#5. Volcan Mountain

I climbed Cuyamaca earlier in the day and drove straight to Volcan for an 11am start. Street parking was very busy. There was just enough room for my car but not much else. I chose to take the Five Oaks Trail up and the main Volcan Mountain Trail down. The Five Oaks Trail was gorgeous, and I enjoyed the constant views of the farmland below (the chorus of cows, not so much). There are lots of unique features on this hike: the hand-carved gateway, interpretive displays describing the surrounding peaks, a viewfinder, old observatory ruins, and a tower and wooden bench at the top. I was surprised at how much was packed into such a short hike! The summit benchmark is slightly hidden beyond a stone platform and through a thicket of trees, but otherwise there’s no summit sign. Unfortunately, and despite wearing long sleeves and pants, I got bit by a tick on this hike. Be wary of this possibility and do a tick check when you finish!