Near Big Rock Trail
Evening view from "The Balcony" on the Cowles Mountain Service Road. Looking northeast towards Santee.

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Hike Trail

Big Rock Trail

4.0 (2 Ratings)
A longer, much less crowded trail to go up Cowles Mountain.
1.6
mi
Distance
801
ft
Gain
strenuous
Difficulty
Less CrowdedViewsWildflowers

Route Details

Flatter
Steeper
1.56mi
Distance
801ft
Elevation Gain
34ft
Elevation Loss
25%
Max Grade
1,133ft
High Point
365ft
Low Point
Path Type
Point to Point
Description
The can be accessed from a couple of points: one is located at the end of Big Rock Rd. and the other is the !Cowles Mountain Trailhead at Big Rock Park. Parking is plentiful and is located in a residential area. This trail is well groomed and marked and has less than a tenth of the traffic experienced at the popular Cowles Mountain Trail. There is little to no shade on this trail so bring plenty of water. From the trailhead, you begin your gradual but constant climb to the summit. The end of this trail meets the service road that will take you the rest of the way up to the top of Cowels Mountain.

Route Conditions

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Contributors
Alvaro Frausto