Cowles Mountain

Great place to Hike ! Went in the afternoon and saw the beautiful sunset ! The hike up and down can be tricky but not very hard.

Super fun easy hike. And super dog friendly. Just be sure to bring a leash because there are cactus.

I will just say this. THE ONLY BAD THING ABOUT THIS PLACE IS THAT IT GETS CROWDED.
Other than that, alllll good stuff!
If you’re looking for a medium hike (one that won’t take long, and one that isn’t majorly difficult), Cowles Mountain is it!
Located not too far from the freeway in La Mesa, this mountain looks super challenging from below, but the trail gives way to SOME flat grounds to rest between all the inclination of the hike. I’ve hiked this mountain maybe four times altogether, and I’ve always enjoyed it.
1. The view alone is worth the hike. You can see all of San Diego, and she’s beautiful.
2. Again, not too challenging but enough to make you feel the burn in your glutes and your quads.
3. Only takes about 30 minutes to hike all the way up, nonstop.
4. You can easily get an even better workout if you run down it. But be careful! You literally have to watch the ground the whole time because you can trip on rocks pretty easily.
I would love to hike and run down at least once a week. Now who will babysit my kids so that my husband and I can do this?! LOL.

This hike is a great workout but, can get a little crowed. The view on a clear day is fantasic and the sunsets are magical on said days. I highly recommend this hike for beginners not wanting to get to far out of the city.

Difficulty level: expert
view: mediocre
Very steep incline injury prone mountain. Do not take your five month old or small dog with little legs. Do not smoke weed before climbing because you will injure yourself. Bring a walking stick or two. Longer than you think. Breaks ankles and scrapes knees. Bring water. Flowers looked ehh. Beware of the very fit men going up and down the mountain they are aliens. If you are going down don’t go back up because that’s dumb.

I probably come here once a week. Such a great trail! 1.5 miles each way so not long. If I want to go for a longer hike I will add on Pyles Peak as well. Cowles takes me under an hour round trip and then another hour for Pyles as well. Great views and a fun trail with some rocks along the way to challenge you a little bit. I love to trail run down it!

Great hike. 3 miles up (feels like 5) and 3 miles down (feels like 1). Haha. For a grand total of 6 miles. Trail is very rocky so watch your footing and pick up your feet so you don’t trip. Went on Memorial Day weekend so it was crowded. Parking is tiny so count on parking in the street.
Lots of dogs so watch for skat. Well marked. Bring plenty of water.
View at the summit is truly 360 degrees.

–Beginner hike
–3 miles round trip
–Typically 1 hour up and 1 hour down. (or as little as 35 minutes walking up and 30 down jogging)
–Ground differs from smooth gravel, to minimal climbing on rocks
–Website:
Cowles is part of the 5 PEAK CHALLENGE of Mission Trails. Don’t forget to take a picture with you AND part of the sign to validate that you did arrive at the top. Also if you are planning on doing the challenge, I would do Pyles on the same day as you have to climb Cowles to get to Pyles. Pyles begins at the top of Cowles towards the satellites going north. Bring plenty of water and snacks.
I usually park on Golfcrest, but there is a little parking lot that is usually filled particularly in the weekday mornings and on weekends. As with any hike, do not leave valuables in your car.
I’ve seen all types of people from moms with brand new babies strapped to themselves and old men with a walking stick going at a snail’s pace and everyone being very respectful of giving him room. Even little kids making the trek as young as 5.
There are 2 ways to arrive at the summit, one from Golfcrest which is the «front» of Cowles and the second on Barker Way off of Boulder Lake Avenue in the neighborhood behind it that will join the service road up the back. The back is STEEP, particularly the last little bit.
Dog friendly, public bathrooms and drinking fountains at the entrance. Lots of people so come on a weekday to avoid the crowds that come after work and on weekends.

wow what a day!!!
thank you cinna b for getting my butt out here finally.
we hiked all the way to the top and it was beautiful!
not a difficult hike .of course i don’t have much of a benchmark… never really done the hiking thing. but i think i’m addicted!
beautiful trails
beautiful views
and such an intrinsic reward throughout!

