I recently had the chance to assist as a hiking guide for the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy‘s monthly Walk ‘N Talk. Today, the group was going to hike through Crest Canyon, then continue on to the Old Grand Avenue Bridge to learn about the lagoon’s birds and restoration efforts. From the trailhead, the trail descends to the canyon floor via a series of wooden stairs. Once on the canyon floor, the trail forks: one path follows the west side of the canyon, and the other the east side. These two routes are only separated by about 200 feet. About half down the canyon, the trails rejoin for a short distance, then split apart again. Picture a figure-eight for the trail system. I led my group down the west side trail, as it appeared to be a bit wider. Once at the road, we walked along it westward to Old Grand Avenue Bridge. There is very little traffic on this road, but a car or two did pass us.
Once at the bridge, Rachel Smith of UC Santa Barbara and Monica Alfaro of Harris and Associates brought rich details about wetlands restoration and wildlife activity. Beneath us, fish swam by, and even a stingray glided past. Soon it was time to hike back up the canyon. Kim from SDRC had left a car here in case anyone might need a shuttle. I led a group up the east side trail. This trail is a bit narrower than the west side one. I will also note that on another visit to this trail, I did encounter a rattlesnake making its way into the brush. Soon, we reached the stairs, and our hike was complete. My fellow guides and I had a quick debrief, and I am looking forward to next month’s Walk ‘N Talk.
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, available now!
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.