Piedras Pintadas Interpretive Trail is a 3.7 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Escondido, California that features a lake and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
Good trail for kids or an easy nature walk. It starts by a busy road and you pass near some houses, but it gets pretty quiet and natural as you go along. Crosses several streams, has a (visible, but inaccessible) waterfall, and loops near the lake, with many beautiful boulder formations all around. You can continue down to the shore for a longer hike and good birdwatching. Bikers can be a little startling, but most were very courteous.
5 stars for scenery and bird life, great views of lake and boulders as well as pelicans, hawks and what might have been swallows wheeling about. Also took a peek at the petroglyphs, a long ago abandoned (washed away?) car and Chelsea's light (walk with a buddy). Hikers were courteous and most were masked. Bikers also courteous but hard to get out of their way in single track stretches. Due to the many branching/intersecting trails, signage could be better but following whichever trail kept us closer to the water worked well. Port a potty at trail head, decent parking even on a weekend.
Pleasant hike, small trails lead to the lake but you must follow them back to the main trail otherwise you get lost. Explore, but be safe.
It was a fun adventure with the kids. We made into a school project, learning and writing down thoughts as we went. Wish it was marked better when it left the Bay trail, as we ended up going .6 miles the wrong way. Was fun!
Tried to take a stroller, which only worked for the first 1.2 miles but honestly, it was beautiful and easy and would’ve been great without a stroller.
Nice stroll through interactive maps of Kumeyaay Indians. Pretty safe stroll
We missed the original turnoff for the trail so keep an eye out. But overall a lovely trail! A lot of bikes so keep an eye out with a dog. A lot of native plants and also signs along the trail for the indigenous names and uses of the plants. Great because you pass through different ecosystems - sage brush, chaparral, riparian.
The hike was nice! The view is okay. Lots of houses but still pretty. Lake is dried up so the map is deceiving
The trail is pretty hard to find, ended up having to open google maps at one point
Really pretty views with different angles of the lake. This hike is pretty gentle and the loop that has you go uphill is gentle enough that it’d great for beginners, kids or older people. I saw a pack of coyotes hiding out in the brush on my way back to the parking lot! They seemed harmless and though one started walking toward me he turned around when I did.
the initial trail isn't much. pretty relaxing. but if you head out around the point, the trail becomes amazing. warning though: its not a through trail no matter what Alltrails says (unless you exit in a neighborhood and then walk streets back to the parking lot). I tried to go over the ridge but encountered three guys who were turning back because they saw sign just ahead that said "no trespassing, uou WILL be shot." we all turned around. by adding traversing the point as far as you can and going back, its challenging and gorgeous and most importantly it feels WILD. Will do again!