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

Pacific Crest Trail: Kitchen Creek Road to Cibbets Flat

Hike to a tumbling creek among cottonwoods and willows.

The reward comes at Cibbets Flat, where Kitchen Creek tumbles over granitic rock among the cottonwoods and willows.
The reward comes at Cibbets Flat, where Kitchen Creek tumbles over granitic rock among the cottonwoods and willows.

This trek is along a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail, beginning at the junction with Kitchen Creek Road. It starts on a ridgeline with expansive views of backcountry and south toward Mexico and Cameron Valley as one ascends up the gentle-to-moderate slope composed of interesting rock formations that will delight geology enthusiasts. Foliated red-stained gneiss makes a nice contrast to seasonal blooming forget-me-nots. The trail levels out and then drops into Fred Canyon with mixed chaparral lined with chamise, mountain blue curls, big berry manzanita, and an occasional desert four o’clock.

Big berry manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca) is well suited for Southern California habitats that range from just under zero degrees fahrenheit to hot Santa Ana conditions. This dense evergreen shrub is easily identified by its bright red bark and large berries. Big berry manzanitas need little water, tolerate salty soil, and grow well in direct sun. Manzanitas are browsed extensively by deer, while birds and small mammals are attracted to the berries.

The creek in Fred Canyon is usually dry, but there is a glade of oaks. The trail then ascends to a clearing where the Fred Canyon road crosses. Follow the road to the west 0.8 mile to Cibbets Flat Campground.

Sponsored
Sponsored

The reward on the trip comes at Cibbets Flat where Kitchen Creek tumbles over granitic rock and ponds among the cottonwoods and willows. This is a great, shady place to stop and have a bite to eat and relax and maybe soak your feet in a cool pond. There are also vault toilets, tables, and water at the campground. After Cibbets Flat, reverse direction to return to your car.

Although this hike is best in the spring when the mountain blue curls, foothill penstemon, and wild peony are in bloom, it is also beautiful on clear days with mid-high temperatures when butterflies, such as pale swallowtail, marine blues, and sulfurs, are out.

Canyoneers are San Diego Natural History Museum volunteers trained to lead interpretive nature walks that teach appreciation for the great outdoors. For a schedule of free public hikes, refer to the San Diego Natural History Museum website.

Distance from downtown San Diego: 56 miles. Allow 1.5 hours driving time. Take SR-163 north to I-8 and drive east 49.2 miles, exiting at Kitchen Creek Rd. and turning left (north). Drive north on Kitchen Creek Rd. about 2 miles, looking for the signs of the Pacific Crest Trail on both sides of the road. Park here and take the trail on the right. A National Forest Adventure Pass is required to park. No facilities until Cibbets Flat at the turn-around area.

Hiking length: 6 miles — 3 miles out and back. Difficulty: Moderate with approximately 1350 feet elevation gain/loss. Open spots on the trail can get very warm. Brings lots of water.

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

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

Temperature inversions bring smoggy weather, "ankle biters" still biting

Near-new moon will lead to a dark Halloween
Next Article

The vicious cycle of Escondido's abandoned buildings

City staff blames owners for raising rents
The reward comes at Cibbets Flat, where Kitchen Creek tumbles over granitic rock among the cottonwoods and willows.
The reward comes at Cibbets Flat, where Kitchen Creek tumbles over granitic rock among the cottonwoods and willows.

This trek is along a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail, beginning at the junction with Kitchen Creek Road. It starts on a ridgeline with expansive views of backcountry and south toward Mexico and Cameron Valley as one ascends up the gentle-to-moderate slope composed of interesting rock formations that will delight geology enthusiasts. Foliated red-stained gneiss makes a nice contrast to seasonal blooming forget-me-nots. The trail levels out and then drops into Fred Canyon with mixed chaparral lined with chamise, mountain blue curls, big berry manzanita, and an occasional desert four o’clock.

Big berry manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca) is well suited for Southern California habitats that range from just under zero degrees fahrenheit to hot Santa Ana conditions. This dense evergreen shrub is easily identified by its bright red bark and large berries. Big berry manzanitas need little water, tolerate salty soil, and grow well in direct sun. Manzanitas are browsed extensively by deer, while birds and small mammals are attracted to the berries.

The creek in Fred Canyon is usually dry, but there is a glade of oaks. The trail then ascends to a clearing where the Fred Canyon road crosses. Follow the road to the west 0.8 mile to Cibbets Flat Campground.

Sponsored
Sponsored

The reward on the trip comes at Cibbets Flat where Kitchen Creek tumbles over granitic rock and ponds among the cottonwoods and willows. This is a great, shady place to stop and have a bite to eat and relax and maybe soak your feet in a cool pond. There are also vault toilets, tables, and water at the campground. After Cibbets Flat, reverse direction to return to your car.

Although this hike is best in the spring when the mountain blue curls, foothill penstemon, and wild peony are in bloom, it is also beautiful on clear days with mid-high temperatures when butterflies, such as pale swallowtail, marine blues, and sulfurs, are out.

Canyoneers are San Diego Natural History Museum volunteers trained to lead interpretive nature walks that teach appreciation for the great outdoors. For a schedule of free public hikes, refer to the San Diego Natural History Museum website.

Distance from downtown San Diego: 56 miles. Allow 1.5 hours driving time. Take SR-163 north to I-8 and drive east 49.2 miles, exiting at Kitchen Creek Rd. and turning left (north). Drive north on Kitchen Creek Rd. about 2 miles, looking for the signs of the Pacific Crest Trail on both sides of the road. Park here and take the trail on the right. A National Forest Adventure Pass is required to park. No facilities until Cibbets Flat at the turn-around area.

Hiking length: 6 miles — 3 miles out and back. Difficulty: Moderate with approximately 1350 feet elevation gain/loss. Open spots on the trail can get very warm. Brings lots of water.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

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

Dia de los Muertos Celebration, Love Thy Neighbor(Hood): Food & Art Exploration

Events November 2-November 6, 2024
Next Article

Jazz guitarist Alex Ciavarelli pays tribute to pianist Oscar Peterson

“I had to extract the elements that spoke to me and realize them on my instrument”
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.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader