There aren’t a whole lot of ride options in San Diego unless you go east. While visiting family, we popped over to do a ride at Daley Ranch in Escondido, CA. Derek and I rode here back in the last 90’s but it was much smaller and we don’t remember it much.
Daley Ranch is a 3,201-acre conservation area acquired in 1996 by the City of Escondido. The property where Daley Ranch sits has been in use for thousands of years, once providing food and refuge for Kumeyaay tribes. Robert Daley was the first settler on this land, arriving in 1869. He built a small log cabin which still remains to this day near the bottom of one of the ranch’s ponds.
We started our ride from a trailhead at the northern reach of the trails and immediately climbed. The terrain is typical SoCal with lots of ups and downs, lush oak woodlands, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, grasslands, and riparian areas. Our route hit most of the trails, in fact, we even took a trip up Stanley Peak to admire the view. My favorite trail was Cougar Ridge Crest downhill.
The network is well frequented with mountain bikers, hikers, runners, equestrian and probably mountain lions. Share the trail.
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