When I lived in New Mexico, my favorite local hike was to Sun Mountain, a quick and challenging climb up a 7,900-foot peak overlooking Santa Fe.
It was — for practical purposes — an efficient way to exercise before starting the workday, since it only took about an hour to complete and was located less than 10 minutes from my home. And, for less practical purposes, the trail was simply beautiful to experience, lined with juniper bushes and manzanita and with impressive views of the high desert that made me think, “I’m so lucky to be here.”
All to say, I’m always on the lookout for hikes in San Diego that offer some of this same appeal. Kwaay Paay Peak, in Mission Trails Regional Park, checks many of the boxes for me. Now, this route up to Black Mountain via the Nighthawk Trail may be joining the list, too.
Located near Rancho Peñasquitos, this is a roughly 4-mile moderate hike to the 1,554-foot summit. There are elements of this hike I didn’t love — namely, the communication towers and antennas at the peak. But the pros outweighed the cons: it was a tough workout with many steep and rocky sections, not located too far from my house and I was off the mountain within an hour and a half.
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Plus, there are several benches at the peak to take in the scenery. On the day of my hike, I could see all the way to the San Clemente and Santa Catalina islands to the west and down to the Coronado Islands off Mexico to the southwest.
Note that there are a few routes to Black Mountain, including by way of the Miner’s Ridge Loop trail, which I wrote about a few years ago.
The Nighthawk Trailhead is located at the eastern end of Oviedo Way, next to the Hilltop Community Park and Recreation Center. Street parking is available, and the trail is marked with a sign and kiosk.
Hikers will begin up a steep incline heading east. The trail briefly levels out after about 0.3 miles before it climbs up and down a few more hills over the next mile. There are a few intersections with other trails along the way, so keep an eye out for signs to stay on the right path.
Nighthawk Trail is entirely exposed to the sun, and the surrounding vegetation is dry given the lack of rain in the region. But it’s still scenic.
Hikers will reach an intersection with the Miner’s Ridge Loop trail after hiking 1.3 miles, but they should stay on the Nighthawk Trail that heads to the peak. The final 0.8-mile of the trail is tough as hikers ascend to the summit with few breaks from the incline. Strong Santa Ana winds on the day of my hike made it more challenging.
But once at the peak as I took in the landscape, I felt a sense of accomplishment and a real gratitude for this slice of the world. And maybe no matter the city I’m in, that’s the feeling I’m seeking.
