Viejas Mountain has all the fixings for an ideal local hike. It’s not too far away — only about a 40-minute drive from the city of San Diego — and is located near the heart of the mountain ...

It’s been more than a decade since I’ve been back, but I’d heard that there was a short trail on the mountain ... a loop around the mountain. ©2025 The San Diego Union-Tribune.

El Cajon Mountain to the northeast and Cowles Mountain to the northwest. The start of the Yawkey Trail. (Maura Fox / The San Diego Union-Tribune) I left the peak and proceeded down the stairs on ...