Cowles Mountain: how to beat the crowds and the parking on San Diego's highest peak
At 1,592 feet, Cowles is the highest point in the City of San Diego and its busiest hike: about 2.7 miles round trip with roughly 900 feet of climbing. Start at sunrise on a weekday, or use the quieter Barker Way trail.
- Summit
- 1,592 ft
- Main trail
- 2.7 mi
- Cost
- Free
- Best time
- Sunrise
Highest point in the City of San Diego
Round trip, ~915 ft gain
Mission Trails Regional Park
Weekdays are quietest
The short version
- Cowles Mountain tops out at 1,592 feet, the highest point in the City of San Diego, inside Mission Trails Regional Park.
- The main trail from Golfcrest Drive and Navajo Road is about 2.7 miles round trip with about 915 feet of gain (Hiking San Diego County).
- It's the county's most popular hike, and the main lot fills early; cars line the street on weekends.
- The Barker Way trail on the east side and the Big Rock Park route from Santee are quieter ways up.
- Leashed dogs are allowed; there's no shade, so carry water.
Every morning at dawn a line of headlamps snakes up Cowles Mountain in San Carlos. It's the highest point in the City of San Diego, the view takes in downtown, the ocean and Mexico, and the trail is short enough to do before work. That's also why it's packed. Here's how to have it at its best.
Trailheads
Summit
Pins are approximate. Sources: Hiking San Diego County, San Diego Reader and OpenStreetMap, checked October 6, 2026.
See these on the full San Diego mapHow to beat the crowds
- 01
Go at sunrise on a weekday
Weekday mornings still have company, but nothing like a Saturday. Midday weekdays are quietest of all, though hotter.
- 02
Try Barker Way
The east-side Barker Way trail joins the summit route and is far less crowded than the main switchbacks from Golfcrest.
- 03
Park legally and walk
If the main lot is full, use the neighborhood streets nearby and obey the signs; don't block driveways.
- 04
Come back for the moon
Hiking San Diego County calls it a favorite spot for sunrise, sunset and full-moon hikes. Bring a headlamp for the walk down.
- Distance: about 2.7 miles round trip and 915 feet of gain on the main trail, per Hiking San Diego County.
- Dogs: leashed dogs are allowed.
- Shade: essentially none. Bring water, even at sunrise.
- Surface: rocky switchbacks; trail shoes help on the way down.
KEEP READING
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
- BackgroundCowles Mountain
Hiking San Diego County · Checked October 6, 2026
Distance, gain, trailheads, dogs, crowds, highest-point claim
- BackgroundMission Trails Regional Park
Wikipedia · Checked October 6, 2026
1,592-foot elevation, highest point in the city