How long does it take to hike potato chip rock? – The proper hike from the bottle of Lake Poway, the Poway Wilderness Picnic Area Trail is 8 miles, so it will take 3-4 hours. If you take the back route, the hike is only 3.75 miles – in and out – or 5.5 miles as a loop. It will take 2 to 3 hours.
How long of a hike is Potato Chip Rock?
Get to know this 11.9-km out-and-back trail near Poway, California. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 4 h 20 min to complete. This is a very popular area for hiking, so you’ll likely encounter other people while exploring.
- The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime.
- Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.
- Length 11.9 km Elevation gain 643 m Route type Out & back Dogs on leash Hiking Lake Partially paved Views Wildflowers Wildlife Rocky No shade Fee This is one of the most popular trails for photo ops and beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean in all of Southern California.
The steep and narrow hike up to Potato Chip Rock and the Mt Woodson Summit is a must-do for locals and visitors alike. Potato Chip Rock is certainly one of the most unique rock formations in the area and draws scores of visitors looking to get a photo at the top.
- Located in northern San Diego County, the Mount Woodson Trailhead starts at the end of Lake Poway Road and offers hikers and trail runners a challenging route up to the famous boulder shaped as a potato chip.
- You’ll start along the Sumac Trail before turning left to follow the Lake Poway Trail for a short distance.
Once you reach the intersection of the Mt. Woodson Trail, the route begins to ascend. This is a great hike that provides a good workout and is a fantastic option for those looking to train for longer hikes and runs. The Mount Woodson Trail is very exposed so it is highly recommended that you bring plenty of water and sunscreen, and turn around once you are halfway through your water supply.
- Although the trails remain open year-round, this is not recommended for less experienced hikers during hot weather.
- Lake Poway PARKING IS FREE during the week- (weekends and holidays it’s $10.00 for non- Poway residents) Want to report conditions for this trail? to inform other visitors! September 25, 2022 • Hiking Great workout.
Good to start early! Great place to test gear. Cell service the whole way.2,000′ of elevation gain in just over 3.5 miles is a great way to get the blood pumping. This is a super popular place which is why I’ve waited so long to try it there was no lack of fellow hikers out there.
Overall this is a great local hike for San Diego It’s great! Such a fun hike. September 18, 2022 • Hiking Great hike! Start early. Don’t want to be stuck on the sun. Plus the lines to take pics will be shorter. Conditions: Great! Great hike bring lots of water The most challenging hike I ever had September 16, 2022 • Hiking Trail was wide and easy to traverse Conditions: Great! Always a good workout.
Very nice temperature today. Great hike. Park opens at 6am so be ready to wait for that. Bring water if it’s hot as it’s mostly up hill getting there, and there is no shade. Have fun !! Free parking during the week! September 12, 2022 • Hiking After over 15 years in San Diego I finally decided to go see this famous rock.
Can you hike Potato Chip Rock at night?
You’ll enjoy sweeping views of San Diego at night while enjoying the bright star-lit sky. We will hike roughly 4 miles roundtrip to the summit of Mount Woodson and visit the world-famous Potato Chip Rock to capture some breathtaking photos to share with all your friends and family.
Can kids hike Potato Chip Rock?
Over a year ago. The trail is totally kid friendly. There are no open edges where your kids are going to run off of and the trail is paved the whole way until you get to the rock (about 100m of unpaved trail).
Where do you park for potato chip hike?
What About the Potato Chip Short Trail? – There are a few ways to hike to Potato Chip Rock and Mt Woodson. The route from Lake Poway is the most popular route for a good reason. It has great scenery, plenty of parking, facilities and bathrooms, and is the least steep (although still a tough climb). 
The most popular free route starts on the side of Rt.67, where you can park for free along the road. The 4 mile round-trip route takes Mt Woodson Road to the summit. It’s a paved and steep route, and lacks the scenery of the Lake Poway route. 
My second favorite route to the top leaves close to the Rt 67 route, it’s the Fry-Koegel Trail. The trail is not paved and offers great scenery, but not as good as the Lake Poway route (in my opinion). There are also no bathrooms.
How difficult is Potato Chip Rock?
Overview of Potato Chip Rock – The Mt. Woodson trail is located in the city of Poway, right near Poway Lake. The route is difficult in scale, totaling 7.6 miles out and back, with elevation gains exceeding 2,000 feet. The biggest allure of this hike is, of course, the potato rock formation at the hike’s summit.
