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Crestridge Ecological Reserve

Part of Hiking Trails, our guide to hiking trails across San Diego County, from city peaks to desert canyons.

Crestridge Ecological Reserve is a roughly 2,800-acre California Department of Fish and Wildlife property about 3 miles east of El Cajon, open daily sunrise to sunset. It has no facilities and limited cell service. Rattlesnakes live there; stay on designated trails.Checked October 23, 2026.

2,800acres
Nonefacilities
Sunrise to sunsetdaily
EntranceExit I-8 at Greenfield Drive, left on La Cresta Road, left on Mountain View, left on Horsemill Road; enter at the end of the cul-de-sac; about 3 miles east of El Cajon
HoursOpen daily, sunrise to sunset
FeesNone stated
FacilitiesNone; limited cellular service
ContactMon to Fri 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., (530) 846-7500
Who it suitsHikers
DogsNot confirmed
Official pageCDFW: Crestridge Ecological Reserve

Safety

The CDFW page lists rattlesnakes among species in the area and asks visitors to stay on designated trails. With no facilities, bring your own water and a map.

What We Could Not Verify

  • Trail lengths and gain (the trail map PDF was not read), the dog rule and any current closure are not confirmed. CDFW can confirm.
  • Coordinates are not confirmed.

More in Hiking Trails

FAQ

Are there restrooms?

The CDFW page lists facilities as none.

Sources

  1. CDFW: Crestridge Ecological Reserve

Checked October 23, 2026 by It’s San Diego. Cite this page: It’s San Diego (itssandiego.com), checked October 23, 2026. Free to quote with a link to this page; tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.