Potato Chip Rock: how long is the line, and which way up is easier?
Expect a 30-60 minute wait for the photo on weekend mid-mornings. The shorter way is about 6 miles round trip from Highway 67 on a shadeless paved road; the classic Lake Poway route is 7.5 miles with about 2,000 feet of climbing.
- Lake Poway route
- 7.5 mi, ~2,000 ft
- Highway 67 route
- ~6 mi, ~1,500 ft
- Weekend photo line
- 30-60 min
- Lake Poway parking
- $10
Round trip; dirt trail
Round trip; paved, no shade
Mid-morning
Non-residents, weekends and holidays
The short version
- The Lake Poway route is about 7.5 miles round trip with roughly 2,000 feet of gain; the rock is 3.8 miles in (Hiking San Diego County).
- The Highway 67 route from the Ramona side is about 6 miles round trip and 1,500 feet of gain, on a paved service road with no shade.
- Weekend mid-morning waits for the photo run 30 to 60 minutes; weekday mornings are often walk-up.
- Lake Poway charges non-residents $10 to park on weekends and holidays; Poway residents and active military with ID park free.
- Mount Woodson runs 10 to 20 degrees hotter than the coast, so start at sunrise and carry about three liters of water in warm weather.
Potato Chip Rock is a wafer-thin slab of granite sticking out over thin air on Mount Woodson, near Poway, and it's one of the most photographed rocks in Southern California. Everyone wants the same shot: you, mid-jump or mid-pose, on the edge of the chip. The hike is the easy part to research. The line and the heat are what catch people out.
Trailheads
The rock
Pins are approximate. Source: City of Poway, Hiking San Diego County and OpenStreetMap, checked October 6, 2026.
Pick your route
| Lake Poway | Highway 67 | |
|---|---|---|
| Round trip | About 7.5 miles | About 6 miles |
| Climb | About 2,000 ft | About 1,500 ft |
| Surface | Dirt trail, some shade early on | Paved service road, no shade at all |
| Parking | Lake Poway lot; $10 for non-residents on weekends and holidays; fills by mid-morning | Free, along the highway shoulder |
| Facilities | Restrooms, water and a concession at the lake | None |
| Time | Four to five hours for most hikers | Shorter, but steady uphill |
How to beat the line
- 01
Go on a weekday
Weekday mornings are often walk-up. Weekend mid-mornings mean a 30 to 60 minute queue on the rock.
- 02
Start at sunrise
Early starters reach the rock before the crowd and before the heat. Lake Poway's park opens at 6 a.m., so a true sunrise start is easier from Highway 67.
- 03
Pick the cool months
November through April is prime season. Summer midday on this mountain is genuinely dangerous.
- 04
Have the shot planned
Your photographer stands on the boulder opposite. Agree on the pose before you climb out, and keep it quick: the line is watching.
- Dogs: leashed dogs are allowed on the Lake Poway trail.
- Free parking at Lake Poway: Poway residents with proof of residency and active military with ID; fishing permit holders are also exempt.
- Fee hours: the Lake Poway entry station collects fees on weekends and holidays from 6 a.m. until 30 minutes before sunset.
Want a flatter walk with an ocean view instead? See 5 easy coastal hikes.
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.
Hiking San Diego County · Checked October 6, 2026
Distance, gain, parking fee, facilities, dogs
- PrimaryLake Poway Entry Station
City of Poway · Checked October 6, 2026
Parking fees, exemptions, hours
SanDiSpots · Checked October 6, 2026
Highway 67 route stats, wait times, heat and water advice