The iconic potato chip rock has become a popular destination for photo ops- you’ve probably seen pictures of hikers posing on the ledge. Hikers will enjoy the serenity and open scenery as they climb to the top. The path is lined with green shrubs, trees, and boulders. But nothing compares to the top of the summit, where you’ll get to enjoy the beautiful 360-degree views of San Diego from above (as you catch your breath from the climb).
If you do this hike with a significant other, you’ll definitely add this to your list of romantic viewpoints in San Diego, My Experience: The Lake Poway Recreational Center is a lovely place with many activities, including the park, lake, and many hiking trails.
We were not sure where to go, so we visited the Rangers office where a very nice and informative Ranger gave us some background on the area and told us where to go. The Mt. Woodson trail is the trail you want to take in order to make it to the fun “photo op”. The Ranger warned us it should take about 3 hours up and 1 hour down.
Once pointed in the right direction, we were on our way! I truly enjoyed the Potato Chip Rock hike. It is definitely challenging as it’s mostly uphill, but it is beautiful. There are a lot of people on the trail, which can be a good thing or bad thing, depending on your preference. I was in awe of the natural beauty the whole way.
- It definitely is a change from city life.
- I was warned that it was a long hike, but it definitely felt like it went on and on and on.
- Just when you think you’re almost there, there is the mile checker to tell you that you’ve only gone,5 miles! If I didn’t have the motivation of knowing that I had a killer photo op waiting for me at the top, I probably would’ve quit.
We were really glad we stuck with it and made it to the top. Things I wish I would’ve known: 1) It really is 3 hours up and 1 hour back.
How high up is Potato Chip Rock?
In a county full of picturesque spots, one of the most breathtaking and fun is Potato Chip Rock near the top of Mount Woodson in Poway. The rock can be found about 2,800 feet up. It indeed resembles a potato chip jutting out from a boulder. It also sort of looks like an index finger pointing out.
After a vigorous, if not grueling, trek up the mountain, hikers line up so they can walk out on the rock and have their picture taken with the rugged San Diego landscape below and blue skies above. One such photo of a mother and her adult son taken by U-T staff photographer Charlie Neuman was used Feb.26 as the cover of Night&Day to illustrate a story inside on 10 top hikes in the county.
They sit on the rock thousands of feet above boulder-laden hills. Another photo inside shows a father crawling out on the rock to his two daughters who are toward the tip. Nothing above and below appears except the sky. The pictures led one reader to call the Readers’ Rep to adamantly complain that it was irresponsible of the U-T to run photos that show — and promote — what appears to be an incredibly dangerous activity.
The photos, though, are deceiving. It appears as if the rock sticks out over what would be a sheer drop of thousands of feet, as if it were Half Dome. That’s not the case. Neuman estimates the rock is about 20 feet over the side of the mountain and foliage. Although if a person fell he would be hurt, probably seriously, the fall would be broken.
Also the pictures make the rock look to be thin and brittle. It’s actually a sizable hunk of granite. Neuman guesses it’s about 10 to 12 feet wide narrowing to about 5 feet at the end. Michelle Dederko, a reporter with Discoversd, wrote the story. Discoversd is a website and print publication, owned by the U-T, which focuses on entertainment and night life.
- The story had already run in Discoversd.
- Michael Rocha, the editor of Night&Day, repurposed it for use in his section.
- The story’s segment on hiking Lake Poway to Mount Woodson refers to Potato Chip Rock as “death-defying.” This added to the reader’s anxiety.
- The phrasing should have been toned down, but Dederko points out the story had been written in a looser style, like that of a blog, for the website than for print.
She said a couple of more sentences of description would have been a good addition. I agree. Through social media, such as Facebook and Instagram, and through numerous hiking blogs, Potato Chip Rock has become a sensation in the past couple of years. A Google image search turns up thousands of pictures of people on the rock doing all kinds of poses: handstands, yoga stretches, sitting at the end with legs dangling.
It’s become so popular that some days hikers have to wait a half-hour or more to take a picture on the rock. So far, a Poway park ranger says, there have been no reports of anyone falling from the rock, which open to the public. It’s the job of the news media to chronicle the happenings of the day and of a place.
Not only should the media tell readers what is occurring currently but also record the activities for history.
Can you drive to Potato Chip Rock?
From Lake Poway, take Lake Poway Road a half mile from the lake to Espola Road. Turn left on Espola Road and drive 2.8 miles to Poway Road. Take a left and drive 2.6 miles to Hwy.
How long is Ho Chi Minh trail San Diego?
