Saddle Up—Eagle Peak Offers Stunning Views of the Cuyamacas

At the very end of Ramona Oaks Road in the is the trailhead to a wonderful stretch of countryside.

Eagle Peak Road isn’t really a road, it is a trail that lies within the Cleveland National Forest. The staging area for Eagle Peak is a tiny space in the dirt where you can park. It is not marked but it’s the only dirt patch at the end of the road. Three small horse trailers may fit, or two larger ones if the drivers are capable. You can pull in, but you have to back out. There is no turnaround, and it’s up a little hill, which adds to the challenge.

Eagle Peak Road has an entrance that is a stepover gate into the forest. The gate is narrow and high. The road is paved for about 400 feet before it turns to dirt. Up, up, up you go. The gradual ascent is only noticeable by the change in temperature and the quickening of your horse’s breathing.

The scenery is stunning. The surrounding mountains create a view that looks like a beautiful painting in the late-afternoon sun. El Captain Reservoir is just visible to the west (right) on a clear day and occasionally the wake of a boat cuts whitecaps through the water.

The view of the Cuyamacas is amazing. With just a dusting of snow when I was on the trail, they looked fuzzy from this distance, as if dust bunnies had settled all over the landscape.

Rocky in places, Eagle Peak Road winds up the mountain and levels off in areas, but up is the main direction. Scrub brush and yucca abound. The trail is in good shape and wide enough to ride side by side most of the way.

About 90 minutes up the mountain on my ride, a little red airplane flew through the canyon below and looked like a child’s toy. Maybe a remote-control craft? Nope, the real deal – wow we are high up here!

Believe it or not, this is the first ride I’ve taken and ended up with ticks – yuck! It was a good reminder that it is always possible, so check carefully after being out in the backcountry, especially on your head and neck.

Wildlife can be seen at times. On my ride, a doe and a couple of fawns frolicked in the brush below, then looked like moving black dots in the distance.

In the summer, there is no water along the way. Even the water trough toward the top of the peak is dry. I do not recommend this ride on a hot day. If you plan for a longer ride, take water for you and your equine and maybe even some snacks or lunch. My ride was three hours.

I plan to visit Eagle Peak again before the weather gets too hot and go for a longer ride. Since it’s in the forest, there is no real map for this trail. On Google Earth it is not named for a forest road, but simply listed as Eagle Peak Road.