Swartz Canyon Trail

Dogs No Dogs

E-Bikes Unknown

From the trail kiosk, start climbing up the sandy switchbacks. This section can be sandy and loose with a few of those rubber water diversions across the trail, so if it's too sandy you can pedal up the nearby Ranch Road Jeep Trail and join the singletrack at the top of the hill.

At the top, stay to the right at the forks and follow the swoops and turns along the ridge as you ride out along the trail. There are a lot of hikers and sometimes horses up here, so watch out for others on the trail. A few use-trails descend back down the ridge to your right. Stay left on the wide trail.

Eventually, you'll reach a couple of huge boulders laying against each other called "Teepee Rocks." There's a bench here and the trail forks. The right hand trail climbs steeply to a viewpoint that gives you a 360° view of the San Diego Country Estates, Ramona Peak, and several other mountains. The left takes you down the side of the hill.

If you're looking for a shorter, more casual ride, this would be a good spot to turn around. Otherwise, go left.

Watch out along this descent, because while the Open Space managers do maintain this trail, it can have some large ruts and washouts. At nearly the bottom of the traverse, keep left to head down to the bottom of Swartz Canyon where riders will find a seasonal creek and a steep climb that starts the Mt. Gower Ridge Trail proper.