake Elsinore, California

    Explore Walker Canyon

    4.3
    Walker canyon is within easy driving distance from most places in Orange County and San Diego which makes for a great day trip.  While there is no official parking lot for the trail you will be able to find parking all along Lake Street and Walker Canyon Road.  The trail begins at the corner of L...
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  • Trabuco Canyon, California

    Hike the Bellview to Dove Lake Trail

    2.5 mi / 75 ft gain
    This hike will be about going from the Bellview Trailhead to Dove Lake and back. Note that once you get to Dove Lake there are numerous offshoots that can take you in different directions (you can follow the road into the Dove Canyon housing community, take a paved road back to the Bellview parki...
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