After a fairly restful sleep, except for the owls hooting around 3 am, I ate some oatmeal while I broke camp. In this instance, “breaking camp” mostly meant deflating the air mattress. I brewed a cup of coffee and made sure I had everything squared away before heading out for the next adventure, hiking Cerro Alto Peak. This was another peak on the Lower Peaks Committee list, and given how far away it is from San Diego, it was one I wanted to get on this trip. Before leaving Los Osos, I stopped at Carlock’s Bakery for a nice cinnamon roll and some milk. I have been listening to The Lord of the Rings, so why not get a second breakfast? I made the short drive to the campground and paid my $10 day-use fee. The campground sits along a narrow ravine, with campsites scattered on either side. The day-use area is at the end of the road. Pit toilets and water are available, so I topped off my water bottles before heading out.
There are two trailheads you can take to the summit: the Canyon Trail, which is almost next to the day-use area, or the Bridge Trail, which is about 30 yards back down the road. I opted to take the Bridge Trail up. After crossing the bridge, the trail steadily worked its way upwards. The trail was mainly in the shade from the mountainside, but I was comfortable in just my sun-hoodie (my fleece was in my pack if needed). The hills had started to turn green again after a recent rainstorm, and from time to time, Morro Rock could be seen off to the west.
Signs marked each junction, so navigation wasn’t an issue, except for one spot. OnX showed one trail as the recommended route, but a clear trail marker pointed to the other trail. I opted to listen to the marker. The trail started to get a bit rockier, but nothing too bothersome, as it still climbed at a comfortable grade. Finally, I came to one final junction; the sign said 0.25 miles to the summit. Once at the summit, I took in the sweeping views. Unlike yesterday’s summit, today I was rewarded with clear views all around. Morro Bay and its famous rock stood almost directly to my west. I slipped off my pack and enjoyed that cinnamon roll and milk. After my snack, it was time to head back down.
I had made good time, so I opted to take the longer Canyon Trail back to the car. Along the way, I met several groups of hikers working their way to the summit. This trail had some lovely shade, and without the effort of climbing, I almost started to get a chill. A few sections were steep, in contrast with what I thought was an almost steady grade on the other trail. I crossed over the lightly flowing creek and, before too long, found myself back at the day-use area. It was a nice way to start the day.
The loop was 4.63 miles, and I did it in 1:58, with a gain of 1,640 feet. That was my 19th LPC peak, just 68 to go!
I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I am the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, coming in Spring 2026!
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 both the Arizona-Winter and Arizona-Summer). I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.