My friends and I were up for a hike and I chose this one: the infamous photo on the “potato chip” rock. We drove up to San Diego early in the morning and arrived around 9 AM. Heed my warning! This trail is seriously no joke! Do not tread this route lightly, it will test your ability physically and mentally. And don’t forget to bring lots of water!
The hike to potato chip rock is located in the city of Poway right near Poway Lake. The trail winds around the lake for about a mile before the actual trailhead starts. It’s about 3 miles to the summit from here but there is a good amount elevation gain so be prepared, it is up pretty much the entire way.
At the parking area, you are greeted by a beautiful calming lake. It seemed so gentle, starting the hike here. But we sure were in for a surprise.
Going up this hike you will notice there is little to no shade. Most of the greenery was shrubs and little bushes. There are no trees to help you keep cool and the rocks don’t do much justice either.
Certain areas of the hike were extremely hard because you had to climb rocks. There were barely any parts of this hike that was “flat” land. Majority of this hike is climbing up or climbing down.
But once you reach the top, it’s truly worth it! Sitting on the edge of this cliff was so terrifying yet rewarding. There’s quite a line up here so be prepared to wait your turn for a picture. Overall I think this hike was totally worth the Instagram shot.
After hiking, I highly recommend Phil’s Barbecue. It is one of the most popular BBQ ribs joint that San Diego has to offer. I had the Half Rack of Baby Back Ribs that are slathered in that sweet sweet BBQ sauce. (As pictured above.) The 2 sides were cole slaw and elbow macaroni – both were fresh and delicious.
