Hike Cuyamaca Peak, Middle Peak, Stonewall Peak Loop Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, CA

Apr 12, 2023 — Cuyamaca Rancho State Park has always been a favorite area in SoCal due to its nice trail system and proximity to the pie town, Julian CA. I planned this hike to link three of the major peaks within the park via an extended loop: Cuyamaca Peak, Middle Peak, and Stonewall Peak. About half of this hike is on fire roads closed to motorized traffic, but the sections that were on trails were lovely. I started within the park, paying the $10 fee at the Paso Picacho Campground day use parking area. I was planning on doing other hikes within the park after, so it made sense just to pay now for the day. If you are doing this full loop, you could consider parking here (32.97656, -116.58143), a free parking lot that my loop crosses over later near Lake Cuyamaca. However, I'll assume you parked where I did in order to use the ample trailhead amenities and follow the loop as I did it.

First up was Cuyamaca Peak, just a paved fire road the whole way up. I was happy to get this out of the way, but if you're hiking to Cuyamaca Peak as an out-and-back consider using one of the trail options to make this more enjoyable, such as the Monument Trail or the Azalea Glen Trail. I chose the most direct option since I had a lot else planned for the day and I've already been to Cuyamaca Peak via those trails in the past. The positive side is that the hike along the paved road has excellent views toward my two other peaks to come, as well as down toward the gorgeous meadows the park is known for. Cuyamaca Peak's high point requires a short social trail ascent through the trees and up a light Class 2 scramble on a cluster of granitic boulders. The road doesn't lead all the way up. It was pretty cool to see the SoCal landscape stretch to the west away from me, and I was able to point out a bunch of peaks I wasn't familiar with years ago the last time I was up here. I'm learning to enjoy revisiting places rather than constantly doing new stuff.

I backtracked along the paved road for a short time and picked up the Conejos Trail, which took me down along Cuyamaca Peak's northern slope. The trail started off with excellent views on a dirt trail, but became a little steeper and more rocky, and the views were oscured by brush. I reached the saddle with Middle Peak, a wide meadow. I took the Black Oak Trail up, at the time not realizing it was just an old dirt road converted into a trail. Fortunately, this trail sees regular maintenance or the encroaching tall brush would overwhelm the doubletrack quickly. The Black Oak Trail ascended gradually, the meadowy views fading away. I reached the Middle Peak Fire Road and took it east.

Middle Peak's actual summit doesn't have an official trail, but hardy hikers have carved a social trail through the thick brush. Ample praise for these valiant souls. The start of the social trail is difficult to locate, but I set out at a fire water storage tank and headed up the initially sparsely-vegetated slope. Cairns materialized and eventually I was funneled to the necessary social trail. I was concerned I'd be torn to pieces, but I didn't get a single scratch. It's a tight fit and I found myself ducking most of the way, but the brush isn't prickly. Creativity was clearly used when making the trail, demonstrated by a downed tree used as a walkway, large boulders serving as short reprieves from the brush, etc. I had no trouble sticking to the social trail and was at the view-obscured summit without too much effort.

Back on the Middle Peak Fire Road, I made the decision to use this as a descent rather than my other option, the Sugar Pine Trail. The region was scorched by a wildfire recently, so the Sugar Pine Trail wouldn't likely give me too much more to look at and would add a bit more mileage, while the fire road would at least get me some views and lead down more efficiently. A bunch of wide switchbacks later and I was at the eastern base of Middle Peak, where I crossed CA-79 and started along the Marty Minshall Trail. This is a trail that normally wraps near Lake Cuyamaca, but the wild amounts of rain this year meant it was totally flooded. Fortunately it didn't affect my hike, so I'd be able to reach Stonewall Peak via my intended route.

There are various trails you can take to access the Stonewall Peak Trail, but I took the Los Vaqueros Trail for a short time, then the Los Caballos Trail at the next junction. This portion leads through a lovely meadow that paralells CA-79 for a time before reaching the California Hiking and Riding Trail. Finally, I took the junction for the Stonewall Peak Trail. While Stonewall Peak is intensely popular, it is generally reached via the west face from the parking lot. Far fewer hikers reach the peak from this direction, and I enjoyed a bit more solitude before approaching the swarm of hikers on the summit. The views were nice as well, a bit more of the same meadowy and chaparral vibes with Lake Cuyamaca in the distance.

The summit of Stonewall Peak requires a walk up some stairs, followed by a handrail-secured traverse on a granite slab. I hung out only long enough to enjoy the views toward my previous two peaks before taking the more standard west face hike along the Stonewall Peak Trail back to my car. The switchbacks were painfully slow, barely losing elevation as they progressed down the mountain. Stonewall Peak from this side is an impressive sight from below, its steep granitic face looming above Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.