Grasslands Galore

Hikes at Ramona Grasslands Preserve in northern San Diego County

Hiker at Ramona Grasslands Preserve in northern San Diego County

{MARCH 29, 2023 UPDATE: Due to the most recent storm, please be aware that there may be sudden trail closures and poor and hazardous conditions; check official websites before visiting, and exercise good judgement and caution.}

Sometimes the only path is the best path. At the sprawling 3,521-acre Ramona Grasslands Preserve in northern San Diego County, there are just two loops: the 2-mile Wildflower Loop and the 0.8-mile Meadow Loop. Connect them both via a 0.2-mile trail and you’ve got a 3.2 mile adventure that explores the best features of the park.

Hiker at Grasslands Preserve in northern San Diego County

Hiker looking out to the view at Ramona Grasslands Preserve in northern San Diego County

Park in the wide lot, grab a map, and head for the latched gate (don’t forget to close it after passing through as it’s home to a cattle range too). The Meadow Loop immediately confirms its name: expansive grasslands and rolling hills are all around you. The rocky outcropping on the summit of Mount Woodson provides an awe-inspiring backdrop to the west as you head left at the first junction. Along the path, stop and enjoy the giant, shade-offering gnarly oaks, an impressive site juxtaposed against the flat meadows.

The trail soon reaches the connector; head left here to reach the Wildflower Loop. It’s truly impossible to get lost, but it’s also hard to keep an eye on the trail as more towering oak specimens pop up, and some particularly large granite boulders as well. Turn left to take the loop clockwise, taking a brief spur trail to a shaded picnic area overlooking a pond. 

Upon returning to the loop, search the skies for red-tailed hawks or their larger cousins, soaring golden eagles. The trail climbs through a chaparral hillside and offers panoramic vistas of the surrounding Santa Maria Valley. It’s also a good idea to search the ground around you; the park boasts 40 different protected species, such as the arroyo toad and the Stephens’s kangaroo rat, but you may also catch a coyote or long-tailed weasel during the crepuscular hours.

You’ll eventually get to another shaded grove and picnic area, where local cattle beyond the fence may be hanging out. Continue along the wide dirt trail flanked by charming wooden rails back to the connector trail, and take the Meadow Loop going clockwise for a different—and still picturesque—return to the staging area and lot. 

To get to the Ramona Grasslands Preserve lot and trailhead, take the I-15 to the W. Bernardo Dr./Pomerado Rd. exit and head east on Pomerado Rd. Take the first left onto Highland Valley Rd. and head east for 10 miles, where you’ll turn left to stay on Highland Valley. After another 0.3 mile, find the preserve’s lot on your left. Dog friendly!

Story and photos by Matt Pawlik, @mattitudehikes

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Taking the Stage: Tyler Ranch

    Hike the recently opened Tyler Ranch Staging Area in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, with 18 miles of new trails. This 6.5-mile loop up Sunol Peak is a challenge and rewards with exceptional views of seasonal iridescent hills.

    View
  2. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike (and Manly Lake Vista!) at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. On clear days you get views of both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous U.S. 

    View
  3. Swing into Spring

    Swing into this 7.1-mile hike in the hills of Half Moon Bay! It’s got gorgeous views, fields of spring wildflowers, and a hidden rustic tree swing.

    View
  4. The Carson Show

    Carson Falls is ready for primetime. This three-tiered, 100-foot stunner is hidden back in a canyon outside of Fairfax and reached on a 3.25-mile (round-trip) hike.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Lava Lava

    Once a land of volcanic activity, Mojave National Preserve shares plenty about its past via a quick yet adventurous hike to the Lava Tube in the Cima Dome Volcanic Field.

    View
  2. Kelso Dunes

    The hike to the top of Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve is only 3 miles (out and back), but you’ll feel like you’ve hiked much farther by the time you’re done.

    View
  3. William Kenyon Overlook

    Some of the best vistas of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park are easily accessible via a short and sweet 1.25-mile (round-trip) hike just off the CA-78. Enter your next favorite desert viewpoint: the William Kenyon Overlook.

    View
  4. Beaudry Bountiful

    There are no cars allowed on Beaudry Loop, but this 6-mile hike takes you on a wild ride. You’ll be climbing 1,500 feet up the southern Verdugos along a chaparral-lined trail with gorgeous mountain and urban vistas every step of the way.

    View