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Welcome to Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, located off of the beautiful State Road 78, just 40
miles east of downtown San Diego. The park offers camping and hiking in a wide range
of mountain, meadow and forest landscapes. There are over 100 miles of trails which accommodate
hikers, bikers, and horseback riding as well. There are two incredible campsite at this
park that offer access to swimming in mountain streams and trails up to popular peaks. Paso
Picacho campground sits at an elevation of 5000 feet, which gives Southern California
visitors easy access to fresh mountain air and changing seasons -- things that most San
Diegan's go without. The most popular hikes start from this camp, including the 2 mile
hike up Stonewall Peak, and the 3.5 mile hike up Cuyamaca Peak (elevation 6,512 feet). Both
of these hikes are highly recommended and offer breathtaking views of the deserts to
the east, the coast to the west, and Lake Cuyamaca at the bottom. Lake Cuyamaca is also
accessible and offers boating and fishing as well.
While exploring this park you will see unique features that set it apart from other places
in San Diego. As you climb up from sea level to the 5000 foot mountains you will quickly
realize why locals call these areas sky islands. You will notice the land, plants and animals
all changing as you go up. The extruding rocks are igneous and metamorphic rather than sedimentary,
as they are remnants from extensive tectonic uplift and faulting that continues to this
day. You will see these plutonic rocks as you climb any of the trails or even when you
look down at your feet to see the red, course soil that the parent rocks have created over
millions of year of weathering and erosion.
You will also see a wide range of wildlife on a typical visit. Birds, snakes, and deer
are common and the occasional mountain lion is also seen. Unfortunately, over 90% of the
park was burned in 2003 when a 
lost hunter lit a signal
fire, hoping to be found. That
signal fire quickly burned out of control and became the biggest wildfire in California's
recorded history. It became known as the Cedar Fire and the damage it caused can still be
seen on your visit. The forest is coming back though, and one of the coolest things to see
here is the regrowth of the new forests in areas that still show signs of the decade-old
fire.
So come visit Cuyamaca Rancho State Park and enjoy everything this amazing place has to
offer. The fresh mountain air, colorful forests, wildlife and beautiful panoramas are sure
to provide you with everything you have been looking for in San Diego, but just could find
anywhere else.