Hikes & Events.
Join us for a guided hike or volunteer for our restoration projects. No RSVP required for guided hikes. For volunteer planting events, if you are interested in bringing a group, please call 858-863-7393.
Peñasquitos Preserve Wildflower Walk with Mary Lueking
Join naturalist Mary Lueking on a moderately paced, 3.5-mile hike from end of Park Village Rd., down to the waterfall, then up to the duck pond. We will look for wildflowers in the canyon. Other topics of discussion may include plant identification, habitats, geology, birds, and other wildlife.
Meet at the far west end of Park Village Rd in Rancho Peñasquitos, 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Miner’s Loop Trail hike with Beth Mather
Explore the history of Black Mountain with native plant enthusiast Mather. Enjoy the flowers and learn about the native habitats, plants, and animals. Learn a bit about the history of hang gliding off the mountain. Bring water, sun protection and sturdy hiking shoes. Meet in the parking lot at the north staging area. The hard-to-find entrance is off Carmel Valley Rd., on the south side of the road, about 0.7 miles east of its intersection with Black Mtn. Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve
Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Volunteer: Restoration Project in Black Mountain Open Space Park
No RSVPs needed unless bringing a group. Groups must RSVP to 858-863-7393.
No experience needed to plant, weed, and water native plantings to restore habitat for endangered birds and butterflies. Service hour credits available. Bring gloves if you have them & plenty of water. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Walk through the gate and look for a big white Ford 150 4x4 truck. That’s us.
Contact Mike Kelly at kelly.mike8388@gmail.com with questions or to receive detailed directions and a map. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Pkway, Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Fiesta de Los Penasquitos
We’ll be at the Fiesta, come visit our booth for info on our hikes, projects, and the upcoming 40 years celebration!
Board Meeting
The Board meets every other month, on the second Tuesday, at 7PM. We welcome new participants and volunteers, please get in touch if you want to join us.
Birding with all your senses with Jeanie Anderson
Meet 7:45 AM, hike 8-10 AM. Join Ornithologist Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in the canyon with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists will be provided.
Meet at the Preserve sign at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 12122 Black Mtn. Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos, 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve
Volunteer: Restoration Project in Black Mountain Open Space Park
No RSVPs needed unless bringing a group. Groups must RSVP to 858-863-7393.
No experience needed to plant, weed, and water native plantings to restore habitat for endangered birds and butterflies. Service hour credits available. Bring gloves if you have them & plenty of water. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Walk through the gate and look for a big white Ford 150 4x4 truck. That’s us.
Contact Mike Kelly at kelly.mike8388@gmail.com with questions or to receive detailed directions and a map. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Pkway, Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Fennel Forest and Harrier Hill Hike with Del Brooks
Join naturalist Del Brooks for a moderately paced guided hike in the beautiful West End of the Peñasquitos Canyon. This 2.5-mile hike will give an inside look at two of the active habitat restoration projects going on in the canyon. See here for more details on the projects.
Meet in the West End parking-staging lot at 4300 Sorrento Valley Blvd., San Diego, CA 92126.
Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon.
Volunteer: Restoration Project in Black Mountain Open Space Park
No RSVPs needed unless bringing a group. Groups must RSVP to 858-863-7393.
No experience needed to plant, weed, and water native plantings to restore habitat for endangered birds and butterflies. Service hour credits available. Bring gloves if you have them & plenty of water. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Walk through the gate and look for a big white Ford 150 4x4 truck. That’s us.
Contact Mike Kelly at kelly.mike8388@gmail.com with questions or to receive detailed directions and a map. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Pkway, Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Darkwood Canyon with Beth Mather
Join naturalist Beth Mather for an easy 2-mile roundtrip hike in Darkwood Canyon, a finger canyon off los Peñasquitos Canyon. We will see a number of plant communities in this small canyon that parallels Darkwood Rd. Darkwood Canyon has been the subject of recent restoration efforts by the Friends. Meet at the Peñasquitos Creek Park, near the corner of Camino del Sur and Park Village Road in Rancho Peñasquitos.
Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Volunteer: Restoration Project in Black Mountain Open Space Park
No RSVPs needed unless bringing a group. Groups must RSVP to 858-863-7393.
No experience needed to plant, weed, and water native plantings to restore habitat for endangered birds and butterflies. Service hour credits available. Bring gloves if you have them & plenty of water. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Walk through the gate and look for a big white Ford 150 4x4 truck. That’s us.
Contact Mike Kelly at kelly.mike8388@gmail.com with questions or to receive detailed directions and a map. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Pkway, Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Annual Meeting/40 Years Celebration!
Save The Date!!! Join the Friends to celebrate our 40th year. There will be guest speakers, food, and numerous activities. Details will be forthcoming.
