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Poway / Ramona · $10 non-resident weekend parking · Ranked in 1 list
Last updated
Potato Chip Rock (Mount Woodson) is a Poway / Ramona spot ranked #7 of 8 in our Best Hikes in San Diego list, scoring 81/100. Order the lake poway route, 7.5 miles round trip. San Diego's most photographed rock formation, earned with a genuinely hard climb.
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Score 81/100 · Order: Lake Poway route, 7.5 miles round trip · $10 non-resident weekend parking
Mount Woodson via Lake Poway is a steep, rocky 7.5-mile round trip that ends at a thin granite slab jutting over a drop. The hike itself is strong; the crowds and the queue at the rock are the drawback. Start at dawn and carry more water than you think you need.
Local tip: The photo line at the rock can run an hour on weekends — go on a weekday morning.
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 .