EXPLORE SAN DIEGO

Three Sister Falls: Be ready for a challenge. This, while one of my favorite hikes ever, was not easy (also beware of poison oak). The trail starts as a pretty straight forward path on the side of a mountain, through trees. However, as you progress, the trail becomes much sandier, until you reach a very steep, very slippery, long stretch on the mountain. This you will have to use ropes to repel down. There are two ropes to choose from, one significantly less steep than the other, but either way, make sure you wait until the person ahead of you is a ways down, it's hard to climb down with two people holding the rope. Soon after that rope stretch, is another that leads down a rocky cliff. Don't fret, the cliff is short, but do be cautious. The part after the two ropes was very fun. Our group hikes a long the river, climbing rocks and peeking into little caves. At one point, one person disappeared up one of the mountains, later to be found waving at us from the stop and sliding down the side. I wouldn't recommend this, however, unless you really want poison oak. Regardless, it was funny to see. When we reached the falls, most of the group stopped and rested at the bottom of the falls. Two of my friends and I, however, were determined to make it all the way. We continued up to the first falls (another path with a rope), where we admired the river from above, jumped into a small pool, and basked under the waterfall.

Photography by Mandalyn Kime.

Ho Chi Minh trail: This is a great, short trail down to the beach hidden between homes in La Jolla (close to Torrey Pines Gliderport). About 1/4 miles into the trail, it forks into two trails. Both forks are pretty sandy and goes along some short cliffs (but cliffs none the less), so be cautious when hiking. First, we explored the left path, which is extremely popular with surfers and leads right down to Blacks Beach (caution: nude beach). Right by the bottom is a beautiful cliff that's sprinkled with bright green plants and has a tiny trickle of a waterfall coming down from the top. This was a fun spot to take some photos and climb around the cliffs. Right passed there is the beach. It was extremely empty compared to most beaches around San Diego, but then again, it was also much more nude. Regardless, we were able to find a spot away from any other people and take a dip in the water. Heading back, we hit the right fork, which is a steep trail that goes up the cliff. This was also a very short hike, but definitely worth seeing. It leads right to the top off the cliffs where you can overlook Blacks Beach, the crashing waves below, the mansions that hang over the water, and the hang gliders from Torrey Pines. We made it right on time to watch sunset from the top and make it to the car before dark, which was beautiful, quiet, and incredibly refreshing.

Torrey Pines State Beach: This hike was another great climb down the side of the cliffs overlooking Blacks Beach. To park, we drove all the way to the back of the Torrey Pines Gliderport, right by the golf course. We were initially in search of a separate hike near the golf course, but when we walked towards the edge of the cliffs (and then to your right) and saw this trail that seemed to drop straight down the sandy edge, we couldn't resist. The hike was steep and sandy, so be prepared. There was a plenitude of different paths to take down and little outlets to look out over the beach and even a small, worn looking set of steps (but were definitely stable enough to walk down). It was a short trail down, but if you wanted to extend it you can walk down the beach as far as you want.

Torrey Pines Gliderport: The gliderport is the perfect spot to relax and watch the sunset or just the hang gliders flying above. Grab some food at the Cliff Hanger Cafe or from one of the many restaurants at La Jolla Village Square, eat on the cliffs, and you have a great date. Whether you're a local or a tourist, be sure to check it out!

2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Dr, La Jolla, CA 92037

Devils Punch Bowl/Cedar Creek Falls: Commonly know as Devils Punch Bowl, this hike takes stamina! If you're interested in this hike, be sure to first get a permit online. They're only around $5 and work for up to 6 people, but you will need one to start the trail. The walk down was not bad at all, though I could already tell climbing back up would be a challenge, between the winding path and steep incline. Regardless, the hike had a nice overview of the area and it was generally quiet, with not many people hiking the trail. When you reach the waterfall you will have to climb a little to get to the pool. The best time to go is spring, when there will be a little more rain and runoff from snowmelt, but we went in fall and it was not bad either. We were about to climb around the rocks (the ranger won't let you, but we happened to be there at his lunch break) and also jump into the water (which was so cold it felt like needles and probably not the most sanitary- I wouldn't reccomend it). The falls was just a tiny trickle, but it was a nice place to stop, eat lunch, and just hang out for a while. Walking back was more tough- we had to stop several times for water breaks and by the time we made it up we were completely winded.

15519 Thornbush Rd, Ramona, CA 92065

Rope Beach: Located right off of Sunset Cliffs, Rope Beach is a short walk and then repel down the cliffs. It was difficult for us to find- we ended walking up and down the cliffs several times, first finding Point Loma Nazarene, then a staircase down to tide pools. We finally asked a surfer where to find the path. From the parking lot (address below), the path is directly west, past the chain link that lines the edge of the cliff. You'll typically see people walking back up, but if you look over the cliffs, you can easily spot the path. This is another popular spot for surfers, similar to Ho Chi Minh trail. The beach below is not even close to as crowded as La Jolla, Mission Beach, Ocean Beach, or any other major beach around San Diego, so if you don't mind a short climb, it is worth going down to. We laid in the sun, just as usual, and chatted with a quiet background. We were able to go into the water too, though the current was pretty strong and the water covered rocks rather than sand.

Ladera St. (Sunset Cliffs Parking Lot), San Diego, CA 92107

South/North Fortuna: If you're looking for a little bit of a challenge in the middle of San Diego look no further than the sister Fortunas. Located right of the other side of Mission George Road, these lesser known mountains are almost as tall as Cowle's but receive almost little to no foot traffic in comparison. The most challenging route is to go from the River Crossing Staging Area up and over to the bottom of South Fortuna. There you will encounter the 'Stairway from Hell' (how I lovingly refer to it as I'm climbing up it). Your legs will burn and you will work up a nice sweat by the top but the views and sense of pride are unmatched. Follow the rest of the trail either to complete the South Fortuna loop or push yourself further to include North Fortuna.

Mission Trails Jackson, San Diego, CA 92120

Pyle's Peak: Looking for a way to push the basic Cowle's Mountain hike a little further? Pyle's Peak is truly a hidden gem and the exact opposite of the single file lines of hikers that storm Cowle's each morning. You'll want to start out this hike early, not only because there will be less of a crowd for the first half, but Pyle's can add up to one extra hour to your hike. Trying to avoid the chaos all together? Start the hike on the backside of Cowle's from the Barker Way Trailhead.

6941 Barker Way, San Diego, CA 92119

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