El Cajon Mountain Trailhead Parking

Bill Stewart

Very intense trail, not for the faint of heart or those short on water. Parking is at bottom of road below trailhead. Just that little road is a pretty good primer for what lies ahead.

sayeed Khidir

Hardest one I ever hiked. Don't bring kids and dogs. You need more than 4 liters, because last two hours are very difficult. You must follow the signs and don't think to go in shortcut way, if you do you'll lose your way. %95 no shade. Go with group and don't go alone you'll not reach it.

Zachary Reece

Okay so if you want to park in the lot it opens at 8 in the morning that being said it’s about a 3-4 hour hike up to the peak so be prepared it’s probably going to get warm along the way. Also bring water you’re going to need it. If you want to beat the heat and some of the crowd I drove by at 7 and the road was packed with cars along the side so I imagine around 6 you would have a pretty good morning hike and it would be cooler. If you want a cute little lunch bring someone with you and you can eat up on the peak and the views and amazing. Either way whatever time you do it it’s going to be fun and a tough one. It was about 12 miles round trip for me.

J H

Nice hike. It is a bit grueling for the uninitiated, and has caught many a hiker off guard with its strenuousness. Advice: Do NOT attempt this trail on a hot day above 90 (unless conditioned for it) and I do not recommend attempting it if you are only an average hiker. Do bring more water than you were planning. At least a gallon per person on hot days. I have helped many people out of water and/or exhibiting the effects of heat exhaustion over the years. I am in good shape and this trail works me. It would be nicer if it was more of a trail, and less a road. This trail has quite a bit of gain/loss as well as steep grades, on the way to the summit, so put on your game face and be mentally prepared for it. Oh, and one last bit of advice. Due to the extreme steepness of some of the grades, I highly recommend trekking poles. They can be a much appreciated gift on this hike. Not a requirement, just something to make the hike a little easier, and potentially, safer. Overall, I always enjoy this hike and it is one my favorites hikes in San Diego.