Hawes Loop Trail

Either way you look at it, this trail is a climb at the beginning and a descent at the end. You start climbing up a ridge between two neighborhoods and follow the trail up towards a microwave tower. At one point, you can veer off and climb the hill to the microwave tower site where there is a road and a gate, but I usually just follow the arc around to connect to the Hawes Trail. Due to the climb, you get nice views of the surrounding area, and excellent views on clear days. It is used frequently by hikers, families, people walking dogs, and trail runners. Aside from the trailhead, there are no signs until you get to the Hawes Trail. While this is called a "loop trail," I have yet to understand how it is a loop. It is, at best, a half loop (out and back?) unless you wander through a wash and a neighborhood to get back to Diamond Point and then Las Sendas Mountain Drive. I have never done that and do not know the current state of the area. At any rate, it takes off from a very well-marked trailhead on Las Sendas Mountain drive. Unfortunately, there is no parking to speak of, so I usually hike here. I suspect many people walk up from the Las Sendas Trailhead Members Club parking lot. I don't think they will ticket you for parking there for short periods, but I'd suggest parking at the Walgreens lot on Power Rd and Thomas Rd then hiking up Eagle Crest to Saddleback St and on to Mountain Ridge, which turns into Las Sendas Mountain Dr. Then, if you take the Fence Line Trail out of the trail system, you'll be about back where you parked. That is, unfortunately, a pretty large "loop" for a trail that looks like it should only be a little over a mile.