Considered by many to be the toughest trail in San Diego County, El Cajon Mountain packs a punch, coming in around 11 miles and over 3,600' feet of elevation gain. This iconic mountain in San Diego is located in the El Capitan County Preserve in east county, San Diego. Due to the location of this trail in San Diego, the summer months can be extremely hot and hiking or running is advised against. As I say in the video, often times the city will close the trail to any foot traffic during the month of August so if you're looking to hike this in the summer, make sure to check and see if there are any trail closures. I would advise against running this in the summer, rather shooting for the shoulder months of the year, Spring and Fall.
El Cajon Mountain is a test piece in San Diego and a trail that will push you both mentally and physically, so be forewarned. While the mileage is not overwhelmingly long, the elevation gain will get you along with the heat. Many peaks in San Diego typically have you doing the majority of your elevation gain by the time you reach the summit, El Cajon Mountain is sneaky in that by the time you've reached the summit, you still have just under 1,000' feet of elevation gain to go before you make it back to the car so be prepared. The trail snakes it's way past two sub peaks, Silverdome and Silverdome II, gaining and losing elevation the entire time. Overall you'll wind up doing a lot of power hiking on the second half of this run, but there are also many areas you can open it up, so rip it up and take advantage of these sections!
It had been about 5 years since I had last run this peak so I was pleased to see a few trail improvements which incorporated the added bonus of two aid stations located at the beginning and middle of the hike. Big thanks to whomever manages these mini aid stations containing coolers of water. And while these coolers are a pleasant sight, don't count on them and always be prepared and bring enough water!
Logistically speaking, it can be a little confusing if you've never been here. While my watch clocked roughly 11 miles, I started it just below the main gate at the trailhead. You'll actually hike about a half mile from where you park to the start of the tail so again, be prepared as there is additional mileage and elevation gain just to get to the trailhead. There are nice pit toilets right at the beginning of the trail for those in need.
While I make it sound like this is a crazy, tough mountain. The reality is, it's actually quite beautiful, and for those in shape that can handle the mileage, heat and elevation gain, you will absolutely love El Cajon Mountain. The views from the summit are probably the best in San Diego.
Make sure to check out our Trail Running GPX page at https://www.cirquerunning.com/gpx-files, so you can download the route and upload it to your watch or phone. This GPX page will be a continuous work in progress so make sure to take advantage of the GPX files we already have posted and be sure to check back weekly as we continue to update the page.
Also, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel @CirqueRunning to keep up to date with all of our latest trail running edits. Enjoy this video of El Cajon Mountain in San Diego County!
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Cirque Running’s mission is to inspire our trail running community through elevated retreats and professional coaching, with certified UESCA ultrarunning coaches. We’re Trail Runners, Mountain Guides, Educators, Coaches and Stewards of the Sierra and California, and we want to share these remarkable places with all those seeking natural abundance in the Range of Light and beyond.
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