2 min
Overview
Escondido’s Daley Ranch packs a lot of natural beauty into its sprawling 3,200 acres. This city park features a number of moderate loops and out-and-back routes visiting a garden of granitic boulders, a series of old stock ponds left over from the days in which the property was both a cattle ranch and dairy farm, a trip up to Stanley Peak, and a loop featuring a number of beautiful specimens of Engelmann Oak. Englemann Oaks This loop visits the Engelmann Oak Loop, and given the scenic values from the great views and the extensive woodlands, we feel that this is the finest section of the park as well as one of the best inland hikes in the county. The focal point for the route is a park-like woodland of rare Engelmann oaks, although the route also passes through one mile of some of the most beautiful oak woodland in the county on the beautifully secluded Bobcat Trail. Additionally, the loop is located in the more remote northern corner of Daley Ranch, which means that this route is often less crowded than the heavily trafficked La Honda trailhead on the south end. Starting from the staging area, follow the wide, disused fire road southeast around a dry creek bed and through a meadow studded with thickets of California buckwheat. The trail drops down into a sometimes dry creekbed before climbing back out to reach a junction with a branch of the Engelmann Oak Loop at .7 mile. Pass this junction and continue southeast for an undulating .4 mile that passes through a lush gallery forest of coast live oaks and Engelmann oaks. At 1.1 miles, you’ll pass the junction for the Bobcat Trail on your left. Mark this junction, but don’t take it yet – this will be your return route. Climb up Cougar Pass Road After passing the Bobcat Trail, the trail begins its primary climb up a steep and rocky section of Cougar Ridge Fire Road. You’ll gain several hundred feet in about .4 mile before reaching another junction with the Engelmann Oak loop at 1.5 miles. Once you reach this junction, be sure to turn back to enjoy the views over Esc
Trail Stats
8.0 km
243 m
574 m
362 m
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