Birding with all your senses with Jeanie Anderson
Meet 7:45 AM, hike 8-10 AM. Join Ornithologist Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in the canyon with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists will be provided.
Meet at the Preserve sign at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 12122 Black Mtn. Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos, 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve
Volunteer: Restoration Project in Black Mountain Open Space Park
No RSVPs needed unless bringing a group. Groups must RSVP to 858-863-7393.
No experience needed to plant, weed, and water native plantings to restore habitat for endangered birds and butterflies. Service hour credits available. Bring gloves if you have them & plenty of water. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Walk through the gate and look for a big white Ford 150 4x4 truck. That’s us.
Contact Mike Kelly at kelly.mike8388@gmail.com with questions or to receive detailed directions and a map. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Pkway, Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Volunteer: Restoration Project in Black Mountain Open Space Park
No RSVPs needed unless bringing a group. Groups must RSVP to 858-863-7393.
No experience needed to plant, weed, and water native plantings to restore habitat for endangered birds and butterflies. Service hour credits available. Bring gloves if you have them & plenty of water. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Walk through the gate and look for a big white Ford 150 4x4 truck. That’s us.
Contact Mike Kelly at kelly.mike8388@gmail.com with questions or to receive detailed directions and a map. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Pkway, Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Doug Hill Hike with Del Brooks
Join naturalist Brooks for a moderately paced hike around and up Doug Hill in the Santa Luz grasslands ( 2 miles, about 150 ft elevation gain)..
Doug Hill has a great variety of native shrubs and flowers. Learn the Kumeyaay names for some of the plants.
Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Parkway off 14700 Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
4-S Ranch Hike to Lake Hodges with Beth Mather
Join naturalist Beth Mather for an easy 2-mile roundtrip hike from the northern edge of 4-S Ranch to an overlook of Lake Hodges. See the rare white blooming Ceanothus verrucosus (wart stemmed ceanothus). Gentle slope. Great vistas and wildflowers.
Meet at the north end of Hunter’s Ridge Rd. where it meets Alva Rd. in 4-S Ranch.
Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Miner’s Loop Trail with Beth Mather
Explore the history of Black Mountain with native plant enthusiast Beth Mather. Enjoy the flowers and learn about the native habitats, plants, and animals. Learn a bit about the history of hang gliding off the mountain. Bring water, sun protection and sturdy hiking shoes.
Meet in the parking lot at the north staging area. The hard-to-find entrance is off Carmel Valley Rd., on the south side of the road, about 0.7 miles east of its intersection with Black Mtn. Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129.
Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Birding with all your senses with Jeanie Anderson
Join Ornithologist Jeanie Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in Peñasquitos Canyon near the historic ranch house with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists lists will be provided. Meet at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 1 block west of Black Mountain Rd. , at the Preserve sign at the beginning of the white ranch house fence. Meet at 7:45 AM and start hiking at 8 AM until 10 AM.
Carmel Mountain Vernal Pool Hike with Will Bowen
Everyone should visit the vernal pools when they are in one of their flourishing phases. Most of the year they are dried up and you wouldn’t see very much and would not be able to appreciate their unique beauty and understand why we need to protect the 10% of the original amount that still exist today here in San Diego. The middle of March in the average year signals the wetting phase of the vernal pool cycle and we will see aquatic plants, water fleas, boatmen, larvae, tadpoles, and fairy shrimp in the waters with minuscule rare and endangered plants, like the intoxicatingly fragrant Del Mar Mesa Mint, sprouting on the edges of the pools. You have to bend down and look closely but it’s well worth the effort.
Meet at: Carmel Mountain Preserve Trailhead at intersection of Fairpoint and Shorepoint.
Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Volunteer: Restoration Project in Black Mountain Open Space Park
No RSVPs needed unless bringing a group. Groups must RSVP to 858-863-7393.
No experience needed to plant, weed, and water native plantings to restore habitat for endangered birds and butterflies. Service hour credits available. Bring gloves if you have them & plenty of water. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Walk through the gate and look for a big white Ford 150 4x4 truck. That’s us.
Contact Mike Kelly at kelly.mike8388@gmail.com with questions or to receive detailed directions and a map. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Pkway, Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Board Meeting
The Board meets every other month, on the second Tuesday, at 7PM. We welcome new participants and volunteers, please get in touch if you want to join us.
4-S Ranch Hike to Lake Hodges with Beth Mather
Join naturalist Beth Mather for an easy 2-mile roundtrip hike from the northern edge of 4-S Ranch to an overlook of Lake Hodges. See the rare white blooming Ceanothus verracosus (wart stemmed ceanothus). Gentle slope. Great vistas and wildflowers.
Meet at the north end of Hunter’s Ridge Rd. where it meets Alva Rd. in 4-S Ranch.
Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Volunteer: Restoration Project in Black Mountain Open Space Park
No RSVPs needed unless bringing a group. Groups must RSVP to 858-863-7393.
No experience needed to plant, weed, and water native plantings to restore habitat for endangered birds and butterflies. Service hour credits available. Bring gloves if you have them & plenty of water. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Walk through the gate and look for a big white Ford 150 4x4 truck. That’s us.
Contact Mike Kelly at kelly.mike8388@gmail.com with questions or to receive detailed directions and a map. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Pkway, Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Volunteer: Restoration Project in Black Mountain Open Space Park
No RSVPs needed unless bringing a group. Groups must RSVP to 858-863-7393.
No experience needed to plant, weed, and water native plantings to restore habitat for endangered birds and butterflies. Service hour credits available. Bring gloves if you have them & plenty of water. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Walk through the gate and look for a big white Ford 150 4x4 truck. That’s us.
Contact Mike Kelly at kelly.mike8388@gmail.com with questions or to receive detailed directions and a map. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Pkway, Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Volunteer: Restoration Project in Black Mountain Open Space Park
No RSVPs needed unless bringing a group. Groups must RSVP to 858-863-7393.
No experience needed to plant, weed, and water native plantings to restore habitat for endangered birds and butterflies. Service hour credits available. Bring gloves if you have them & plenty of water. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Walk through the gate and look for a big white Ford 150 4x4 truck. That’s us.
Contact Mike Kelly at kelly.mike8388@gmail.com with questions or to receive detailed directions and a map. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Pkway, Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Fennel Forest and Harrier Hill Hike with Del Brooks
Join naturalist Del Brooks for a moderately paced guided hike in the beautiful West End of the Peñasquitos Canyon. This 2.5-mile hike will give an inside look at two of the active habitat restoration projects going on in the canyon. See here for more details on the projects.
Meet in the West End parking-staging lot at 4300 Sorrento Valley Blvd., San Diego, CA 92126.
Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon.
Shaman’s Hike with Will Bowen
•A short hike to a power spot to practice shamanistic techniques such as cleansing, blessing, feather healing, storytelling, shamanic prayer, and shamanic art. The aim is to use the mind differently so as to access states of non-ordinary reality which are conducive to self-healing. Meet in the West End parking-staging lot at 4300 Sorrento Valley Blvd., San Diego, CA 92126. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon.
Volunteer: Restoration Project in Black Mountain Open Space Park
No RSVPs needed unless bringing a group. Groups must RSVP to 858-863-7393.
No experience needed to plant, weed, and water native plantings to restore habitat for endangered birds and butterflies. Service hour credits available. Bring gloves if you have them & plenty of water. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Walk through the gate and look for a big white Ford 150 4x4 truck. That’s us.
Contact Mike Kelly at kelly.mike8388@gmail.com with questions or to receive detailed directions and a map. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Pkway, Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Miner’s Loop Trail hike with Beth Mather
Join naturalist and friend’s president Beth Mather and explore the history of the arsenic-gold mine on Black Mountain. Also learn about the native habitats, plants, and animals of Black Mountain. Bring water and sun protection and sturdy hiking shoes. Meet in the parking lot at the north staging area. The entrance is off Carmel Valley Rd., on the south side of the road, about 1⁄2 mile east of its intersection with Black Mtn. Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. If you hit Valle del Sur Ct., you’ve gone a hundred yards too far east! Do a u-turn and come back around.
Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Doug Hill Hike with Del Brooks
Join naturalist Brooks for a moderately paced hike around and up Doug Hill in the Santa Luz grasslands.
Doug Hill has a great variety of native shrubs and flowers. Learn the Kumeyaay names for some of the plants.
Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Parkway off 14700 Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Volunteer: Restoration Project in Black Mountain Open Space Park
No RSVPs needed unless bringing a group. Groups must RSVP to 858-863-7393.
No experience needed to plant, weed, and water native plantings to restore habitat for endangered birds and butterflies. Service hour credits available. Bring gloves if you have them & plenty of water. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Walk through the gate and look for a big white Ford 150 4x4 truck. That’s us.
Contact Mike Kelly at kelly.mike8388@gmail.com with questions or to receive detailed directions and a map. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Pkway, Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Birding with all your senses with Jeanie Anderson
Meet 7:45 AM, hike 8-10 AM. Join Ornithologist Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in the canyon with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists will be provided.
Meet at the Preserve sign at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 12122 Black Mtn. Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos, 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve
Volunteer: Restoration Project in Black Mountain Open Space Park
No RSVPs needed unless bringing a group. Groups must RSVP to 858-863-7393.
