5 min
Overview
Cuyamaca Rancho State Park contains a massive and varied landscape featuring a variety of outdoor experiences. The park includes forested peaks, tranquil lakes, river valleys, rugged chaparral covered slopes, numerous springs, and gentle, rolling mesas studded with pine trees. Of the two “mesas” in the park, East Mesa is the largest and most beautiful. The mesa offers great views of the surrounding mountains, backcountry camping at Granite Springs Campground, superb wildlife viewing, and many lovely examples of oak and pine woodland habitats. A very dignified turkey Most of East Mesa is contained within a state wilderness area, which means that mountain bikes and dogs are off-limits. Mountain bikes are allowed on East Mesa Fire Road, upon which this track travels only briefly. There is no fee to park at the Sweetwater parking lot/trailhead, although there is a fee of $5 (at time of writing) per night to use the campground. Granite Springs Primitive Camp features spring water that must be pumped as well as treated, pit toilets, three established sites good for up to 8 people apiece, and one group campsite good for up to 16 people. The convenience and relative amenities (don’t need to dig holes) make Granite Springs a great “entry-level” backpacking spot for novices who would like to get a taste for what backpacking is all about (again, minus the hole-digging). Dawn moonset over East Mesa East Mesa is not really a mesa in the classical sense. Instead of having a flat top with steep cliffs on all or most sides, East Mesa slopes gently down into Green Valley. Unlike the surrounding slopes, which are mostly covered in chaparral and the occasional charred oak or pine tree, East Mesa is covered in grass and fringed on its boundaries with Jeffrey pines and black oaks. Once you add the numerous natural springs to the area, the end result is a gentle, grassy landscape that is ideal habitat for local wildlife. Looking west toward Cuyamaca Peak Cuyamaca supports the largest deer herd in San Diego County, as well as a v
Trail Stats
14.7 km
304 m
1503 m
1207 m
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