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We Hiked To The Top of Mount Woodson Trail

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By Courtney Daly-Pavone November 24, 2020

We went to Mount Woodson Trail in Poway looking for adventure. I was inspired by a friend who recently hiked the trail with her family. They made it all the way to the trails summit Potato Chip Rock. This rock is named after a boulder that resembles you guessed it, a potato chip! 

Mount Woodson Trail is a 7.6 mile out and back trail, and it is accessible year-round.. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. We brought our dog and prepared for the long journey to the top. We hiked on a crisp Monday morning in November, and started our hike around 10 AM. The temperature that day ranged from 50's to 65 degrees so we brought sweaters and brought more than a gallon of water. The water was the heaviest thing we had to carry on our backs. We saw other hikers, but it wasn't crowded. We were told weekends tend to be busy, and the first few weeks of January for all of those people who make New Year resolutions.

Can A Child Hike 7.6 Miles?

My son is ten, and energetic. The pandemic has made him a bit of a couch potato so I wasn't sure if he was up for the task. I just celebrated a milestone birthday, and the closest thing I've done to working out is watching Netflix, so this hike was a gamble. 

Did we make it to the Summit?

Yes, but we took frequent breaks. We hiked all day from 10 AM until 4 PM. 

Was it worth it?

Yes indeed, the views were spectacular, and the euphoric feeling of making it to the top of a mountain is better than just about anything. This hike was a psychological boost, a metaphor for life, keep going, you can do it, don't give up! 

I reminded my son that you have to try new things in life, challenge yourself it's what keeps your spirit alive!


At Potato Chip Rock I posed for some triumphant photos, Hello Instagram! The truth of the matter is, I limped halfway down the mountain. It was a reminder to work out not just now and then, but on a regular basis. The feeling of euphoria, waking up old bones, and getting Vitamin D is enough of an incentive. 

I highly recommend this hike for families with kids 10+. Parts of this trail are rocky, and narrow. It's elevation is 2,000 feet. If you bring a small child, plan to carry them. My dog is only 4, and high energy, but when we were almost at our car he refused to walk any further. After hiking all day, we were in the home stretch, and he just gave me a dead stare, "No way lady! Are you nuts?" I couldn't carry him, because I was limping, my son was pretty run down as well. I coaxed my dog Luke into walking just a few more minutes. "You can do it! Don't you want to go home?" Thankfully he trusted me one last time. Step by step we all made it to our car, which never looked so good. I told my son that from now on everything will look good, your shower, dinner, your bed. It's also about gratitude, and on that note we took one last look at Lake Poway, the trees now turning gold, and the sun setting on yet another beautiful day in San Diego....


Use this trailhead address: Lake Poway, 14644 Lake Poway Rd, Poway, CA 92064

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