We took the left fork towards Lake Ramona. We decided to get an early start on this one since we … Blue Sky Ecological Reserve is a 700 acre canyon just north of Lake Poway, containing a beautiful mix of riparian, oak woodland, coastal sage scrub and chaparral habitats. Watch for the Blue sky ecologi-cal Reserve sign on the left, and turn into the nearby parking lot. Unique Cliff Jumping Stickers designed and sold by artists. Trailhead and porta potty are at the end of the parking lot. At .5 mile we passed the other end of the Creekside Trail and continued straight. The cool, shady oak trees and flat, easy trail disappeared almost at once. Hike it Baby member since spring 2016. Hike it Baby is a platform that helps connect families to federal, state and local parks nationwide. Bring plenty of water, sturdy books with ankle support, and snacks. Get up to 50% off. The trail provides nice views of the red-rock “Dino” cliffs, and there are dinosaur footprints in the first wash about 200 yards from the start of the trail at the west end. Blue Sky Reserve to Ramona Lake Trail is a 5.8 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Poway, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Blue Sky Ecological Reserve offers hikers a unique destination just outside of Poway. Blue Sky Ecological Reserve is a 700-acre oak-lined canyon flanked by coastal sage scrub and chaparral-covered hills. The wind had picked up and despite the blue sky overhead I felt a chill start to work its way toward my core. The best way to get in is to jump from one of the many cliff spots. The hike is roughly 8 miles round trip, no shade, and uphill from the minute one starts the hike. Blue Sky Trail . Trail on Spring Creek, Indian Creek, and Horsetooth Reservoir in Horsetooth Reservoir County Park, Devil’s Backbone Open Space, Rimrock Open Space. There were some signs warning about the presence of bees, who buzzed merrily through the flowering buckwheat along the trail, completely ignoring us. Walk up to the end of the road and then over the bridge to the trail . Restrooms: There is a porta potty in the parking lot. On the way back, it is a nice easy decent on Mt. We lucked out with a thick marine layer to help keep us cool. Continue as Rancho Bernardo Road turns into Espola Road. It sure looks pretty on your walk here. As the marine layer continued to burn off, we started to see the antenna-topped peak of Mount Woodson appear to the southeast. There is a shaded picnic bench about 1.5 miles out, it is a great spot to stop for a snack, let the little kids run around, and then head back when you are ready. The Reserve is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. At 0.2 miles from the trail head, a sign is posted to the Oak Grove and Creekside Trail. The path is wide and mostly flat, which is great for young walkers or strollers. This park has an easy trail to walk. The initial trail from the parking lot is the Carriage Trail. It is so refreshing! Michigan State University (MSU) is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan.MSU was founded in 1855 and served as a model for land-grant universities later created under the Morrill Act of 1862. If you've ever attempted to start this trail mid-morning on a weekend, you've probably experienced the challenge of the very full parking lot. Dogs and horses are not permitted on the Creekside Trail. It gets pretty toasty out there in the summer. We could see the rock covered form of the dam before us, with the road heading steeply to the top. Horseback Riding. Blue Sky Canyon trail can continue 3 miles out to Ramona Lake or over to Poway Lake, but we always turn around before then. Around 1.1 miles we came to a shaded picnic area, complete with a mid-hike port-a-potty. Creekside Trail. North Bay Trail {Ypsilanti} — North Bay Trail is a 1.4 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Ypsilanti, Michigan that features a … Add Your Trails. You can find the trailhead at the back right of the designated parking lot. White or transparent. map, For more information, visit: Friends of Blue Sky Canyon A partially obscured sign declared the right fork off-limits. This time of year it was displaying its beautiful mix of red and green, which I always enjoyed admiring from very far away. Blue Sky is on the left approximately 1/4 mile south of the Old Coach/ Bridlewood Rd. - Монгол орныхоо байгалийг танин мэдэх - Явган болон уулын аяллын спортыг нийтэд таниулах The trail begins with a nice hike through a shaded flat area for about a mile to a mile and a half where you have the option to head towards Lake Poway or Lake Ramona. A half-mile hike on the jeep trail will then lead to the cove and jumping area of Waterfall Cliffs. Follow this through the Summersville Lake recreation area until you reach a gate. Blue Sky's primary trail occurs along the Green Valley Truck Trail (GVTT). Mono Cliffs is located on the picturesque Bruce Trail ; Numerous hiking trails throughout the park ; Diversity of ferns and cedars ; Walk through a canyon on the spillway trail or past 30 metre cliffs on the cliff top trail ; Open year-round for day-use visits E-Mail: blueskyreserve@poway.org. City of Poway – Blue Sky Ecological Reserve The road started out asphalt, but quickly transitioned into soft dirt, with some patches of deep sand here and there. Motorcycle Riding. This narrow path led down into the thick of the trees and brush along the creek for about .25 mile before reconnecting with the main trail further ahead. ADDRESS: BLUE SKY ECOLOGICAL RESERVE 16275 Espola Road Poway, CA 92064. Blue Sky is such a beautiful hidden gem in Poway! Decorate your laptops, water bottles, helmets, and cars. From I-15 take the