I know we have several more years to go, but I’m excited about the eventual completion of the Coast to Crest Trail.
The plan for the long-distance route spanning east to west in San Diego County, from Del Mar to Julian, has been in the works for more than three decades. About 50 miles of the trail have already been completed, and efforts are underway to complete the final 21 miles to fully connect it.
This week, I hiked a section of the route that travels through the San Pasqual Valley in Escondido. My 4-mile easy-to-moderate, out-and-back hike offered sweeping sunset views of the San Dieguito River Park that seemed out of a pastoral 19th century European painting — though the cloud-covered ocean in the distance reminded me of my place on the 21st century West Coast.
To begin, park your car at the Old Coach Staging Area along Highland Valley Road, next to a plant nursery. I made the mistake of missing the turn, driving past the staging area and ultimately parking my car about 0.2 miles north in a dirt turnout lot. It worked out, but by parking in the proper location, you’ll get a longer, more complete hike.
The Coast to Crest Trail Junction off Highland Valley Road. (Maura Fox / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
I began hiking at the Coast to Crest Trail junction, which is marked with signage. Hikers will head north along the wide, California buckwheat-lined path. Despite the little shade, a cool breeze helped mitigate the heat of the day. Plus, it was just before sunset, my favorite time to hike in the summer.
Walk for about a mile on the flat path, and stop to sit on one of the few benches situated under trees for a rest, before coming to a change in the trail that is aptly marked with an information kiosk. The trail narrows and starts to ascend up a hillside, at first shrouded in shady oak trees. But as it wraps northeast along the hillside and above the trees, hikers can more easily take in the scenery below.
One of the benches located along the Coast to Crest Trail. (Maura Fox / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The trail’s final point is Raptor Ridge, reached at the 2-mile mark, though there are a couple different viewpoints of the San Pasqual Valley with benches and even hitching posts for horses. On a clearer day, or even earlier before the sunset, hikers can likely see the San Diego Zoo Safari Park to the northeast.
To return, simply retrace your footsteps down the trail. I ended up hiking back in the dark, but even still, this is such a picturesque area that I know I’ll return to again — and certainly once the entire Coast to Crest Trail is complete.