The trail is less than a half-mile long and takes just 15-20 minutes to descend.
How long does it take to get to the top of Cowles mountain?
Cowles Mountain Hike
| In This Guide | Turn by Turn Hike Directions & Video Cowles Mountain Trail Maps How to Get to Cowles Mountain |
|---|---|
| Hike Time | 2-3 Hours (Total) |
| Difficulty (?) | Moderate |
| Total Ascent (?) | 1,170 feet (357m) |
| Highest Elevation | 1,593 feet (486m) |
Is Potato Chip Rock dog friendly?
Hike to Potato Chip Rock – If you associate potato chips with unwanted calories, get ready for a re-education. You’ll burn a lot of energy on the hike to Potato Chip Rock—a one-of-a-kind boulder jutting out from the top of Mount Woodson in north San Diego County. Before you gain bragging rights (picture walking on a twelve-foot-long granite diving board at the top of a mountain), you’ve first got to hike 3.8 thigh-burning miles (one-way) up Mount Woodson Trail from the Lake Poway Recreation Area.
Is Iron Mountain hike hard?
Iron Mountain, in San Diego County, is one of the most popular hikes in the area. Hiking to the summit is tough, but not extreme, and once there, you can soak in panoramic views from the high mountains to the Pacific Ocean. The summit even has a viewfinder and picnic benches where you can relax.
What is Potato Chip Rock?
Potato Chip Rock is a natural tourist attraction near San Diego, California, It is located on the Mt. Woodson summit and is famous for resembling a potato chip, It is located in an unincorporated part of San Diego County between Poway and Ramona, There is no drinking water, toilet facilities, or rangers along any route to Potato Chip Rock. The rock is located at the top of the mountain, at an elevation between 2700 and 2800 ft. The hike to the rock takes approximately one to two hours. Potato Chip Rock sits 100 feet below the summit. One popular way to reach the rock is through a 6.6-mile round trip hike from the Lake Poway trailhead to the west.
There are two other popular routes to the top that start on the east side of Mount Woodson. A short route begins from free parking areas along Route 67, with an entrance at 16310 Highway 67, and follows Mt. Woodson Road up to the rock. This 3.75-mile round-trip hike is paved and steep. The Fry-Kogel trail is the third route to the rock, and is about 4 miles long.
The rock is thin and more than 7 feet long, and it looks as if it is about to fall. The rock was used as an April Fools’ Day prank by Poway Mayor Steve Vaus in 2017. In a tweet, he wrote that part of the rock had snapped off and fallen into Lake Poway below.
How do I get to Potato Chip Rock?
How to Get There – The hike to Potato Chip Rock is in Poway near Poway Lake. It is 5 to 10 minutes off the freeway and it costs $10 to park on the weekends and holidays if you do not live in the city of Poway itself. Once you park in the top parking lot, the trailhead starts near the bathroom and wraps around the lake. 
How was Potato Chip Rock formed?
You need to consider that the ‘potato chip’ formed when a massive portion of the spheroidally rounded outcrop split away and tumbled down the slope below.
Where is Mount Woodson?
Woodson Mountain, or widely known as Mount Woodson is a mountain near Poway, California and is known for Potato Chip Rock which located to the west of the summit.
How many miles is the Torrey Pines hike?
Torrey Pines Hike Guide
| In This Guide | Turn by Turn Hike Directions and Video Dealing With the Tricky Parking at Torrey Pines Preparing for the Hike |
|---|---|
| Total Distance (?) | 3.3 miles (5.3 km) |
| Other Options | 2.2 miles (straight back from beach) |
| Hike Time | 2 Hours (Total) |
| Difficulty (?) | Easy |
How long is Ho Chi Minh trail San Diego?
The trail is less than a half-mile long and takes just 15-20 minutes to descend.
How long does it take to get to the top of Cowles Mountain?
Cowles Mountain Hike
| In This Guide | Turn by Turn Hike Directions & Video Cowles Mountain Trail Maps How to Get to Cowles Mountain |
|---|---|
| Hike Time | 2-3 Hours (Total) |
| Difficulty (?) | Moderate |
| Total Ascent (?) | 1,170 feet (357m) |
| Highest Elevation | 1,593 feet (486m) |
Can you drive to Potato Chip Rock?
From Lake Poway, take Lake Poway Road a half mile from the lake to Espola Road. Turn left on Espola Road and drive 2.8 miles to Poway Road. Take a left and drive 2.6 miles to Hwy.