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Poway · Free · Ranked in 1 list
Last updated
Iron Mountain is a Poway spot ranked #2 of 8 in our Best Hikes in San Diego list, scoring 87/100. Order the summit loop, 6 miles round trip. The best moderate summit hike in the county, with a proper payoff and good trail maintenance.
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Score 87/100 · Order: Summit loop, 6 miles round trip · Free
Iron Mountain climbs about 1,100 feet over three miles of exposed chaparral to a summit with views across Poway and inland North County. It is the trail to graduate to after Cowles Mountain gets easy, and the surface is good enough for trail running.
Local tip: No shade past the first mile — start before 8 AM from May through October.
Scored with our ranking methodology — hikes.
Written and fact-checked by the Sandi Spots Editorial team — San Diego residents publishing under Sleep Coast LLC. Every place we recommend has been visited in person or verified against an official source, and no business can pay for inclusion or a higher ranking. Last updated .