Looking for a day-trip from San Diego to get some nature time without crowds? Seeking a fun day-trip date idea? Want to expose your kids to the great outdoors without a long road trip? Check out the Laguna Mountain Area in Cleveland National Forest.
This past Saturday I went on a little hike + beer + Mexican day-trip date to the Laguna Mountain Area and it was wonderful! Yes, I am a sucker for an outdoorsy date and when beer is added, I’d probably say yes to a marriage proposal (following through on that yes – whole different question). But it really was a good balance of an accessible hike with a good mix of scenery (cows and vistas!) without crowds of people. Oh, and perfect fall weather.
We did the Sunset Trail / Laguna Meadows Trail with a few edits so that’s what I’ll share. I plan to go back to the area to explore some of the other trails and will share more when I know more.
HIKE INFORMATION
Sunset Trail, Mount Laguna Area Cleveland National Forest
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead: Sunset Trailhead (Mile Marker 19.1 on Sunrise Highway, Mt. Laguna, CA 91948)
Distance: 3.25 to 8 miles+
Elevation: 500ft-ish
Description: Once you take Sunset Trail from the Sunset Trailhead, it is a choose your own adventure! You can make a very short loop and keep it at about 3.25 miles, add on Laguna Meadows loop and make it 8, or continue to add on and make it an over 13 miles day.
Sunset Trail has a short, gradual uphill section towards the beginning then descends to the meadow where the rest of the loop around the meadow on Big Laguna Trail is quite flat. If you do the bigger loop, there is some additional up and down on Noble Canyon Trail.
I’ll defer to the Forest Service’s description and some photos for additional info. on what the trail is like.
The Forest Service describes Sunset Trail as a “Gem of the Laguna Mountain and Cleveland National Forest” (not sure why they capitalized Gem but they did) that traverses through “dense forest, vast meadows, grazing cattle, gorgeous viewpoints and during a wet year, a pond and several large lakes.”
Photo Sneak Peak: And here are some of the few photos I snapped. I was on a date so I tried to play it cool and not stop every 15 feet to take 15 photos of a leaf as I am prone to do. He has been a bit aloof over the past few days so now I’m really regretting not taking more photos. Guess I’ll be going back.
More Info. on the Hike:
PARKING INFORMATION
You can park on the side of the road at the trail head, but you must have a parking pass, called the National Forest Adventure Pass, displayed in your car. The pass cannot be purchased at the trailhead. You can buy it at the Laguna Mountain Lodge & Store (, near mile marker 23.5 on Sunrise Highway) or one of these locations, including some in Alpine.
I have read that you can park a little further away from the trailhead on the side of the road and walk-in for free. I think there was a sign that said something along the lines of “parking pass required after this point.” But, currently a day-pass is only $5 and does support the National Forest sooooo your call. #guilt
MAKE A DAY OF IT: ADD ALPINE
It takes about 1 – 1.5 hours to get to the Laguna Mountain Area from San Diego proper so you might as well make a day of it like we did! On your way back, stop in the tiny town (well, technically “census-designated place”) of Alpine, California.
We brought cheap, Mexican food from Tapitio’s (2335 Alpine Blvd, Alpine, CA 91901) over to the Alpine Beer Company Tasting Room (2363 Alpine Blvd, Alpine, CA 91901) and enjoyed it on the back porch with Alpine’s nationally recognized craft beers. Alternatively, you could also go to Alpine Beer Co.’s pub a mile up the road which services post-hike worthy food like pulled pork, fried pickles, and burgers along with its brews.
Or, you could really get adventurous, and try one of Alpine’s other restaurants and let me know how it is. I’m particularly interested in Janet’s Montana Café (2506 Alpine Blvd, Alpine, California 92901) which looks like a winner.
