Mother Miguel/Rock House Trail

Begin at the trailhead on Paseo Veracruz at the northeast corner of Mt. San Miguel Park. Initially, stay to the left (west) along the northern edge of the park before curving around to the right (north). This will lead to the best trail up the mountain. (There are numerous dirt paths in the beginning which can be confusing, and the first obvious path you see up the mountain is far too steep for safe footing.) The trail curves around to the right and will descend into a small canyon with a normally dry watercourse, then continue uphill on the other side. This is when the real climbing begins. There is a very steep eroded path directly up the slope which is not recommended. Instead, hike upward on the gentle switchbacks and enjoy the views as they continuously improve with the gain in elevation. The switchbacks end when you attain the shoulder of the ridge, then the slope becomes easy as you continue north to the summit. There is a U.S. flag and POW/MIA flag on a pole on top of a large cairn of stones on the summit. This is a great spot for taking photos and has excellent views. You can see the Sweetwater Reservoir down below, as well as the Pacific Ocean, San Diego Bay, Downtown San Diego, Point Loma, and the Coronado Islands.