Fall Hikes at Mount Laguna

On a fall day, I woke up and was really missing the seasons that I use to experience when living in Colorado and Kansas City. So, I looked up where to see fall foliage near San Diego and Mt. Laguna came up. I asked my boyfriend if he would make the drive and we were on our way. It was a little under an hour from my apartment and totally worth it.

Hiking is such a great activity because it helps me get my body moving and I get to experience nature. There are a lot of benefits. When I was diagnosed with a lung disease, I was told that I needed to stay active to help my lung function. That is really hard for me, since I am so fatigued all the time, I just want to lay in bed. When I work out, I want it to be fun and enjoyable.

Hiking is also a great way to unplug from devices, relax, and clear your head. This gave me a good mental reset for the next work week, and I liked that I could spend quality time with my boyfriend just talking and enjoying each other’s company. Being out there, I felt like I was transported to a whole different place! It is weird to be so far away from the busy city, where it’s so much quieter and more serene!

When we went to Mount Laguna, we brought Maxx’s dog, Delhi, and set off on the scenic drive (with some Dunkin of course). It was a pretty easy drive and we went up to a nice spot with a great view. Once you get off the highway, there are some windy roads, but it’s not too bad. At first we wondered if we went the wrong way, but luckily it just took some patience to get up there. I love that Mount Laguna is an awesome place to bring dogs and let them get some exercise. It was so beautiful.

However, I didn’t see a lot of fall leaves. This was on October 23rd, so I’m not sure if it was just too early. My parents went a week later while visiting, and they said that they saw more fall leaves. I was a little sad, since I miss seeing fall colors back in Colorado and Kansas City. But, now I have some more perspective for when I attempt to go again next fall.

Nonetheless, there are a lot of spots to get out and hike! I am definitely going to go back to Mt. Laguna, possibly when it’s snowing! I have some seen some pictures of the snow there, and it looks so beautiful.

On the way back from our hike, we stopped and ate at this cute mountain restaurant called Pinehouse Cafe, which was established in 1942! It is a log building, which helps give ambiance to the mountain vibes. The food was really good, and we were able to sit with our dog outside.

I want to try some more hikes near San Diego, I was pretty surprised to see how close these mountains are! I am so lucky to live somewhere that has such cool terrain and nature. I never knew how many things were only an hour away from the city.

Hikes in San Diego

There are so many trails to try in and around San Diego, it would take forever to do them all. Here is a long list of trails.

I love Sunset Cliffs, so that is another great place to go walk around or hike! I definitely want to try more this year.