Hike Iron Mountain (San Diego)

5.6 miles - Moderate Effort
3 Hours (Total)
1,220 Total Feet of Climbing
Max Elevation of 2,696 feet
Leashed Dogs Allowed

Iron Mountain, in San Diego County, is one of the most popular hikes in the area. Hiking to the summit is tough, but not extreme, and once there, you can soak in panoramic views from the high mountains to the Pacific Ocean. The summit even has a viewfinder and picnic benches where you can relax. In this guide, I'll show you how to safely do the hike, avoid the crowds, and beat the heat.

In this Guide:

Video and Turn by Turn Directions for Iron Mountain
How to Get to Iron Mountain Near San Diego
Insider Tips and Recommendations for the Hike

Quick Links: City of Poway - NOAA Weather Report - Top Gear Picks (Sep 2023)

When planning, always check the park website and social media to make sure the trails are open. Similarly, check the weather and road conditions.

Don't confuse this Iron Mountain hike with the hike of the same name in Angeles National Forest. This Iron Mountain in San Diego is much easier and is doable by most folks. There are 50 peaks named "Iron Mountain" in the USA, so it's easy to get confused.

How to Get to Iron Mountain in Poway

Since there are few "Iron Mountains" around, make sure you pay attention to the address you use, otherwise you could easily get routed to the Iron Mountain near LA. And there a few trailheads and routes to hike Iron Mountain. This guide covers the most popular route that also has the largest parking area.

Use this trailhead address:
Iron Mountain Trailhead, 14847-14909 CA-67, Poway, CA 92064

Iron Mountain Parking Lot — The parking lot is located one one side of the intersection.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 2 — There are two arms to the parking lot, here's one.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 3 — And here's the other, which is the front parking lot, also listed as the "Iron Mountain Commuter" lot.

This lot is also used by trail runners, bikers, and people hitting the other trails in the area. It can get very busy; on the weekend there can be 100s of cars parked here and along highway 67. Your best bet is to do this hike at sunrise on a weekday or later in the afternoon. 10am on a Saturday is setting yourself up for a bad time.

If the lot is full, and you decide to park along Highway 67, use extreme caution, as the traffic moves fast and drivers don't expect pedestrians.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 4 — There are bathrooms at the trailhead.

Parking in the lot is free.

Gear For the Hike

The main thing on this hike is the heat. If it's summer and hot out, it's really tough. If it's sunrise in the winter, it's cool and comfortable. If you do go in the heat, make sure you have at least 2L of water and sun protection. Otherwise you can get away with 1L of water.
There are steep sections on the hike. Wear good footwear and bring trekking poles if you have them.
You can get away with fitness clothes or light hiking gear here.
This is a popular hike, and if you get into trouble on the trail, you're bound to see other hikers.

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Garmin inReach Mini 2 ( Amazon | REI )
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As a hiking guide, I test lots of hiking gear. On my picks page, I'll show you all of the gear that I actually use. I don't accept paid promotions or talk about the stuff that doesn't make the cut. It's just the gear that works best, so you don't have to waste your money.

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Iron Mountain Trail Maps

Overall the trail to the summit of Iron Mountain is very well marked and very busy. There are a few intersections (that I show you in the directions below) but otherwise the hike is straightforward.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 5 — These helpful trail signs along the route give you distance updates every half mile.

Explore Map on CalTopo View a Printable PDF Hike Map Download the Hike GPX File

Best Smartphone Apps to Navigate: AllTrails | GaiaGPS | OnX

Elevation Profile

Hike Iron Mountain San Diego Elevation — The first 0.75 miles is mellow, and then you start heading uphill. The nice thing about this hike is that none of the steep sections are very long; there's always a level section to catch your breath on. The last push to the summit is the steepest.

3D Map

Iron Mountain Hike Directions

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Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 6 — From the parking lot, head under the iconic gate to start the hike. Get your selfies early before the crowds start photo-bombing you.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 1 — After a gravel section you'll come to a trail board with a big old sign telling you that you're in the right place.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 7 — Walk down the shaded path through the oaks. This section is exceptionally beautiful and could be the scene for wedding pictures.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 8 — But the trees don't last long, and soon you are hiking on a dirt trail straight up toward the hills. Go straight through at the intersections.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 9 — The trail climbs gradually. You pass the trail marker for 0.5 miles.

The land around you was all destroyed in the 2003 Cedar Fire, one of the largest in California history. Everything you see now has grown back since then.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 10 — At the end of the straight section the trail dog legs right and downhill into the gully.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 11 — And from there you start climbing.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 12 — When you reach a fork and a trail marker, make the left.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 13 — The climb has some level sections to catch your breath. Here you pass the 1 mile marker.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 14 — There are some steep rocky sections to climb.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 15 — Don't forget to look behind you for some nice views.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 16 — When you get to the junction with the big sign, make the right.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 17 — Here's a closeup of that sign. 1.45 miles to go!

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 18 — At the 1.5 mile marker, keep right, avoiding the trail to the left.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 19 — One you past the big sign, there are some ups and downs as you approach the final climb to the summit.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 25 — Look backward on this stretch of trail for some nice views of Cuyamaca Peak, the second highest in San Diego County.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 20 — 2 miles down, almost there.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 21 — When you come to the next trail split, stay left.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 22 — Keep heading up the climb, which is rocky in spots.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 24 — Soon you'll reach the saddle and the 2.5 mile marker where views to the west open up.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 26 — At this point you're going to hike up a series of short switchbacks for the last short section to the summit.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 27 — And before you know it, you've reached Iron Mountain summit!

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 28 — There's a few picnic benches.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 29 — And a magnifying viewer.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 30 — And an analog viewfinder.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 31 — Look at the base of the viewfinder to identify what you're looking at.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 32 — The peak with the antennas at the top is Woodson Mountain, home of Potato Chip Rock.

Iron Mountain San Diego Directions 33 — And off to the east you'll see Cuyamaca Peak and the other high peaks in the county. To the west, you'll see San Diego and the ocean.

From here, you just turn around and go back down the way you came up. That's the hike!

Have a question about the guide or want to see what other people are saying/asking? View the Youtube comments for this video. Leave a comment and I will do my best to respond.

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This Guide Was Written by Cris Hazzard

Cris Hazzard 4 Mile Trail Yosemite
Hi, I'm Cris Hazzard, aka Hiking Guy, a professional outdoors guide, hiking expert, and author based in Southern California. I created this website to share all the great hikes I do with everyone else out there. This site is different because it gives detailed directions that even the beginning hiker can follow. I also share what hiking gear works and doesn't so you don't waste money. I don't do sponsored or promoted content; I share only the gear recommendations, hikes, and tips that I would with my family and friends. If you like the website and YouTube channel, please support these free guides (I couldn't do it without folks like you!).

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