Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Noble Canyon

Noble Canyon trailhead
Noble Canyon trailhead

About 200 yards from the east side of the Penny Pines parking area is a view overlooking the Anza-Borrego Desert. Take a look before you enter the forest canopy. The Noble Canyon hike begins in an alpine forest and descends to an open chaparral and has water crossings and a variety of rocky landscapes and open views. Oak-lined trails along mountain cliffs are another highlight hiking through the Laguna Mountains in this southern section of the Cleveland National Forest. It is worth going the distance to experience the variety found on this trail.

Immediately upon entering the top of the trail at Penny Pines, hikers are surrounded by a dense forest of canyon or maul oaks. Some of these trees may be over 300 years old, with canopies that spread for 100 feet. Interspersed among the forest trees, look for some rare plant finds, including fairy lanterns or globe lily, stream orchids, Humboldt or leopard lilies, and golden-bowl Mariposa lilies. The Humboldt lilies bloom soon after Memorial Day. Farther down the trail is showy penstemon and mountain blue curls.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Note the vegetation changes as you descend. After leaving the dense forest and riparian section, the trail opens to an arid desert of sage scrub with chaparral yucca and various species of cactus. Within the last mile of the trail you will enter a section of ribbonwood or red shank. At first glance you might think you have found another species of manzanita, given the red bark, but this is a cousin of the nearby chamise. Both are in the rose family.

The route crosses Pine Creek Road a couple of times during the descent as you head down to the Indian Creek Trail junction. The area burned in the 2003 Cedar Fire but is recovering well. Along the trail there is evidence of mining activity and the remnants of a homestead. Look for an abandoned mine shaft with the tailings spread around the opening.

Along the trail, be alert to the sounds and sights of many bird species. One of the more brightly colored ones will be the western tanager with his red head, yellow breast and black wings. As showy as his coloring is, he can easily disappear into the dense foliage. Also be alert for mountain-bikers on the trail.

Distance from downtown San Diego: 49 miles to the Pine Creek Trailhead (Cleveland National Forest). Allow 55 minutes. From I-8 east, exit Pine Valley Rd. and head north. Turn west (left) on Old Hwy 80 and then north (right), directly past the bridge at Pine Creek Rd. Follow Pine Creek Rd. about 1.8 miles to the Cleveland National Forest trailhead sign. Park one vehicle here and shuttle hikers to the trailhead at Penny Pines at mile marker 27.3 on the Sunrise Highway (S-1), about 13 miles from the Pine Creek Trailhead. Restroom available. With the shuttle, allow a total of 1.5 hours of driving time. A National Forest Adventure Pass or Golden Age Passport must be displayed on parked vehicles at the trailheads.

Hiking length: 7.8 miles from the Penny Pines Trailhead back down to the parking area at Pine Creek. Allow 6 hours for the hike and for exploration of the trail. Difficulty: Strenuous due to the length of the hike. Elevation gain of 1165 feet and a descent of 2641 feet , with an overall net loss of nearly 1500 feet. Carry plenty of water. The best times to hike are from October through May.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Gilbert Castellanos, Buddha Trixie, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Shane Hall, Brian Jones Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival

Grand Socials, gigs, and record releases in Del Mar, City Heights, Solana Beach, Little Italy, and Ocean Beach
Next Article

Will L.A. Times crowd out San Diego U-T at Riverside printing plant?

Will Toni Atkins stand back from anti-SDG&E initiative?
Noble Canyon trailhead
Noble Canyon trailhead

About 200 yards from the east side of the Penny Pines parking area is a view overlooking the Anza-Borrego Desert. Take a look before you enter the forest canopy. The Noble Canyon hike begins in an alpine forest and descends to an open chaparral and has water crossings and a variety of rocky landscapes and open views. Oak-lined trails along mountain cliffs are another highlight hiking through the Laguna Mountains in this southern section of the Cleveland National Forest. It is worth going the distance to experience the variety found on this trail.

Immediately upon entering the top of the trail at Penny Pines, hikers are surrounded by a dense forest of canyon or maul oaks. Some of these trees may be over 300 years old, with canopies that spread for 100 feet. Interspersed among the forest trees, look for some rare plant finds, including fairy lanterns or globe lily, stream orchids, Humboldt or leopard lilies, and golden-bowl Mariposa lilies. The Humboldt lilies bloom soon after Memorial Day. Farther down the trail is showy penstemon and mountain blue curls.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Note the vegetation changes as you descend. After leaving the dense forest and riparian section, the trail opens to an arid desert of sage scrub with chaparral yucca and various species of cactus. Within the last mile of the trail you will enter a section of ribbonwood or red shank. At first glance you might think you have found another species of manzanita, given the red bark, but this is a cousin of the nearby chamise. Both are in the rose family.

The route crosses Pine Creek Road a couple of times during the descent as you head down to the Indian Creek Trail junction. The area burned in the 2003 Cedar Fire but is recovering well. Along the trail there is evidence of mining activity and the remnants of a homestead. Look for an abandoned mine shaft with the tailings spread around the opening.

Along the trail, be alert to the sounds and sights of many bird species. One of the more brightly colored ones will be the western tanager with his red head, yellow breast and black wings. As showy as his coloring is, he can easily disappear into the dense foliage. Also be alert for mountain-bikers on the trail.

Distance from downtown San Diego: 49 miles to the Pine Creek Trailhead (Cleveland National Forest). Allow 55 minutes. From I-8 east, exit Pine Valley Rd. and head north. Turn west (left) on Old Hwy 80 and then north (right), directly past the bridge at Pine Creek Rd. Follow Pine Creek Rd. about 1.8 miles to the Cleveland National Forest trailhead sign. Park one vehicle here and shuttle hikers to the trailhead at Penny Pines at mile marker 27.3 on the Sunrise Highway (S-1), about 13 miles from the Pine Creek Trailhead. Restroom available. With the shuttle, allow a total of 1.5 hours of driving time. A National Forest Adventure Pass or Golden Age Passport must be displayed on parked vehicles at the trailheads.

Hiking length: 7.8 miles from the Penny Pines Trailhead back down to the parking area at Pine Creek. Allow 6 hours for the hike and for exploration of the trail. Difficulty: Strenuous due to the length of the hike. Elevation gain of 1165 feet and a descent of 2641 feet , with an overall net loss of nearly 1500 feet. Carry plenty of water. The best times to hike are from October through May.

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Tyler Farr, Blue Water Film Festival, Mustache Bash

Events March 21-March 23, 2024
Next Article

Gilbert Castellanos, Buddha Trixie, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Shane Hall, Brian Jones Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival

Grand Socials, gigs, and record releases in Del Mar, City Heights, Solana Beach, Little Italy, and Ocean Beach
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.