No experience needed to plant, weed, and water native plantings to restore habitat for endangered birds and butterflies. Service hour credits available. Bring gloves if you have them & plenty of water. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Walk through the gate and look for a big white Ford 150 4x4 truck. That’s us.
Contact Mike Kelly at kelly.mike8388@gmail.com with questions or to receive detailed directions and a map. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Pkway, Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Bat Walk with Peñasquitos Rangers
Celebrate Bat Week and the weekend before Halloween in Peñasquitos Canyon with an Ecometer to “listen” in for bats. Six to seven species of bats live in Peñasquitos Preserve. Learn which ones and about their status and role in the ecosystem. The hike is sponsored and led by the City of San Diego Park Rangers. Please note that meeting time is at 5:30 PM. Contact Ranger Megan for more info MDelaney@sandiego.gov
Space is limited and RSVPS are required via EventBrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bat-walk-tickets-742806392917?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
Volunteer: Restoration Project in Black Mountain Open Space Park
No RSVPs needed unless bringing a group. Groups must RSVP to 858-863-7393.
No experience needed to plant, weed, and water native plantings to restore habitat for endangered birds and butterflies. Service hour credits available. Bring gloves if you have them & plenty of water. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Walk through the gate and look for a big white Ford 150 4x4 truck. That’s us.
Contact Mike Kelly at kelly.mike8388@gmail.com with questions or to receive detailed directions and a map. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Pkway, Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Camino Ruiz Rim to Creek Hike with Les Braund & Jake Bauer
Join naturalists Les Braund and Jake Bauer for a hike leaving from Camino Ruiz Park. Most of the steep hike – on a nice switchback trail – is in the shade of tall Chaparral vegetation and descends from the rim of the valley down to the valley floor and stream side. See uncommon native plants such as the Summer holly shrub and others. Les’ favorite hike.
Trailhead is in Camino Ruiz Community Park, 11489 Camino Ruiz, San Diego, 92126. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
Full Moon Halloween Night Hike with Will Bowen
Wear a costume, come as your shadow self. Bring some trick or treat candy to share. We will be looking for spiders, bats, owls, snakes, and scorpions. The full moon photoelectric light will buzz you. You might get caught in a giant spider web! Have some fun. Meet new people.
Meet in the parking lot in front of 4206 Sorrento Valley Blvd. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon.
Bat Walk with Peñasquitos Rangers
Celebrate Bat Week and the weekend before Halloween in Peñasquitos Canyon with an Ecometer to “listen” in for bats. Six to seven species of bats live in Peñasquitos Preserve. Learn which ones and about their status and role in the ecosystem. The hike is sponsored and led by the City of San Diego Park Rangers. Please note that meeting time is at 5:30 PM. Only 15 spots are available per night, the meeting location will be released after signing up on EventBrite here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/731349033647?aff=oddtdtcreator
Please contact Ranger Megan for more info MDelaney@sandiego.gov
Birding with all your senses with Jeanie Anderson
Meet 7:45 AM, hike 8-10 AM. Join Ornithologist Anderson for an easy stroll on a path in the canyon with many birds both visible and calling. Bring sturdy shoes, binoculars and coverups. Handouts and checklists will be provided.
Meet at the Preserve sign at the west end of Canyonside Park Driveway, 12122 Black Mtn. Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos, 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve
Doug Hill Hike with Del Brooks
Join naturalist Brooks for a moderately paced hike around and up Doug Hill in the Santa Luz grasslands.
Doug Hill has a great variety of native shrubs and flowers. Learn the Kumeyaay names for some of the plants.
Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Parkway off 14700 Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
ARCH IN THE PARK
Come visit our booth at this beloved all-day, family friendly event. Learn abut our mission, our ongoing projects and upcoming guided hikes. The San Diego County Archaeological Society hosts this annual event in celebration of California archaeology month.
Volunteer: Restoration Project in Black Mountain Open Space Park
No RSVPs needed unless bringing a group. Groups must RSVP to 858-863-7393.
No experience needed to plant, weed, and water native plantings to restore habitat for endangered birds and butterflies. Service hour credits available. Bring gloves if you have them & plenty of water. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, northeast corner. Walk through the gate and look for a big white Ford 150 4x4 truck. That’s us.
Contact Mike Kelly at kelly.mike8388@gmail.com with questions or to receive detailed directions and a map. Meet at Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park, Black Mtn. Pkway, Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos 92129. Sponsored by the Friends of los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.
4-S Ranch to Lake Hodges Guided Hike
Join naturalist Beth Mather for an easy hike, about two miles round trip on a gently sloping path. See great views of Lake Hodges. The summer hurricane an and cooler than normal weather following it have brought a variety of native species into bloom; species that normally don’t bloom until winter or spring.
Meet at the north end of Hunter’s Ridge Rd. where it meets Alva Rd. in 4-S Ranch.