Cowles Mountain Trail sits right in San Diego’s Mission Trails Regional Park, and it’s one of the more rewarding hikes you can do without leaving the city. The 3-mile climb to the summit is legitimately steep—you’ll feel it in your legs—but the payoff is real. From the top, you get a full 360-degree view of San Diego County that extends all the way to the ocean on clear days. It’s the kind of vista that makes the huffing and puffing worth it.

Dogs can come along on leash, which means you’ll see plenty of them on the trail, especially on weekends. The path itself is well-maintained and mostly dirt and rock, so it’s manageable for dogs with decent fitness. The exposure increases as you climb higher, so this isn’t a good choice if your dog is nervous about heights or unsteady on rocky terrain. Bring plenty of water—more than you think you’ll need. There’s no water on the trail itself, and both you and your dog will be thirsty after pushing up that elevation gain.

The trailhead parking area fills up quickly on weekends, so arriving early or going on a weekday morning makes a real difference. The surrounding park has other trails if you want something less demanding, but Cowles Mountain is the signature hike. On a hot day, the upper sections of the trail have almost no shade, so timing your visit for early morning or later afternoon keeps things more comfortable for everyone.

You can find detailed information and current trail conditions on alltrails.com/trail/us/California/cowles-mountain-trail, which is also helpful for checking if there are any temporary closures or maintenance work happening.