After crossing the Carmel River, we passed a nice visitor center as we got our bearings. Four of us headed along the trail with Scott Ammons from the Catalina Conservancy as our guide. We made a left turn toward the Maple Canyon trail and began our climb. Fallen leaves were scattered along the trail, and poison oak lined it as well, as the trail kept working its way up the ridge.
We chatted about various things as we passed numerous trail junctions. This preserve has a nice collection of trails, so we had to be mindful of our route. Unfortunately, we did not have the time to climb all the way to the ridge, so we followed the hillside to a nice meadow and took a short break.
Now we began our return down toward the trailhead. Along the way, we passed a seasonal waterfall. Unfortunately, it was dry, but it must be quite the sight when flowing. Soon we were back along the side of the creek, making our way back toward the visitor center and the trailhead. It was a pleasant 3.7-mile hike with a healthy 666 feet of gain.
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.