daley ranch

My parents own a house near Daley, The best views Westward across the Escondido Valley can be seen from the high points of the trails around Daley. Take a bike or hike through. There's not a lot of water in the region so Lake Dixon just at the foot of these trails is a nice view in the midst of the dusty trails. Don't forget to go on a weekday when parking is free inside Dixon Lake and outside as well.

We hiked there some time ago. It is wild and scenic and worth a trip.We were led by a docent, who did a great job.

If you are staying in Carlsbad/Ocean Side/San Diego take a day and go hiking at Daley Ranch, a 3,000 acre Mountain Park with Boulders the size of Mini Vans. There are many trails and I would rate the hiking as family perfect as there are some steep hills but not difficult. I have completed all the trails and just finished Engelmann Oak - Cougar Ridge - Bobcat and Burnt Mountain hikes about 6.2 Miles in 3 Hours (I am 55 so not too fast). The Engelmann Oak trail has one small oak tree that I found with acorns (rather small) but was good to find right on the trail. There are incredible views from many of the peaks in the park and I think the best find is a large Boulder near the end of Rock Ridge - it is hard to find but worth trying to find it as there are a few pennies on top if you find it and can manage to climb it! If you are doing the Cougar Pass entrance I recommend going to the right and complete Cougar Ridge then Burnt Mountain then go around and take Bobcat down or Engelmann Oak down to the base. Best route I think is from La Honda Drive and then do the following Creek Crossing - East Ridge, Jack Creek, Meadow Loop, Hidden Spring (This I think is the steepest Climb) then Engelmann, Cougar Ridge, Boulder Loop then Ranch House Road back to parking (3 Hours).Here is the website link for directions: http://daleyranch.org/explore/entrances-driving-directions/ To get to Daley Ranch, you’ll need to drive to one of three entrances to the preserve. Once parked at an entrance, you can enter Daley Ranch on foot, bike, or horse. However, before you leave home, you should know some important facts and choose the driving directions and entrance that are best for you:1) La Honda Drive (most popular)Trailheads & Physical Difficulty: Easy to Moderate. Once you park your car, you can choose from either the Ranch House or Creek Crossing trails to start your journey.Driving Difficulty: Easy. Access by car is via paved city streets.Parking Availability: Plentiful. A large gravel lot offers numerous parking spaces directly across the street from the entrance to Dixon Lake.Address & Driving Directions: 3024 La Honda Drive, Escondido, 92027. From eastbound El Notre Parkway, turn left onto La Honda Drive. From westbound El Notre Parkway, turn right onto La Honda Drive. Drive all the way to the top of the hill, and just before La Honda dead-ends, turn left into the gravel parking lot. Get exact directions from your location on Google Maps…2) Cougar PassTrailheads & Physical Difficulty: Difficult. Once you park your car, you can start your journey into Daley Ranch on the Cougar Ridge North trail, which is largely uphill.Driving Difficulty: Moderate to difficult. Access by car is via paved city streets for most of the way. However, the last mile is an unpaved, uphill road.Parking Availability: Moderate. A gravel lot offers some parking spaces directly across the street from the Cougar Pass entrance / Cougar Ridge North trailhead.Address & Driving Directions: Cougar Pass Road, Escondido, 92026. Take Broadway north to Cougar Pass Road and turn right. Keep winding uphill on Cougar Pass until you reach a gravel parking lot across the road from the Cougar Pass entrance to Daley Ranch. Turn left into the gravel lot and park there. Get exact directions from your location on Google Maps…3) El Caballo ParkTrailheads & Physical Difficulty: Difficult. Once you park your car, you can start your journey into Daley Ranch on the Caballo trail, which is all uphill.Driving Difficulty: Moderate. Access by car is via paved city streets. However, the last few turns can be a little tricky because they aren’t major intersections.Parking Availability: Plentiful. A large gravel lot offers numerous parking spaces near the Escondido Humane Society, right next to the El Caballo Park entrance / Caballo trailhead.Driving Directions: Take Valley Parkway East, then turn left onto Beven Drive. Next, turn right onto Burnet Drive. Continue straight on Burnet, and just before you reach the Escondido Humane Society, turn left into the gravel parking lot next to the Caballo trailhead. Unfortunately, Google Maps does not seem to be able to generate reliable directions to this entrance.

