Best of 2003: Best Picnic & Bird Watching Spot

Dos Picos County Park
17953 Dos Picos Park Road, Ramona

Nestled between two mountain swells (Dos Picos is Spanish for two peaks) with boulders dotting the surrounding hillside, the picnic area in this remote state park is shaded by oak trees. Some of the Coast live oaks and Engelmann oaks are 300 years old. Usually overlooked on the highway to Julian, the park almost always has picnic spots available for drop-in visitors, even on weekends. A short walk from the picnic area leads to a small pond frequented by great blue herons, great egrets, and several duck species. Bird watchers can catch sight of red-shouldered hawks, western bluebirds, woodpeckers, quail, and horned owls. Visitors have access to a nature trail, horseshoe pits, and a nearby soccer field.