North Lake Hodges

Did the North Lake Hodges trail this morning. This was my 3rd hike of this year’s Coast to Crest Challenge. Lovely hike, but you do have to keep an ear out for mountain bikers on this one. When I pulled into the staging area, there were three cars already parked there. The sun had not risen yet as I headed off down the trail. My route would basically follow Lake Hodges shore to the dam and then, onto the Rattlesnake View Spot. This selfie spot was used previously, so I knew exactly where I was headed.

The air was again nice and cool, making for some enjoyable hiking weather. I quickly found myself near the dam and the one tiny bit of elevation gain for this hike. I could see from the tracks on the ground that this trail is a favorite with mountain bikers, as it was mostly tire threads in the dirt. I think I encountered about 8 or so along the way, even this early.

I got the selfie spot and snapped a few photos. I opted not to interact with the telescope this time. Life in a pandemic…

While returning to the car, a section of the hike is on the service road to the dam. Thinking about a design problem, I missed my turn back onto the trail. I opted to stay on the road, as I knew it did intersect with the trail in a bit. I found a joining trail after a bit and got back onto the dirt trail and off the gravel road. Back at the parking lot, it had now almost completely filled up. Glad I hit it early.


I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. In 2019, I became the third person to complete the San Diego 100 Peak Challenge. Not stopping with that accomplishment, I set my sights on the harder San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list, which I completed in 2021. In addition, I have conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and Arizona-Winter). Beyond attempting the San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list a second time, I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest. 

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