Maura Fox: A eucalyptus-shaded stroll through San Diego's Damon Lane County Park

SAN DIEGO - Through this column, I've discovered many new hiking trails I hadn't known existed. Damon Lane County Park is just the latest.

Almost hidden in plain sight, the park is tucked between the neighborhoods of Mount Helix and Rancho San Diego in El Cajon. The easy, 1.5-mile route isn't long or complicated. But it's always sweet to find another outdoor space - no matter how small - in pockets of San Diego County.

That's especially true in East County.

This week, I was looking specifically for an East County hike. I recently moved out of my San Diego apartment and temporarily back to where I grew up in East County. In some ways, I'd missed it, especially the more direct access to nature. Now that I'm back here, I'm looking forward to spending time on the trails I've loved since I was a kid - and exploring new ones.

Damon Lane County Park isn't incredibly rural, but the 29-acre park includes groves of towering eucalyptus trees and a creek that was gently flowing the day of my hike. Because it's only partially shaded, this route is best for a morning or sunset stroll.

A section of my route also traveled through a residential neighborhood - admittedly a lowlight.

There are a few different trailheads from which you can start. I chose Damon Lane just off Fuerte Drive; there's street parking and an information kiosk at the start of a wide path.

Hike south on this path, which then veers southeast within a quarter of a mile. The trail is exposed to the sun, but it's lovely as it continues southeast, flanked by coastal sage scrub vegetation. Further down the trail, eucalyptus trees offer a canopy and swish in the cool breeze.

Near the half-mile point, houses come into view, and soon the trail meets Weighorst Way. Here, I turned left to walk on the dirt path along the street for under a quarter of a mile.

Then, in a series of quick turns through a neighborhood, I turned left onto Calle Simpson, took another left on Calle Trucksess, then followed with a right on Via Sefton. This took me back to the county park and its trails.

The next section of the hike traveled through the eucalyptus grove, where I could hear the running creek, before pushing me back out into the sunshine for the final leg.

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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 2:52 AM.