Way Up Trail to Lake Hodges Overlook

Cappie’s Scoop: We picked a foggy day to do this hike but it made the adventure more interesting because legend has it, the Elfin Forest is haunted (read more at Hidden San Diego). So I kept my eyes open for anything suspicious as we climbed to the top. I found a lot of flowers (very pretty) and a lot of spider webs. The mist brought out the webs that were all around us. I even walked through one and it was stuck on my face. I tried to wipe it off with my paw quickly so I could see what was happening around me. There weren’t many people on the trail. Maybe they knew something I didn’t know. I looked at mom and thought should we go back to the car. But we kept going and eventually reached the top. I saw Lake Hodges and smiled because we made it and everything was OK! Don’t hesitate to add YOUR scoop in the comments below!

Tips: Please respect park hours and do not enter before it opens. Special note dogs under effective voice command are permitted off leash Monday through Friday, but only at the top of the “Way Up” Trail (point marked with sign).

Directions: Park opens at 8am and the parking lot is small. If it’s full, you may need to park on the side of the road or in the overflow parking area. From I-15 take the Valley Parkway exit and go west on West Valley Parkway. Turn right onto Avenida Del Diablo and continue for approximately 0.6 mile. Turn right onto Citracado Parkway, which turns left and becomes Harmony Grove Village Parkway. Turn left onto Harmony Grove Road and continue for 2.2 miles to the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve on your left.