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Location: San Diego County, about 8 miles south of Julian, 150 miles from Los Angeles

Maps

Auto Club: San Diego County

Forest Service: Cleveland National Forest

USGS Topo: Cuyamaca Peak 7½

HPS: Route(s), waypoints and explanation of usage

Nearby Peaks: Cuyamaca Peak, Stonewall Peak, Oakzanita Peak

Distance: 5 miles round trip on road and cross-country

Gain: 1200'

Time: 3 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, easy

Original: Warren E. von Pertz, January 1968

DRIVING ROUTE 1

• Take I-5 south to SR 78 in San Diego County.
• Go east on SR 78 through Escondido to the junction with SR 79 just past the town of Julian. Turn right (south) on SR 79.
• Go south on SR 79 for 9 miles to the Cuyamaca Dam.
• Continue 0.1 mile to a gravel turnout on the right with log gates at either end. Park here.

HIKING ROUTE 1

• From the parking area (4600'), hike up an asphalt road which goes south. Ignore a road that goes off to the right.
• At about 0.1 mile you will come to a locked gate with stone pillars. Pass the gate and continue up the road passing a stone foundation and on to a road junction at 5600'.
• Take the left fork and go a few hundred feet to another fork.
• Leave the road here and hike cross-country west up the ridge to the summit.

Distance: 5 miles round trip on road and cross-country

Gain: 1200'

Time: 3 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, easy

Original: Warren E. von Pertz, January 1968

DRIVING ROUTE 2

• Take I-5 south to SR 78 in San Diego County.
• Go east on SR 78 through Escondido to the junction with SR 79 just past the town of Julian. Turn right (south) on SR 79.
• Go south on SR 79 for 9 miles to the Cuyamaca Dam.
• Continue 1.1 miles to a road on the right side (west) with a sign "Camp Hual-Cu-Cuish". Park on the left (east) side of the highway.

HIKING ROUTE 2

• From the parking area (4600'), cross the highway and hike west up the dirt road to a fork.
• Keep right at this fork and pass a gate and continue on to another fork with a barrier on the right fork.
• Turn right and follow this road to another fork at 5640'.
• Turn right and go about 300 yards to the high point on the road.
• Leave the road here on the left and hike cross-country up through trees to the summit.

ALTERNATE ROUTES

Middle Peak and Cuyamaca Peak are often done as a car shuttle or loop trip. It is possible to go south down the ridge from Middle Peak to the five way junction described in Route 2 of the Cuyamaca Peak guide. Continue to Middle Peak via the Route 2 instructions.

ACCESS NOTE

While the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park recovers from the devastating fire of 2003, cross-country hiking has been discouraged. Check with a ranger before proceeding all the way to Middle's summit. If they won't give permission to do the final cross-country bit of the climb, it is sufficient to go to the highest point of the road/trail that circles the summit area.

HISTORICAL NOTE

Middle Peak lies within the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.

History of Summit Signature

Climbing Archives

Please report any corrections or changes to the Mountain Records Chair.