Part of North County Inland, our guide to Escondido, San Marcos, Vista, Poway and Ramona.
Hikers to Mount Woodson and Potato Chip Rock park at Mount Woodson Gateway County Preserve, 16286 Highway 67 in Ramona. Day-use parking is $5, sunrise to sunset. The County says the trails span City of San Diego, City of Poway and Ramona land. The city warns that popular trails can be dangerous in the heat.Checked October 23, 2026.
Parking Address16286 Highway 67, Ramona, CA 92065. Phone (858) 513-4737.
Parking“Day-use parking is $5 and can be purchased online.” Four areas (A to D), about 200 public spaces, 7 ADA spaces and portable restrooms; the trailhead is reached from Parking Area A. The new lot opened March 18, 2026.
HoursSunrise to sunset daily; public vehicle access and restrooms sunrise to sunset. Poway city trails: “sunrise to sunset, 7 days a week.”
TrailsThe County says the trail system “spans land managed by the City of San Diego, the City of Poway and the unincorporated community of Ramona.” The 84-acre preserve itself has no formal trails.
Safety, Read October 23, 2026The City of Poway says “some popular trails are dangerous to hike in the heat. Be prepared.” “Rattlesnakes, mountain lions, and poison oak can all be found in the Poway outback.” “Dogs must be leashed at all times.” Off-trail travel is prohibited. Its heat tips: hike early in the day, avoid the most intense sun, drink frequently, cold water is best, carry a phone, do not hike alone, and turn back once half the water is used. The Poway Trails page listed no current alerts or closures that day.
Related
Lake Poway has its own heat-closure notice for trails that lead up toward Mount Woodson.
What We Could Not Verify
Any permit requirement: none was found on any official page we read, and the City of Poway has no Mount Woodson page. Whether the City of San Diego or Ramona adds rules: not confirmed.
Exact coordinates of the parking lot, and trail length: not confirmed. We use no third-party mileage.
Current closures on the County page: its site header carried a Storm Recovery closure banner that we did not read.
The Iron Mountain trailhead page: poway.org has none; Iron Mountain appears only in the heat-closure notice.
More in North County Inland
FAQ
Do I need a permit to hike Potato Chip Rock?
We found no permit requirement on any official page we read. That is not a promise that none exists, so check the County and City pages.
How much is parking for Mount Woodson?
The County says day-use parking at Mount Woodson Gateway County Preserve is $5 and can be bought online.
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.