Cowles is one of the most popular hikes in San Diego. It is up there in popularity with Potato Chip Rock (Mt. Woodson), but not as strenuous. This hike is perfect for beginners. There are a lot of families, children, and dogs on the hike. Easy three miles round trip, with a gorgeous view of San Diego from the top. Cowles Mountain is the highest peak within San Diego city limits. Choose a clear day to go and you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how far out you can see.
If you are looking for a more strenuous hike that takes you away from the city and the crowd, you should probably avoid this hike. If you’re looking to get in a quick hike and enjoy a beautiful 360 view of San Diego, this hike is for you!

Great workout! Came here on a saturday morning and boy was it packed! There is a small parking lot with bathrooms as well as parking alongside the road. Kid friendly, dog friendly. And bring lots of water as there is minimal shade going up to the top. There was also quite a few runners however i seen them having to dodge the handful of others taking there time on the path. Lots of switchbacks on incline getting to the top of the mountain. Great views the entire way up. And once you get to the top, an even more amazing 360 degree view of SD!
If we lived in the area, I would definitely want to hike this every weekend for a good workout. Will probably come again with my doggy next time we’re back in SD ;)

WOOOOOO (RICK FLAIR VOICE)
IM STILL SORE From head to toe from this hike!
Alright so I will take you on a journey from the beginning!
When you first arrive you need to decide if you want lot parking, which they offer a small parking lot for parking and gathering. You also have the chance to park on the street and the street parking is virtually endless. IT GOES TO INFINITY it seems.
CM is a great hike to start the day off in SD. Depending on the time of day you might see a non-​stop flow of people going up and down. I went around 8:30 on a Monday and I saw many people sprinting, running, jogging, parkouring, back flipping although i wouldn’t advice that LOL. Along with those people, dogs were also all over that trail.
The terrain is good and challenging at certain spots, but not like that the whole time. The views are GREAT at the top but also as you go up you will see things that catch you eye in the distance. At the top you are rewarded with a 360 view of all of SD.

I have done this hike 3 or 4 times and it is ok if you just want a quick little workout.
Distance– about 3 miles RT
Path– rocky; too crowded for my liking; steady incline to the top
View– pretty good view from the top and there is a plaque at the top
Parking– free parking on the street, but since it is such a popular hike it can be hard to find a spot close to the trailhead

Cowles Mountain is an easy hike that’s suitable for all ages. It’s about 1.5 miles up, and 3 miles round trip. Slight inclines that zig zag up the mountain.
The parking lot is pretty small with limited spots, but there’s also parking along the street. Bathrooms and vending machines are also located at the trailhead.
Cowles Mountain does get very busy during peak hours. It’s also one of the popular places to hike at night. There are quite a few rocks, so it’s definitely advised to bring a light at night (though often times I’ve seen people without one). You can see the view of the city on the way up, but at the top you have a clear 360 degree view.
I’d recommend Cowles for everyone especially anyone new to hiking or training to run hills.

Ahhhh finally made it to Cowles Mountain… And right around sunset: D.
There is a small parking lot that fits about 30 – 40 cars and tons of street parking.
Fortunately, we came around 430 and found street parking very close to the entrance. The trail wasn’t too packed either but such gorgeous views!!!
1 and a half mile each way, a little steep but I would say moderate in terms of intensity. Round trip takes about 40 minutes to an hour if you walk at medium pace and take a few breaks.
Can’t wait to do this again.

Decent hike. Challenging but quick enough you can squeeze in before or after work. Good for dogs too if the weather isn’t too extreme.
Three miles total and you get a gorgeous 360 view at the top of the mountain.
So dog friendly. Love it.
Parking can be a pain sometimes. And can be dangerous walking across the street if you park further.

So there’s this 5 peak challenge where you gotta hike these specific peaks and take a selfie next to the summit signs. Once you get all of those pics, you email them and you get a certificate and a pin. Not much but hey it’s a bigger motivator than nothing.
That’s my current mission and Cowels Mountain was a good start. This hike was relatively easy but it was super busy! I went on a Sunday afternoon and dayummmm. Foot traffic galore. There were all kinds of people there from little kids to even elderly people. This is definitely a family hike but it’s not the number one easiest hike I’ve been on. That title goes to Los Penasquitos forsure. Cowels comes in a close second.
The path ways are wide but a lil rocky and the summit is 1591 ft!
Overall, you get a pretty sweet view up top if you don’t mind sharing it with everyone else. If you’re more into a quiet, nature focused hike and/​or a really rigorous workout then this may not be for you.