Rancho Bernardo Road exit, head east on Rancho Bernardo Rd/Espola Rd. Blue Sky Ecological Reserve Hiking. The road wound its way circuitously upwards. Trail Map: Hike it Baby is not responsible for any injuries that occur while hiking the trails covered in this guide. This is one of my very top favorite hikes. for approximately three miles. Current National Team volunteer for Community Values, HiB30 Challenge Prizes, Mentor, and Ambassador Continued Education teams. According to the information board on site, the Blue Sky Preserve is 641 acres and the trail consists of two trail legs and four trail loops all marked with colored markers which are as follows: Trail Leg 1 (blue) - 0.41 miles Trail Leg 2 (green) - 0.9 miles Trail Loop 1 (yellow) - 0.42 miles Trail Loop 2 (orange) - … The mist or fog adds a bit of mystery. Current HiB San Diego CA Branch Ambassador. In addition to hikers, the…. Most of it is shaded by giant oak trees which is a rare find in San Diego and great for hot months. At .95 mile, we found the turn-off leading to Lake Poway on the right. There's a great spot to cliff dive into the "blue hole", the trail is so well-worn its virtually impossible to miss. I love this area in the spring. At .25 miles we spotted a branch for the Creekside Trail on the left. 12 talking about this. We decided to get an early start on this one since we were bringing one of the dogs. The trails are mostly all shaded, so that is a plus on hotter days. Finally, at 2.4 miles we reached the top, and Lake Ramona stretched out before us. Park here and follow the hiking trail for 1.5 miles to the overlook. The Blue Hole is lovely and serene. Located close to neighborhoods, this easily accessible reserve provides a peaceful escape into a nearly 700-acre canyon that feels more removed from civilization than … Biking. Mount Woodson is home to the famous Potato Chip Rock, a large granite boulder that has eroded in such a way as to leave a large, fragile-looking flake of rock…, While I really enjoy the main trail leading up Iron Mountain, I have to admit it gets pretty crowded at times. From here on we were headed uphill through low-growing coastal sage scrub and chaparral. You may find poison oak along this area so be sure to keep children and pets on the trail. Park in the free designated parking lot. The Creekside Trail is a narrow, maintained trail that runs parallel to the GVTT and winds through Blue Sky's riparian habitat for approximately 0.25 miles. intersection. One of the more popular of the 119 California Department of Fish and Game wildlife reserves, the Blue Sky Ecological Reserve offers 700 acres of protected habitat for wildlife and wildflowers alike. Metroparks pass required. note that the road becomes espola Road at the summerfield intersection. 3.9 mi 6.3 km #1 Green Valley Truck Trail. Snowshoeing. Bring your family, school, or scout group for an invigorating hike or outdoor nature program in this unique habitat. Starting at the trail head where you park your car, head south along the Green Valley Truck Trail. If it’s a really hot day or you’re just looking for an easy stroll, this makes a good turn-around point. The sun is already warm. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. Watch the edge of the trail for poison oak. Wittenberg Trail. Brilliant colors of wild flowers on the hillsides in spring, the songs of birds, and the tree-lined … Blue Sky Canyon Trail is a 5.3 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Poway, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. We register with the farm Manager Deon (I had called Brad to make the booking) and start hiking at about 10.00am. While the first half of this hike is flat and partially shaded, the second half is fully exposed to the sun and involves some steep climbing. blUe sky tRail to lake RaMona From i-15, exit at Rancho Bernardo Road and travel east for 3.5 miles. To reach Long Point continue north on 19 for a mile and turn left on Long Point Access Road. Hike it Baby is a national nonprofit with the tax ID 81-0969124 / Mailing address: 422 NW 13th St. Suite 755 Portland, OR 97209 / ©2019, {{current_weather.dt | moment( atts.date )}}, This error message is only visible to WordPress admins. $0.00, Hike it Baby Family Trail Guide is an online resource to help families with children source trails that little legs can hike and parents can feel comfortable with. Blue Sky is such a beautiful hidden gem in Poway! Creekside trail in the Blue Sky Reserve After connecting back up with the main trail you will continue on winding your way through the oaks before you come to the first trail junction. There was yet another port-a-potty at the top of the dam, and several people with fishing poles passed us as they headed towards the lake. Stony Creek Metropark {Washington} — This park has 11 hiking trails, with several trails that are less than 5 miles. Green Valley Truck Trail runs through the reserve, leading up to Lake Ramona, and several side trails offer further opportunities for exploration. Explore the extensive system of hard-packed hiking trails on The Lodge at Blue Sky's 3,500 acres. Hiking Project is built by hikers like you. Past HiB Orange County CA Branch Ambassador. Unfortunately, dogs aren’t allowed on the Creekside Trail so we continued straight along the Truck Trail. Hiking inland I picked up the path that would lead me back to the visitor centre. Past the tented village and continue on the trail. Hike it Baby makes every effort to keep trail content up to date, but trail conditions are subject to change. Length 5.8 miElevation gain 1236 ftRoute type Out & back From I-15, take the Rancho Bernardo Road exit and head east on Rancho Bernardo