Oakzanita Peak

DISTANCE: 6.0 miles

TIME: 3 hours

ELEVATION: 5,054 ft

DIFFICULTY: Moderate

Cuyamaca State Park offers some of the best hiking in San Diego County and many hikers are familiar with Cuyamaca Peak and Stonewall Peak. A lesser known mountain, Oakzanita Peak is just as noteworthy as these other two peaks which are located just to the north. In fact, Oakzanita Peak has been on the San Diego Chapter Sierra Club's Hundred Peak's Section list since 1962.

This hike is comparable to Iron Mountain in Poway. It begins with a gradual climb in a steady direction for the first 2 miles or so, through thicker oak and manzanita brush and crossing occasional streams. After about 2 miles of gradual uphill, the trail comes to a saddle, and heads around the back side of the mountain for the final ascent to the summit.

To arrive at the trailhead, head east on I-8, then north on Highway 79 for 6.1 miles toward Cuyamaca State Park. Just after crossing the park's southern boundary on the right side of the highway 79 is a turnout area with a large sign that reads "Oakzanita." Park here and look for the trail marker designating the Lower Descanso Creek trail, and start heading uphill to the right.

Follow the Lower Descanso for 0.5 miles, which crosses the creek a few times before emerging from the woods and arriving at the East Mesa Fire road, a wide dirt road. Turn right and head 0.1 miles, looking for the start of the Upper Descanso Creek trail marker on the right. Glancing east through a meadow, you will see the summit of Oakzanita, the destination of this hike. Turn right and leave the East Mesa Fire road, following the Upper Descanso Creek trail for about 2 miles up the right side of the canyon. We noted both deer and mountain lion tracks on this section of the trail.

After about 2 miles, the trail comes a fork in the saddle and a marker designates path the the right is a 0.6 mile climb to the top of Oakzanita Peak. Passing a wide meadow on the left, the trail gradually ascends up to the peak and the brush becomes thinner and thinner, while the trail becomes rockier and rockier until it arrives at the boulder-studded summit.

The view from the top is spectacular, with the Lagunas to the east, Mexico to the south, Downtown and the Pacific Ocean to the west, and Stonewall and Cuyamaca to the north. There is a plastic container which contains a climbing log, hidden in a space under one of the large boulders.

Note that "Afoot & Afield in San Diego County" says this is a 4.6 mile round trip hike. Both times I have done the hike my GPS measured about 6 miles round trip (and we didn't take any significant detours).