Palomar Mountain was a moderately challenging hike with lots of stunning views along the way. 

We camped out at Oak Grove Campground to get an early start and beat some of the heat. We got on the trail a bit later than expected at about 6:30 AM, but would have been much better off if we started at 5-5:30 AM instead.

What everyone says is accurate — the trail gets steep about 0.75 miles in and remains steep, one-track for about 1.5-2 miles. Then, you reach the fire road which is much more moderate. In the morning, you’ll encounter some shade, but once it reaches ~11:30 AM, that shade is completely gone. Bring loads of water and calories and make sure you plan to be off the trail by noon at the latest if you’re attempting this hike in the summer!

The views were excellent and we had a great time. Loads of beautiful flowers blooming. After about 4 miles, the bugs became pretty unbearable — I’d recommend a bug net if you’re headed out there this season. We could barely stop to snack without getting eaten alive and were constantly surrounded until we headed back down.

Once the heat hit fully at about 12, we struggled a bit and there was no shade but we had enough water to make it back to the car safely. Be prepared and enjoy!