Big Laguna Trail

PCT Connector Trail – PCT – Noble Canyon Trail – Big Laguna Trail

Distance: 10 Miles
Elevation – 1,000′
Difficulty: Moderately Strenuous
Time: 4:15
Critters: Rabbits, woodpeckers, and an owl

Pros:
– Great desert views on the PCT
– Rolling meadows, lakes, and pine forests
– Good Company

Cons:
– Long drive!
– Missed the Meetup group
– Couldn’t bring my camera

Details:

I’ve blogged about the Laguna Mountains before, so I won’t go into much description of what’s there. In summary, the Lagunas are a mountain range east of San Diego, beyond Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. The PCT runs through the east ridge, giving the hiker amazing views of Anza-Borrego State Park. The rest of the trail run through beautiful pine forests, meadows, and lakes. This is definitely my favorite place to hike in San Diego, since it offers some of everything that I love.

Today’s trip was supposed to be part of a San Diego Meetup group called “Hiking Addicts.” Kelly and I left at 6 am from Oceanside to pick up new friend Sandra in San Diego. We were off to an early start somewhere earlier on the loop than the Meetup group, and we had planned to join them just as they were setting off at the Penny Pines trailhead, which is about 4.5 miles ahead of where we started at the PCT connector.

It was great to have the company on this trail. Hiking with Kelly is always great; she’s not obsessed with it like I am, but she is so good-natured and enthusiastic about things that she always finds a way to have fun and make the whole experience more enjoyable. Sandra, an avid, was also great fun as she also had a ton of enthusiasm for the hike, especially where frogs were involved. It was a lot of fun sharing hiking stories with Sandra, and I hope to join a hike and get the full Meetup group sometime soon.

Since I’ve already blogged about what Laguna is, I’ll just add this: this place is beautiful at all times, but during spring, when the grass turns green and the flowers start blooming, is definitely the time to be here. This place is absolutely lovely, and it’s a must-visit for anybody who lives in San Diego and loves hiking.

Note: There are Sequoias on this trail. They’re planted, of course, but if you have an eye for finding trees, keep your eyes peeled on the segment of the BLT right before you hit the highway and the PCT Connector trail. There’s a tiny grove of juvenile sequoias planted just before the road.

April: 102.7 Miles
Year-to-Date: 459 Miles