Nighthawk Trail

3.0 ( 3 )

Trail

1.4 mile 2.2 kilometer point to point
87% Runnable
Intermediate

Elevation

Ascent: 474' 144 m
Descent: -30' -9 m
High: 1,254' 382 m
Low: 810' 247 m

Grade

Avg Grade: 7% (4°)
Max Grade: 18% (10°)

Dogs

Leashed

Driving directions Take a virtual tour

Zoom in to see details

Map Key

Favorites
Check-Ins

Trail shared by Craig Pfaff

Weather

Getting forecast...

Current trail conditions

Update Conditions

Unknown See History

Popular runs nearby

This is the steepest section of the trail.

Palacio Del Mar Views Loop

2.6 mi 4.2 km • Loop • 248 ft Ascent 75.53 m Ascent

Singletrack Carmel Valley, CA

90-degree panorama from the Mt. Woodsen Trail centered SSW.

Potato Chip Rock

7.1 mi 11.5 km • Out and Back • 1,881 ft Ascent 573.36 m Ascent

Singletrack Poway, CA

Looking back towards the parking lot and 67.

Iron Mountain Peak Trail #10

5.8 mi 9.4 km • Out and Back • 1,067 ft Ascent 325.19 m Ascent

Singletrack Poway, CA

The area of the beach that the Torrey Pines State Reserve trails lead to...

Torrey Pines State Reserve Loop

2.4 mi 3.9 km • Loop • 329 ft Ascent 100.18 m Ascent

Singletrack Del Mar, CA

View point over the surrounding area

Aviara Oaks Loop

2.8 mi 4.6 km • Out and Back • 280 ft Ascent 85.27 m Ascent

Singletrack Lake San Marcos, CA

Cedar Creek Falls is both beautiful and can provide some welcome shade depending on the time of day.

Cedar Creek Falls

5.3 mi 8.6 km • Out and Back • 1,061 ft Ascent 323.38 m Ascent

Singletrack San Diego Country Estates, CA

Navigate on-trail with our free app

iOS App Store

Android App Store

“Doubletrack trail from Hilltop Community Park.”

— Craig Pfaff

Features Views

Closed dusk till dawn. No services after leaving Hilltop Park.

Description

This rocky doubletrack trail takes you from Hilltop Community Park to the service road near the top of Black Mountain. This is an alternate route to taking the service road to the top and offers access to many side trails to explore the rest of the mountain.

Flora & Fauna

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), Cliff Swallow (Hirundo pyrrhonota), Mexican Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brazilensis), Common Raven (Corvus corax)

Run this trail?

We need help with the following missing trail information:

Need to Know, Runner Notes

Is something wrong? Let us know. Have photos to share? Help fellow runners know what's here.

Upload a photo

Contacts

Land Manager: City of San Diego - Parks & Recreation

Rate This Trail

Rate Quality

Rate Difficulty

Share This Trail

Check-Ins

Feb 24, 2019

Very rocky if you’re running (65% of the trail) with many potential ankle breakers... Nice steep grade with beautiful views though. 4.5mi

Trail Ratings

3.0 from 3 votes

#4

in Black Mountain Open Space

#18496

Overall

3.0 from 3 votes

5 Star		0%
4 Star		33%
3 Star		33%
2 Star		33%
1 Star		0%

Trail Rankings

#4

in Black Mountain Open Space

#2,118

#18,496

5 Views Last Month

301 Since Jul 10, 2016

		0%
		33%
		67%
		0%
		0%
		0%

Add a Photo

Photos

Black Mountain, framed by clouds, viewed from the start of the Nighthawk Trail

Black Mountain, framed by clouds, viewed from t…

One of many signs that point to side trails

One of many signs that point to side trails

Start of the Nighthawk Trail.

Start of the Nighthawk Trail.

Foggy morning hike.

Foggy morning hike.

0 Comments

Trail Run Project is part of the REI Co-op family,
where a life outdoors is a life well lived.

Shop REI Running