I wanted to switch up the hike to Mount Woodson, so I turned it into a longer, unofficial “loop” hike…which wasn't the most genius idea.

I started the hike at 12pm after parking in the Lake Poway parking lot. I hiked up the Mount Woodson Trail, passed Potato Chip Rock, and summited. I then continued down Mount Woodson Road toward Lakeside. When I hit Highway 67, I turned south and hiked along the road for a bit. At the green Poway city limits sign, I veered off of Highway 67 and onto the Warren Canyon Trail. This is where things went wonky…the trail is completely overgrown and seldom used, so I very quickly found myself bushwhacking, looking for signs of a trail. After 30 minutes of this, I decided to head back the way I came to get back onto Highway 67. After retracing my steps I noticed a faint trail closer to the ridgeline than the highway, which turned out to be the correct path. I took Warren Canyon Trail to its intersection with Mount Woodson Trail, and made it back to the Lake Poway parking lot at 4:45pm. 11.5 miles total.

This could be a really cool loop trail, but walking on Highway 67 and the northern portion of the Warren Canyon Trail make it a no-go at this time. Maybe some trail maintenance could someday make it a reality.

Onward!