Stonewall Peak – Cuyamaca Rancho State Park

Stonewall Peak Hiking Trail Guide

Stonewall Peak is located in East San Diego County within the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. The peak itself is about 3.4 miles out and back. The elevation gain is about 850 feet to a total elevation of 5,730 feet. Stonewall Peak is great because it’s a short distance that will only take a couple of hours but will still offer some incredible views of the surrounding area. To the west you’re able to see Cuyamaca Peak as well as it’s neighboring peaks and  Cuyamaca Peak. On clear days from the top of Stonewall Peak you can see the views of past Palomar Mountain to the San Bernardino Mountain Ranges, Anza-Borrego Desert, and the Salton Sea.

Cuyamaca Rancho State Park History 

Altogether there are 24,700 acres of land and over one hundred miles of hiking trails in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. The history of this state park predates any European settlers. For thousands of years the Kumeyaay band of Native American’s utilized the fresh water springs and abundance of food in the area.

It wasn’t until the late 1700’s when the first Spanish Conquistdors started to arrive to the region. For decades native Kumeyaay resisted missionization and were reluctant to give up their independence. By the mid-1800’s land was sold of by the Kumeyaay and few of the native people’s remained in the area.

In 1869 gold was discovered and quickly led to a gold rush in the area. A series of mines were constructed and several the remnants can stili be seen while hiking today. Financial problems eventually led to the closures of the mines by 1906 and the area continued as a mountain resort for several years.

In the 1920’s a capitalist by the name of Ralph Dyar bought the ranch with plans for the development of a resort on Lake Cuyamaca. Luckily for the sake of preservation, The Great Depression ended the bid for a lakeside hotel. Instead, Dyar sold the land to the State of California for its newly developed State Park System. In 1962 the area officially was inducted into the State Park System.

On A Personal Note: 

I did the hike in the month of January. There was a minor winter storm that blew threw the area putting a light dusting of snow, hail, and grauple in the higher elevations of San Diego County. The weather conditions had temperatures in the high 30’s as well as steady moderate wind. It’s not uncommon to have winter storms pass through the area so please be aware of weather conditions and dress appropriately.

Looking for a little more challenge in your hike? Oakzanita Peak down the road is just over five miles in length with equally stunning views and a seasonal creek.  

Do you have an update to trail conditions? Leave a comment below.