Today’s adventure was a short loop along the shores of Lake Hodges. About 8 cars were in the parking lot at the Piedras Pintadas trailhead. I grabbed my gear and headed west along the wide trail. Along this initial portion, interpretive panels tell the story of native peoples that lived here.
The trail forks as it reaches the now-dry lakeshore (the lake’s water levels had been lowered for repairs to the dam), and I stayed to the right. The trail would now follow the shoreline for most of the rest of the way.
Various birds could be seen along the empty lake bed. Bernardo Mountain stood high above it to the north. My foot certainly was not ready to climb to its summit.
There were a few others out enjoying the trail, but for the most part, I had the trail to myself. As the trail turned eastwards, I could spot the pedestrian bridge off in the distance. Soon the trail ended at the bike path that runs along the road, and after a short climb up, I returned to my car. A nice 2.1-mile loop was perfect to keep working my foot.
I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. In 2019, I became the third person to complete the San Diego 100 Peak Challenge. Not stopping with that accomplishment, I set my sights on the harder San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list, which I completed in 2021. In addition, I have conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and Arizona-Winter). Beyond attempting the San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list a second time, I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.