Heavenly Hellhole

Hiking Hellhole Canyon Country Preserve in Pauma Valley

Rounding up some friends to go to a hellhole? Maybe it doesn't sound appealing, unless you're talking about Hellhole Canyon County Preserve. Its 1,907 hilly acres are home to a strenuous 4.9-mile trek with 750 feet of gain (and opportunities to extend for those who want to test their leg muscles).

You’ll immediately descend 300 feet into Hellhole Canyon, enjoying fine views as you’re surrounded by a plethora of flora and fauna—from hoaryleaf lilac, black sage, and California blackberry to red-tailed and Harris’s hawks and American kestrels. As you reach the vibrantly green environment surrounding Hell Creek, savor the only shade on this trail, provided by sycamores and oaks. Look for dudleya on the canyon wall to your right, a succulent also known as the live-forever.

You’ll enjoy canyon vistas for the remainder of the hike. Stay left at the junction for the 1.3-mile Horsethief Trail loop, on which you’ll encounter a vividly orange section of witch’s hair covering chamise against a granite wall. Stay left to continue on Canyon View Trail. At the 2.6-mile mark, you can diverge left for an optional gut-busting ascent to Rodriguez Peak. Head right as the path roller-coasters on a challenging stretch of narrow switchbacks.

Stay right at the next two junctions until the trail connects with the Horsethief Trail at 3.6 miles. Swing a left to reconnect with the Hell Creek Trail. Look for horned lizards scurrying across the path that leads you back to the start.

Take I-15 to Gopher Canyon Rd. toward Old Castle Rd. and head east for 5.5 miles. Continue onto Lilac Rd. for 3.3 miles and turn right onto Valley Center Rd. After 1.2 miles, turn left onto Woods Valley Rd. Continue onto Paradise Mountain Rd. After 3 miles, turn left onto Kiavo Dr. and after 0.5 mile, follow the signs to the preserve up the hill on your left. Open Friday through Monday, 8 a.m. to sunset. Closed in August. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View
  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

    View
  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

    View
  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View