Lake Hodges is a long, winding lake and reservoir located in Escondido, about 30 miles north of San Diego. There are tons of trails surrounding this beautiful lake. Its trail system is popular among both hikers and mountain bikers. One of our favorite trails here is the Lake Hodges trail. Although the trail is long, it is mostly flat, well-marked, and rated easy. This family-friendly Lake Hodges trail winds along the gorgeous lake and ends a bit past the historic Lake Hodges dam.
Note: Please make sure to respect this beautiful place and the surrounding areas. Always practice LEAVE NO TRACE. This means no loud music, no graffiti, no taking artifacts or fossilized items, and pack out what you pack in! Please help us protect this place for generations to come!
Stats
Where
Lake Hodges Trail Trailhead
19320 Lake Dr, Escondido, CA 92029
Parking
There is a small parking in front of the trailhead.
Restroom
There is no restroom
Fee
Free
Ideal Time
You can do this trail year round, however, it can get warm in the summer and afternoons. Go early if you can. Springs will give you better views with wildflowers and greener vegetation.
Distance
5.3 mi
Elevation Gain
626 ft
Level
Easy
Time:
2-3 hours
Pet-friendly
You can bring your pet, but they have to be on leashed.
Weather
Video
Getting There
The trailhead for the Lake Hodges trail is located along Lake Drive, across from the Hernandez Hideaway Restaurant. You can use the address above to map your way there. It is labeled as North Shore Lake Hodges Trailhead on Google Maps. The parking lot is a small gravel lot, directly across from the restaurant. The trailhead is right behind this gravel lot. If the parking lot is full, you can also park along the street. If you do, please make sure to pull all the way off the road and do not block any driveways.
The Adventure
The Start of the Trail
We got to Lake Hodges Trailhead bright and early. We’ve done this trail a few times before. It is one of our go-to trails when we’re in the mood for something easy. Even at 8 in the morning, there were quite a lot of cars already parked at the trailhead. This is a popular trail for hiking, mountain biking, and trail running so you’ll run into other people while hiking. Please make sure to keep an eye out for bikers.
After parking, we followed the narrow dirt trail along the lake. The trail runs parallel to Lake Drive road on the right and the lake on the left. The first part of the Lake Hodges trail is quite peaceful. There are multiple off-shoot trails that will take you to the edge of the lake. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to swim in Lake Hodges. There are plenty of shades for about the first ¾ miles. After that, the trail doesn’t have any shade, so if you go in the summer or on a hot day, it can get very warm. We were dying a bit because of how hot it was. The trail at some parts can get a bit rocky, but overall, it’s not that bad.
Merging with the Roads
About 1.2 miles, the dirt trail meets up with Lake Drive. From here, go left to follow the paved road. After a short walk, the paved road turns left to go into a gated facility. However, you’ll want to go straight. At this point, the paved road turns into a wide dirt road. There is a porta-potty here, however, it was locked when we went. I’m not sure if it was ever unlocked.
After getting on the dirt road, it continues to snake along the lake. From this point, you can start to see the top of the Lake Hodges Dam. As the trail draws closer to the dam, the trail once again splits in half. You’ll want to follow the trail to the right, as the one on the left leads through a gated private property. After taking the trail to the right, it starts to go up the hill for a bit before meeting up with the main Del Dios Road. Along the way, you’ll have awesome views of the top of the Lake Hodges Dam, as well as an interesting abandoned car.
Lake Hodges Dam
As the Lake Hodges trail follows along the busy Del Dios Road, you’ll start to get the full view of the backside of Lake Hodges Dam. It eventually departs from the main road to lead down to a viewpoint for the dam. There is a gate here to block cars from coming down but there is an opening for hikers and bikers. Don’t forget to stop at the viewpoint. There is a metal sculpture with a scope on it that you can use to have a closer look at all the cool features of the Lake Hodges Dam. It is called the Pipe Scope.
Once we were done learning about the dam, we continue to follow the trail downhill for a bit longer. This trail can go for a long time. However, most people turn back either after the viewpoint or after passing the interesting metal bridge. You can return the same here.
This trail is easy and simple. While it is not the most beautiful trail, the Lake Hodges trail is perfect for family and beginner hikers. It also has its own charms with the beautiful lake and the super cool Lake Hodges Dam. If you’re looking for more cool hikes in San Diego, a few of our favorites are Ho Chi Minh Trail, Potato Chip Hike and Eagle Rock.
These are the gear that we personally use and find them helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
adventure gear
This is our favourite hiking shoes. We use them for canyoneering as well. Lots of traction. Vy’s version.
Dustin’s version for La Sportiva shoes
Make sure to use lots of sunscreens! We use eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen, Stream2Sea SPF 30.
Face sunscreen is also important. We love these tinted, organic All Good Organic Sunscreen Butter.
You should always bring plenty of water. Vy loves the Camelback L.U.X.E.
For shorter hikes, the Patagonia Women’s Nine Trails Pack 18L is perfect to hold water and your essentials.
If you want something lighter, we love the packable Patagonia Women’s Houdini® Jacket and Patagonia Men’s Houdini® Jacket
other things to bring
Always good to bring some snacks with you. For healthy and easy snacks, check out some of our recipes.
camera gear
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