Mount Woodson

About the Hike: Moderate hike, gets pretty steep in parts. There is limited vegetation cover during the start of the hike, summers are rather hot, preferred time is spring or fall.

Time: Start: 11.45am, End: 4.15pm, total hiking time = 4.5hrs

Distance: 4.4mi one-way on trail, (about a mile on road and around Lake Poway) 3.4mi along main trail, elevation: 2000ft gain

Driving and other Info:
Lake Poway, 30 minutes from La Jolla

Our Hike: We did this hike at least twice, relatively cool days both times. Pretty easy hike for active folks, is a good hike to start with if you have not been active. We saw a rattler close to the top, so watch out for the shadowy sides.

Elfin Forest

About the Hike: Easy hike. Vegetation on and off the trail, it is part of an ecological preserve, starts off with a small stream and goes uphill, not very steep. Preferred time is spring or fall.

Time: Start: 2.30pm, End: 5.30pm, total hiking time = 3hrs

Distance: 3.2mi roudtrip, elevation: 1200ft gain

Driving and other Info:
Easy to get lost .. we followed google maps which routed through a private community, google seems to have corrected the error. From Highway 78 take Rancho Santa Fe Road south. East on San Elijo Road, turn into Elfin Forest road, and 5.5 mi, pull into the Elfin Forest Receational Reserve parking lot. 40 minutes from La Jolla.

Our Hike: Very pleasant hike, good if you have not had any activity and want to warm up to the tougher ones. We took our time on this, and the day was cool, so overall very enjoyable.

Coyote Buttes

About the Hike: Out of the world location ! Unreal rock formations and brilliant color contrasts.

Time: Start: 9.15am, End: 12.30pm, total hiking time = 2hrs 15min

Distance: 6mi roundtrip, 340ft elevation gain

Our Hike:
Hottest hike ever, 110F must have been the max temp that day, we had about 6l of fluids per person, sunscreen, hat, good hiking shoes and of course the camera ! GPS strongly recommended if this is the first time you are attempting this hike, since it is completely unmarked. We made good time earlier in the morning due to the slightly cooler temperature. We attempted hiking back without the GPS, and it was not too bad, we didn't stray away from the path too much. All formations look alike, so it is important to identify very unique landmarks to make sure you don't lose your way.

Canyonlands

About the Hike: Superb hike even in summer, probably perfect in fall, offers expansive vistas and red rock terrain.

Time: Start: 1pm, End: 3.30pm, total hiking time = 2hrs 30min

Distance: around 5mi roundtrip, 1200ft elevation gain

Driving and other Info:
Take 211-W from 191 in Utah, and take Beef Basin road (left) after crossing the visitor center, it becomes a car-navigable dirt road after a short distance (<0.6mi). style="font-weight: bold;">Our Hike: We hiked this trail at the peak of summer, and were well prepared with water and hats. It was not as hot as the desert, but there is are only about 2 spots with shade on the trail. Use this map for the hike path and to get to one of these shaded spots for lunch.