It may seem crazy, but this was my first time hiking Cowles. I’m just not a hiking kind of girl, and though I know you can run the mountain, I’m realistic enough to know that my clumsy self is more likely take a tumble than finish with no injuries.
But, my family wanted to do a morning hike, and we thought it’d be good exercise for the mongrels.
We got there kind of early, and the parking lot was filling up fast. We were lucky to find a spot in the lot; others had to park on the street.
The area at the bottom was surprisingly crowded. I guess it’s a popular place for friends and families and runners. We got ourselves situated, then started up the slope.
I’m not going to lie, it was rough going. Again, not a hiker, so the best I had was an old pair of running shoes and my running clothes. We had a backpack of water for us and the beagles, and our sweaters.
We weren’t sure what to expect, but I thought that the path would have been a bit… gentler. The large rocks, the huge steps, the shifting and loose gravel makes for a slightly perilous ascension. Several people slipped going both up and down while we were there.
The dogs didn’t seem to mind it, though. They were bounding up the slope like it was nothing, only stopping to wait for their slower-​moving humans to catch up.
The views, though, are pretty spectacular. And once you get past the giant rocks and slippery sand, the path isn’t too bad. I think I’d like to go back without our aging pups, as the hubs was worried that they’d be sore from the climbing and the jumping (side note: they fared much better than some of our group!) In the end, he turned back at about the halfway mark, taking the beagles with him.
I continued on with my sister, one nephew, and one chunky pooch. We didn’t make it to the top, either, as we were met on the way up by my brother, his wife, my other nephew, and their two dogs, who had made it and were ready to get back to the rest of our group at the rest area.
So yeah, I want to go back. I’m still not a hiker, but I appreciate the beauty from the vantage point up there.

Probably one of my favorite hikes in San Diego. Gets your blood pumpin’, but it isn’t too challenging where a beginner like me would feel like I ran a marathon for the next 2 days.
First Impressions:
There was a parking lot that wasn’t enormous, but there’s so much street parking that it should never really be a problem. You pretty much park at the bottom of the mountain and start hiking up. A lot of people brought their dogs along.
The Hike:
It got pretty rocky at certain points, so you definitely need to be careful and watch where you step to avoid hurting yourself. It was a good length, probably took around 2 hours overall to get up and get down for my friend and I (who are both very unfit). We went on a hot Saturday around noon, and there was a good amount of foot traffic. But i personally liked seeing other hikers on the trail with their dogs and with friends, etc.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this hike! Potato Chip is a commitment because of its length and intensity, and Torrey Pines is hardly a hike. Cowles Mountain is great if you love to feel like you completed a great workout with a great view of San Diego!

This is a mountain — but it’s not a real hike «hike». It is one of the more simpler ones in my opinion — not too challenging. This is one of my favorite places to go hiking, discovered it from my friend who lived nearby this place. There is not a lot of parking in the lot as many people have said — but there is on the nearby streets.
It is usually best to come here during the sunset — so you get to catch the amazing view of the sky and San Diego itself. It may be intimidating at first when you walk a bit and you see the top looming ahead of you — but I assure you, you got this! I was not much of a hiker/​trail person a year ago, but I love it now. Taking breaks is also good as well as bringing water or two. When you need that break — stop off to the side ad take it!
The only advice I give you if you go towards the sunset/​evening, make sure to bring a small flashlight (besides the cell phone — in case it runs out of battery) so when you come down you could see where you are stepping. I definitely will be visiting this place more often when I have time so I could train to run up and down! Don’t foret you need to be able to touch the rock when you reach the top.

accesible! 40 minutos a paso moderado-​veloz de subida y 30 de bajada tomando precauciones para no resbalar y claro apreciando la vista, pero pudieras bajarla en 15 – 10. Hay gente que sube corriendo la montaña. Se encuentra en buenas condiciones y con escalones en algunas zonas, perfecto para ir en la mañana o en la tarde; inclusive llegando a las pm alcanzas a subir super bien… estar un rato arrib apreciando la vista y bAjar con calma y luz.