Trail: Follow the signed Lake Poway Trail around the east side of the lake to the junction with the Mt. This hike has some elevation gain (2000 feet from Poway and 1200 feet from Ramona), and is rated as challenging. The trail is fairly good condition for hiking, but at points can be rugged enough to be glad you have proper walking/hiking footwear. This is the short, steep way to Mt. Woodson along a road that is closed to all vehicular traffic except as required for the maintenance of the radio equipment at the top. formations, vast valleys, ravines, nearby hills and mountains, lakes, San Diego and Poway suburbs and cities, and on a clear day, the Pacific Ocean. The trails are more well-groomed than nearby Iron … Woodson portion of this hike is crowded even on a weekday so you will want to start early in order to find parking along highway 67. The grade up and back makes it a challenge in both directions. If your goal is to reach the Potato Chip Rock, then plan at least a 4 hour round trip, start early (recommend before 8 am), wear good hiking/walking shoes and bring water. The Fry-Kogel trail is the third route to the rock, and is about 4 miles each way. This is the trail that goes up to Potato Chip Rock. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. Very challenging and very busy trail. Woodson closed, Grasslands trails open Hikers parked along SR-67 Tuesday, March 24, ignored Mt. Woodson trail, it becomes a steep uphill slope almost immediately. Mt Woodson hike is called the Potato Chip Rock hike by locals This is a great trail, though it offers very little shade -- so try to take your pooch on a cooler day. The pay off is an awesome view of your surroundings minus the crowds. This is the short, steep way to Mt. Woodson Road up to the rock. The washrooms are at the concession stand immediately at the parking lot. ARRIVING AT POTATO CHIP ROCK. The hike took us Hour and a Half Up and an Hour Down. BOOK ONLINE. address: Mount Woodson Trail, Poway, CA 92064. Straight up, and it’s paved the whole way. Pin. Be on the lookout for an unsigned trail heading off to your left about .2 … Once you hit the Mt. Take the trail from the fire station road and head southwest towards the mountain, you won’t be on the trail for long, soon you will come across a service road, take a right on the service road and head towards the mountain. Woodson was known to the native Americans as "The Mountain of the Moonlit Rock" which describes the white granite and the sliver of rock known as the Potato Chip. 16422 N Woodson Dr Ramona, CA 92065 (800) TORREY PINES (800) 867-7397 Took 56 min to get up from Lake Poway parking lot and about 40 to get down. This trail is a 7.6 miles round trip. Great views of Poway, wish I would have done it with more sunlight but watching the sunset was priceless. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Lake Poway PARKING IS FREE during the week- (weekends and holidays it's $10.00 for non- Poway residents). From here follow the road straight up another 1.9 miles, passing a water storage container at 0.55 miles. Amazing scenery and definitely a great workout!!! If you are alone you better be in good shape to climb or be friendly enough to get help from the other hikers. Finally able to check it off my list here in San Diego. The biggest allure of this hike is, of course, the potato rock formation at the hike’s summit. Woodson along a road that is closed to all vehicular traffic except as required for the maintenance of the radio equipment at the top. The way down is much easier. The hike took us Hour and a Half Up and an Hour Down. Overall, it’s a well marked route to the Mount Woodson summit. From Espola Road go to the Lake Poway entrance. Good trail for a quick hike but steep. It’s pretty darn scenic. I began the hike at 7:30 a.m., reasoning I would be back before noon and outside of the warmest part. Menu & Reservations Make Reservations . 8 mile hike up Mt. I’ve been hiking Mt. The current photo in BringFido is for a completely different trail in Poway (Iron Mountain); that is a … This is a fantastic spot if you're ever in the San Diego/LA area to get in a great adventure. Woodson trail. Woodson a must play for all golfers. Its a generally good trail. Sure, it's a demanding 7+ miles (round trip). Is this a must-do if you are traveling with a, Are the prices for this place or activity, Would you recommend this place or activity to a friend looking for an, Is this a romantic place or activity that you would suggest for, 14644 Lake Poway Rd, Poway, CA 92064-1416, The trail is about eight miles round trip. But you get some great views of those rocky hills and valleys as you wind your way up. There is a also a 4ish mile hike up the fire road on the 67 in Ramona (park on the. This 8 mile round trip hike may take 3 to 4 hours on average and is only recommended for experienced hikers looking for a strenuous workout. The lake, valley’s, and of course “Potato Chip Rock”. The trail head has a sign near the Fire Station Road. I did it pretty late. Woodson along a road that is closed to all vehicular traffic except as required for the maintenance of the radio equipment at the top. The trail is also paved but can be uneven. of the day. This challenging hiking trail starts at the bottom at Lake Poway and is the more scenic