Jamul, California

One of the top outdoor adventures in Jamul, California, is the Hollenbeck Canyon Wildlife Area Trail. This 6.1-mile trail is moderately difficult and offers scenic views of rolling hills, oak woodlands, and a year-round creek. You'll also find a variety of wildflowers and wildlife along the trail. Another must-visit is the McGinty Mountain Trail, known for its unique rock formations and panoramic views of the surrounding area. For a more leisurely outdoor activity, visit the Sweetwater Reservoir Riding and Hiking Trail. This easy, 4.1-mile trail is perfect for a relaxing walk or bike ride. It winds around the reservoir, providing beautiful water views. These are just a few examples of the best trails and outdoor activities in and near Jamul.

Top Spots in and near Jamul

Jamul, California
Hike Mt. McGinty

4.8 mi / 1263 ft gain

Balancing a good workout, gorgeous views, and minimal time commitment, these 4.8-mile steep trail is definitely a San Diego point of interest, and despite its proximity to the city of San Diego, it remains a low trafficked hike. The Hike: Right away the trail weaves you through beautiful vegetati...
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Jamul, California
Hollenbeck Canyon Trail

4.65 mi / 709 ft gain

The trail is wide and well maintained. The first mile of the trail is well shaded by oak trees. You'll see stunning rocky peaks and rolling green hills as the trail continues. There are three creek crossings to be aware of. Cleveland National Forest is dog friendly, but bring a leash! Hunting is ...
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Jamul, California
Hiking Otay Mountain

5.0

15.3 mi / 2903 ft gain

The trek begins on the Otay Mountain Truck Trail at Pio Pico Resort & Campground. You can either park and hike the entire trail, or drive up to a point a couple miles and park before the road becomes steep and rough. The distance on here is if you hiked the whole way. If you have a 4-wheel dr...
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Chula Vista, California
Hike Mother Miguel Mountain

5.0

4.5 mi / 977 ft gain

At the summit, your work will be rewarded with stunning views from downtown San Diego all the way to Mexico. You can also see the surrounding mountain peaks and the Sweetwater Reservoir. This is a great hike to do at sunset - but bring a headlamp / flashlight for the hike back down. This trail i...
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La Mesa, California
Catch a Sunset at Lake Murray

Lake Murray Reservoir provides drinking water to parts of San Diego, and thus is a no swimming lake. This is one of the reasons it is such a great place to photograph! If you are shooting the sunset, use this app to check the time the sun sets, and get to the lake at least 30 minutes prior to set...
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Santee, California
Crystal Cave

4.0

0.46 mi / 59 ft gain

Starting at 8100 Mesa road, you will see parking along the side of the road in a few places, take advantage where you find it. Pass over the trail gate that marks the start of the journey. This will be a quick trip, as the total distance is less than a mile out and back. Head a quarter mile or ...
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San Diego, California
Pyles Peak

5.0

6.03 mi / 1706 ft gain

Most people who live in San Diego have heard of, if not hiked, Cowles Mountain. At 1591 ft., Cowles is the highest peak in the city of San Diego. It's a hugely popular destination for day hikers and trail runners looking to get in a little trail time and take in the 360 degree views the summit h...
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Santee, California
Cowles Mountain via Big Rock Trail

4.0

4.86 mi / 1207 ft gain

Starting somewhat near sea-level, Cowles Mountain via the Big Rock Trail climbs about 1000 ft in elevation. This trail is about 5 miles total, out and back. Arrive at Big Rock park which has good parking. At the park you will walk to the left of the tennis courts past the limits (the fence) of...
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Santee, California
Cowles Mountain via Big Rock Road

4.5

4.32 mi / 1109 ft gain

Start by plugging 8125 Arlette St, Santee, CA into your GPS. This takes you to Big Rock Park, a convenient parking spot for the Cowles Hike. From here you want to walk through the park, and around the right side of the tennis court. This will take you to the fenced entrance to the hike. Head sout...
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Santee, California
Kwaay Paay Trail

2.4 mi / 846 ft gain

Park your car in the small gravel parking lot at the southwest corner of Father Junipero Serra Trail and Bushy Hill Drive (this is especially important if you plan to take the sunset hike, so you'll be outside the locked park gate when you descend). There will be other hikers parked there, but I'...
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San Diego, California
Visitor Center Loop Trail

5.0

1.46 mi / 148 ft gain

The Visitor Center Loop Trail is a 1.4 mile hike in San Diego that features river views and allows dogs.The Visitor Center Loop Trail is a well maintained, quick hike with shady spots scattered along the path and open year-round. This trail is great for kids and dog owners. There is a great netwo...
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Santee, California
Oak Canyon in Mission Trails Regional Park

5.0

3.22 mi / 249 ft gain

Starting on Father Junipero Serra Trail, drive 0.7 miles west to the Old Mission Dam parking lot on the left. The park closes the gates at 7pm, so make sure to park early, or plan your hike in such a way that you don't get locked in! If you think you'll need longer, you can park out on the main r...
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Lakeside, California
Hike El Cajon Mountain

4.5

12 mi / 4100 ft gain

This challenging trek is a great way to get in shape for that spring or summer trip to the Sierras. You may have heard others tell you how tough the hike is and they're not kidding. You'll be gaining 4100 feet over the 12 miles to the peak and back. If you have the time and the energy, you should...
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Lakeside, California
Hike the Oakoasis Open Space Preserve

2.5 mi / 300 ft gain

Starting at the trail-head, head down towards the oak-lined ravine marking the beginning of the hike. With trees already growing back from the 2003 fire, these sections of the trail are nice and shady, and quite relaxing. About 1 mile in you will start to see the San Vicente Reservoir to your lef...
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San Diego, California
South Fortuna Mountain

5.0

4.59 mi / 997 ft gain

Hiking at sunset/night is a great way to beat both the heat and the crowds. On a clear day, you can see from Mexico to Catalina Island! If you stay long enough, you can see all of San Diego's city lights turn on, or the marine layer fog creeps into the canyons. South Fortuna Peak is part of Miss...
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San Diego, California
Mission Trails 5 Peaks

15 mi

The 15-ish mile route we took made it a great workout, but it didn’t crush us. We left the apartment at 6 am and were back home with plenty of time to prep cook and eat a big dinner before 5 pm. Although I completed the hike in 1 day(and I highly recommend it)many people completed each hike indi...
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