Hiking the Popular Stonewall Peak Trail | Julian, CA

Stonewall Peak Trail has been a long-time favorite of mine. It is a popular trail in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, only about 10 miles from Julian. For a relatively easy hike, Stonewall Peak offers an amazing paid-off. Besides the beautiful viewpoints along the way, you’ll also get a breathtaking 360-degree view of the surrounding areas once you make it to the top. On a clear day, you can see Anza Borrego, the Laguna Mountains, the Salton Sea, and over 30 miles to Palomar Mountains.

Note: Please make sure to respect this beautiful place and the surrounding areas. Always practice LEAVE NO TRACE. This means no loud music, no graffiti, no taking artifacts or fossilized items, and pack out what you pack in! Please help us protect this place for generations to come!

Stats

Where

Stonewall Peak Trail is across from Paso Picacho Campground, which is located inside the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park in Julian, CA

Paso Picacho Campground
13652 CA-79, Julian, CA 92036

Trailhead Coordinates:
32.959677, -116.579158

Parking

Paved parking inside the campground. Parking along the road is NOT allowed.

Restroom

There are several restrooms around the campground.

Fee

Cuyamaca Rancho State Park charges a day-use fee per vehicle. You cannot use the Adventure Pass or the America the Beautiful Pass. It’s $10/car at the time we went.

Distance

4.2 mi R.T

Elevation Gain

830 ft

Level

Moderate

Time:

2-3 hours

Pet-friendly

Dogs are NOT allowed on trails.

Ideal Time

You can hike this trail year-round. Although, winter can get icy, slippery.

Weather

Video

Getting to Stonewall Peak Trailhead

From San Diego, you can take highway CA-79 off of Interstate 8, then go North toward Cuyamaca Lake
If you’re coming from Temecula, take highway CA-78 through Ramona and Julian until it connects with CA-79. From here, go south to Cuyamaca State Park.
Once you’re on CA-79, look for Paso Picacho Campground. This is where you’ll want to park. There is a day-use fee. You can use the campground address to map your way there. Please note that you can’t park along the street.
The trailhead for Stonewall Peak is across from Paso Picacho Campground, on the other side of CA-79.

The Start of the Stonewall Peak Trail

It was a brisk morning as we pulled into the campground to park. We got here quite early, but we weren’t the only ones. As we cross over the highway to the other side, we can clearly see the information sign marking the trailhead. You can either hike Stonewall Peak as an out-and-back or turn it into a loop. The main route is well-marked, maintained, and easy to follow so you won’t have to worry about getting lost. The backside isn’t as well-maintained and can be icy even if there’s no ice or snow on the main route. Most people usually just do the out and back.

To Hike Up

At the trailhead, we follow the main route ascending up the hill. This trail is very easy to follow because it doesn’t have any offshoots. Also, there are signs pointing the way. The trail gradually climbs up a well-defined path. At some spots, it can get a bit rocky so watch your steps. Along the way, there are multiple viewpoints, offering beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and lakes. If you go early enough, you can see the rolling fog hanging above the valley. It added an air of mystery to the scenery below.

The Stair Section and Stonewall Peak

The Stonewall Peak trail is made up of a series of switchbacks. With the elevation gain of over 800ft within 2 miles, these switchbacks make it feel like the gain is not that bad. Once you get to the top, follow the trail to a staircase that climbs up the side of a monolith. The staircase has a steep drop-off on one side, however, it’s really not that bad. The platform on the top of the staircase is small. It can only hold maybe around 10 people. There are informational signages showing the views around. The views from here are magnificent. It’s definitely worth hiking up all the switchbacks. It is best to come here early morning or on a weekday. We went on a Saturday and as we were leaving, there was a horde of hikers waiting to come up the stair.

When you’re ready to leave, you can either go back the same way you came up or turn the Stonewall Peak trail into a loop. If you want to do a loop, it is an additional 1.5 miles. The loop trail will take you toward the backside of Stonewall Peak. We usually just do the out and back. If you’re in the Julian area, don’t forget to check out Three Sister Falls. It’s a cool trail that will take you to beautiful waterfalls. Another one is Eagle Rock in Warner Springs.

These are the gear that we personally use and find them helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.

adventure gear

Even though Stonewall Peak trail is well maintained, you still need good hiking shoes with lots of traction. The trail is rocky, sometimes slippery and could be icy depending on when you’re hiking. We use this shoes here. Vy’s version.