route to the popular Potato Chip Rock near the summit of Mount Woodson. This trail is located near Poway, California.This trail is a 7.6 miles round trip. Woodson Trail offers a quite difficult and adventurous hiking experience. $10 parking fee on weekends. Mt. The elevation gain is 2106 feet. Pin. Pin. Once you get on the Fry-Koegel portion of the trail the traffic becomes light. This trailhead is the most popular, and likely the one that pops up when you google it. It is located on the Mt. Woodson on a regular basis since 2009. THEN, when you finally make it to "The Potato Chip", it's just an … The course is a true target-style design offering shot-making challenges you will never forget. Since that time, Potato Chip Rock has become the Disneyland of hiking destinations. In just .2 miles the trail will split again, the trail for Old F/K going to the left and then trail for Mt Woodson summit going to the right for 1.1 more miles.Eventfully you will start to traverse more along to the top of the ridge towards the antennas and at this point you can look off to either side, north or south and get some wonderful views. The current photo in BringFido is for a completely different trail in Poway (Iron Mountain); that is a … Woodson trail closure signs, many saying they needed to … Saw maybe 10-15 people total going on a weekday afternoon, which is exactly what I wanted. This is a great place for a good workout and training for long hikes and runs. All of this, combined with great playing conditions every day, make Mt. 811 reviews of Mount Woodson Trail "Hiking trails are a little difficult to review. Woodson Trail is a 7.6 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Poway, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. I was afraid I would be underwhelmed by the rock structure, but it was actually pretty cool. In fact, even experienced hikers and trail runners are often challenged by this trail. Advantages of Mount Woodson include the following: (1) It is a great place to explore, up close, the fields of roundish-looking boulders (kinda like fields of giant marshmallows). Filed under 5 miles, Dog Friendly, Peaks, Ramona, Trail Write-Ups Mount Woodson has become an extremely popular hiking destination due to the famous Potato Chip Rock – a fragile looking granite shard which, from the right angle, can look like its extending into nothingness, making for some creative photo opportunities. Its a generally good trail. A few times there were some forks that were unmarked. During the week, parking here is free. Once you hit the Mt. It was quite difficult and from the car to the summit it clocked over 4 miles each way. Right at the start you ascend and descend a little hill to get to the Mount Woodson trail. Mt. It is a well maintained and heavily used route. Pin. On weekends and holidays, the parking fee for non-residents is $10. The trail gains 2100 feet in about 3.3 miles, which means that it is steep. Mt. Woodson Trail & Potato Chip Rock Hike Insights. Blue Sky Reserve to Mount Woodson Trail is a 10.9 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Poway, California that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. 16422 N. Woodson Dr. Ramona, CA 92065 760-788-3555. rgorski@mtwoodsongolfclub.com. it's a good one partly due to the fact that it gets progressively harder as it goes along both elevation-wise and terrain-wise. Located in northern San Diego county, the Mount Woodson trailhead starts at the end of Lake Poway Road at Lake Poway and offers hikers, climbers and trail runners a challenging trail up to the famous potato chip boulder and Mount Woodson Summit. BUT, it’s also 7.5 miles of hiking with no shade, moderate difficulty. Going up is very steep but worth it, total 4 miles all together , from start of the trail to the top is 2 miles, feels like 4 one way because it’s very inclined. Woodson are alleviating safety hazards on state Route 67 and preserving open space, said San Diego County … Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Difficult trail- we took the trailhead at Poway park so the hike was 7+ miles. really nice trail. One of the more popular hikes in the San Diego area, expect a line of cars waiting at the gates. From here follow the road straight up another 1.9 miles, passing a water storage container at 0.55 miles. Note: you can also pluf in Lak Poway and get to the same place. However it’s also a very rewarding hike as we got to see views that are seldom seen elsewhere - beautiful rock. The last mile flattens out a bit and you should be able to see the antennas at this point. Woodson Summit is an extremely challenging 2,000 foot climb in elevation. See Philip Erdelsky's excellent Woodson trail map to clarify routes or create your own variations. side of the road, though they approved a 100 spot parking lot in the near future). The toughest section seems to be right after you circle the lake. We stuck to the thickest side and it worked out. I’d been told this hike is difficult but went anyway. The trail (really a fireroad) leads straight up a steep hill, which can easily be seen from the other side of the lake. The left trail is the Blue Sky / Lake Poway trail that continues around the lake. The best & most popular mountain biking trails in Mount Woodson. Castle managed by: Personal Touch Dining The highly popular Mount Woodson trail is a favorite destination for many San Diego hikers. Mt. Mt. Pin. Mount Woodson Trail is located within the Lake Poway Recreation Area, and parking is available in the recreation area. Out and back. The first 0.2 miles can be traversed in multiple ways, on road or trail. Moderate hike. Once you reach the benches, the terrain switches into a more rocky section. This challenging hiking trail starts at the bottom at Lake Poway and is the more scenic route to the popular Potato Chip Rock near the summit of Mount Woodson. Woodson Trail offers a quite difficult and adventurous hiking experience. 