Road. Blue Sky Ecological Reserve. I would estimate that 3.5 miles of this trail is uphill and remember that downhill is when ankle sprains and knee injuries occur. The main road was hardly disappointing though. We found a shady spot to enjoy the breeze and cool off a bit before turning back and retracing our route. Green Valley Truck Trail runs through the reserve, leading up to Lake Ramona, and several side trails offer further opportunities for exploration. This guide was built with a generous 3-year partnership with. Blue Hole Park (also known as Tom Moore's Jungle and Walsingham Nature Preserve) is a varied park with a lot of physical activities available for almost all ages. Fully trained Docents offer hands-on experiences to identify and observe plants and animals, resource preservation activities, and programs. California Department of Fish and Wildlife – Blue Sky Ecological Reserve Dogs are also able to use this trail. Hiking Mono Cliffs’ Trails. This trail gives access to many of the park’s other trails. 56 reviews. We made our way around a vehicle gate blocking the road, and headed down the hill. The trail is well-marked with trail signs and cairns but there are a couple of areas where you need to pay close attention to the trail. Blue Sky Ecological Reserve is a 700 acre canyon just north of Lake Poway, containing a beautiful mix of riparian, oak woodland, coastal sage scrub and chaparral habitats. Reviews on Cliff Jumping in San Diego, CA, United States - Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, The Arch, Blue Sky Ecological Reserve, La Jolla Cove, Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve, Black's Beach, Point Loma Tide Pools, Windansea Beach, La Jolla Sea Cave Kayaks, Liberty Station NTC Park Our hike started out mid-morning on another hot, humid, yet beautiful blue sky kind of day. OHV Riding (>50”) Nordic Skiing. Mount Woodson Trail. Hike details are sourced and have been hiked by families who participate in our community. We found the trailhead at the far southern end of the parking lot. As we went further along, tall oak trees lined the trail. Just past the picnic area was a “Y” junction. We were glad to be on a wide path since there was an abundance of poison oak throughout the canyon, lining both sides of the road in some spots. ATV Riding. This hike will get your heart pumping when you get to Pine Trail and work up through Sky Trail. Blue Sky Ecological Reserve is a delightful oak-lined canyon that offers 700-acres of natural beauty to discover and explore in Southern California. If you happen to be hiking sans canine, I highly recommend taking it as an alternate route on either the way out or the way back since it’s a beautiful and peaceful area (check out our pictures from a previous hike). #3 of 11 Outdoor Activities in Poway. Directions: View route or download GPX from CalTopo, The highly popular Mount Woodson trail is a favorite destination for many San Diego hikers. This junction is about a mile into the hike and connects with the Lake Poway Recreation area and the Mt Woodson Trail. Make sure this account has posts available on instagram.com. A series of signs and a wooden fence guided us to the Green Valley Truck Trail which led east, down into the canyon. Green Valley Truck Trail continued across the dam and around the northern side of the lake, but this was our turn-around point for today. Most of it is shaded by giant oak trees which is a rare find in San Diego and great for hot months. Watch for the Blue Sky Ecological Reserve sign on the left, and turn into the nearby parking lot. 9 Miles 14 Kilometers of Trail 1 Recommended Route 0 Easy Trails ; 2 Intermediate Trails ... Trails in Blue Sky Ecological Reserve - 1. A midweek Spring day is perfect. With all the poison oak we’d seen, numerous port-a-potties seemed like a really good idea! This is a nice, moderate, longer loop hike, and a … Venture through old-growth forests or over rolling hills bursting with fresh mountain sage and boundless horizons. The university was founded as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, one of the country's first institutions of higher education to teach scientific agriculture. Our contributors do their best to give you all the details they can, but if something is missed, you can reach out to the contributor and offer suggestions for them to add to make it a better trail description for all. Picnic Area, Ranger Led Hikes, and Shaded Hike, Fee : Approximately 3.2 miles from I-15 as Espola Road begins to curve south you will find the entrance to Blue Sky Ecological Reserve on the left. This park has an easy trail to walk. Trail head is to the right. Prices and download plans . The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. Check out some of our favorite hiking guides for San Diego County: California Department of Fish and Wildlife – Blue Sky Ecological Reserve, City of Poway – Blue Sky Ecological Reserve, Mount Woodson (Potato Chip Rock) via Lake Poway, This Week in San Diego Hiking – February 11, 2019, This Week in San Diego Hiking – February 4, 2019, This Week in San Diego Hiking – January 28, 2019, This Week in San Diego Hiking – January 14, 2019, This Week in San Diego Hiking – January 7, 2019. Originally acquired by the Nature Conservancy, the land was later given to the County and a portion was opened to the public in 2011. Blue Sky Ecological Reserve is a 700-acre canyon. Hiking. We continued straight. Leashed dogs are welcome! Sign in Sign up for FREE Prices and download plans Blue Sky Canyon trail can continue 3 miles out to Ramona Lake or over to Poway Lake, but we always turn around before then. 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