You have to be patient with this hike. The initial trek in from the parking area is worst part of the hike. Once you get to the valley then there are several beautiful trails to explore.

We were spending the weekend in Escondido and the weather was beautiful so we headed here for an afternoon hike. We took an easy hike to the ranch house that was about 2.2 miles I think round trip. It starts off pretty step levels off a bit then down the back side. There are many trails to take in the area and if we had more time we certainly would explore more of them.

This ranch is located about 90 miles south of LA, arrive early on weekends to get a spot in the free lot. Just a short walk from trailhead, restrooms available at Dixon Lake. This is a popular hiking area that's dog friendly and shares trail with mountain bikers and horses. Tip: if you stay off single track trails, you won't run into as many bikes. Very little shade, need water, hat, sunscreen because it does get warm, and summer even hotter! Many trails, but decided 5-6 miles would be about right. Started counter-clockwise from Sage trail which takes you past the Old Water Tank. For a better workout, continue on to Stanley Peak. Once through the meadow, the elevation gain makes a noticeable appearance. At the top, check out view and don't forget to sign the register. There's a few ponds before arriving at the Ranch House where you'll find porta potties, benches, and shade! From there, it's downhill to the parking lot.A nice surprise, large jugs of water on the trail for you and/or your dog. Not to mention the friendly ranch staff driving around in a truck (w/water) making sure everyone stayed hydrated....a nice perk for hikers!Summary: a nicely maintained trail and a good place to get your steps, so go for the peak!

If you're looking for a calm stroll through beautiful So Cal scenery or an invigorating Hike up a steep hill, maybe a mountain bike ride through the back hills. This is the place to do it. They have clearly marked trails for every level of outdoors person.

Love Boulder Loop. For people in shape, and not suggested for a novice, or anyone with health issues. Can be a bit difficult at times. The view at the top is magnificent. Be prepared to take water and there are no restrooms once you start uphill. Prefer hiking trails not frequented by the masses, but you can go up to the ranch house and be with general population. Also, not suggested to go by yourself. Better to go with a partner as there is wildlife. Dogs are not permitted at Dixon Lake if you plan on going there after your hike. This is much too difficult with small children, although we see people with small children all the time. Probably age six and older as a general rule of thumb. Can be extremely hot during summer months. Early morning is just glorious.

IF you're into walking under a scorching sun, breathing in dust while your skin burns this is the place to go. If you're lucky, you'll step on a rattlesnake.

My dogs and i love this place it is so nice to walk in nature, one of those places to go and take a relaxing walk, you feel out of the city, I love the peace in this place.

I live nearby and frequent Daley Ranch often. There are many trails with various elevations and levels of difficulty for hiking, biking, horseback riding and running. There is also Dixon Lake park in the same area.

This is a great place to go with your horse! The trails are good and have differing degrees of difficulty. Beautiful, especially in the spring! There are mountain bikers but most are very considerate about not spooking your horse!

We are not REAL hikers but always enjoy our trips to Daley Ranch to hike the wide trails there. The Ramona lilac is in blossom on the hills at this time of the year, giving a lavender-blue tinge everywhere. There is a box at the trail entrance with maps, but the suggested price is $2, so we didn't take one. When we later found that we needed one, other hikers were happy to give us directions. Regular sneakers are not good enough for the traction needed on the steep, sandy slopes, so make sure that you have a good hking shoe!

Many miles of trails most with little elevation gain. You can get a climb if you do the trail that takes you up to Tom's Peak. Cool Ranch House and Historic area. Easy to get to off of the 15 freeway. A little hot to hike during the months of June-September but the rest of the year it's a real treat.

Adjacent to Dixon Lake, Daley Ranch is a 3,000+ acre chunk of SoCal wilderness right in the middle of Escondido. Hike/Bike/Horse trails run all throughout the park with differing degrees of difficulty. (it also has a ton of Geocaches if your into that sort of thing). There is an old Ranch house on the property though I've never made it that far out. There aren't a lot of trees or shade here, so come prepared for heat in the summer, but spring yields tons of wildflowers that blanket the area. Many interesting rock formations, and an abundance of native plants (Sage, Laurel, etc) fence in the trails. Cabins and camping are near the area at Dixon Lake, and an Oak Park is located at the front gate; good for birthdays and weekends outdoors.