1/13/2011- This Hike Was taken on the Mount Woodson Trail. On weekends, for non-Poway residents, the fee is $10.00 for all day. Two priorities in planning parking areas at Mt. Woodson Trail is a 12.2 kilometer heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Poway, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. This 3.75-mile round-trip hike is paved and steep. From here follow the road straight up another 1.9 miles, passing a water storage container at 0.55 miles. Great hike. Mon - Fri: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. The trail is fairly good condition for hiking, but at points can be rugged enough to be glad you have proper walking/hiking footwear. A short route begins from free parking areas along Route 67 and takes Mt. Highly recommended for those who want to work that also getting on top of the rock you will need some assistance to climb. 1/13/2011- This Hike Was taken on the Mount Woodson Trail. The Mt. Fabulous views the whole way. It’s is virtually straight up a mountain on the way up with narrow paths and rock steps and stairs. Continuing east and uphill on the Mt Woodson trail, the grade "mellows out" a bit and only gains 700 feet over the next 1.2 miles to the summit. The Mt. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. The trail gains 2100 feet in about 3.3 miles, which means that it is steep. The lake and park are very clean and a well maintained. Gates don’t open until 6am. The views are worth the work, but don't be fooled: this trail is not for out-of-shape hikers. Mount Woodson Trail is located within the Lake Poway Recreation Area, and parking is available in the recreation area. It’s over a mile long and all uphill. Great views and workout. Definitely kicked my ass but lots of amazing views!, Woodson Mountain and Potato Chip Rock via Hwy 67, Ellie Lane Trail to Iron Mountain Trail Loop, Rattlesnake Creek to Tooth Rock Loop Trail, Ramona Overlook via Iron Mountain Peak Trail to Ellie Lane Trail, Lake Poway and Lake Ramona to Mount Woodson Loop [PRIVATE PROPERTY]. This trail is about 2.5 miles in length from the Lake Poway Trail and it's almost all uphill. gotta say, potato chip rock was cool for sure but the actual peak itself is mildly disappointing due to the fact that it's completely covered in communications towers. 811 Reviews (858) 668-4770. Woodson closed, Grasslands trails open Hikers parked along SR-67 Tuesday, March 24, ignored Mt. Once you reach this portion, you immediately begin your climb. Woodson Mountain Loop [CLOSED] is a 5.4 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Ramona, California that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. Mt. One of the most popular trails in San Diego, Potato Chip Rock via Mt. Pin. This is a very exposed trail so please bring plenty of water and sunscreen. This area gets extremely hot in the warmer months, and there is no shade along the trail. The route is difficult in scale, totaling 7.6 miles out and back, with elevation gains exceeding 2,000 feet. Mt. From the clearing, it's another ~1.6 miles to the Potato Chip Rock with little shade so plan accordingly with water and sun protection. Woodson trail is located in the city of Poway, right near Poway Lake. Go earlier in the day of heat will affect you. There is an 8ish mile hike from Lake Poway recreational park (with a parking fee of $10 for non-resident cars, 6AM to sunset). We had a picnic with our kids and had an enjoyable day at the park after our hike. Potato Chip Rock is a natural tourist attraction near San Diego, California. Bring more water than you think and a jacket for the way down. This trail is located near Poway, California. Weather. Trailforks ranks trails with a combination of user ratings and raw trail usage data from rides. You do get a great view … 16422 N Woodson Dr Ramona, CA 92065 (800) TORREY PINES (800) 867-7397; Speak to an expert Golf Coordinator . Views on the way up of the lake and at the top are beautiful! An upper intermediate hike for the grade up and down. Catherine Lukaszewski December 18, 2020. At the fork in the trail, you take a right to stay on Mt Woodson Trail. Mt. Potato Chip Rock will be on the right. Once you are in the parking lot, you will see signs leading to the trail head. Great hike! Hydration is a must year round. A challenging trail for one person can be moderate for another. Sat - Sun: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm . The Mt. There is a trail around the lake, a large park, and fishing/boat rentals. Seen elsewhere - beautiful rock or create your own variations fork in the city Poway! 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