Boulder Park
2 Reviews
Prices
Hello everyone! This is a friendly reminder that any of these fun places we may visit, we are a guest at. Please treat both businesses and trails with the utmost respect. We here at Hidden San Diego follow the 'Leave no Trace' mantra, meaning whatever you bring with you comes back with you. If you see trash on a trail, please do your part to help remove it. Remember, we are not picking up trash from another person but instead cleaning up for Mother Nature. Happy adventures!
In-Ko-Pah-Park Rd.
Jacumba, CA
32.659053, -116.100335
Hike: 1 mile of ground you can cover   Level: Easy to Moderate (you are scrambling around rocks)
Dog-Friendly: Yes   Kid-Friendly: Yes
**Check out our list of all hidden gems in Jacumba for the ultimate day trip!**
About Boulder Park
Article & Research by Allison Garton:
Across the parking lot from the Desert View Tower is a jumbled mass of boulders just aching to be scrambled. Random faces and animals are waiting to greet you at every turn. Certainly not easy for the claustrophobic. Boulder Park has been a fixture in the desert since the early 1930s.
W.T. Ratcliff, an out-of-work engineer, carved into the granite during the Great Depression for a reported $1 a day… in desert temperatures. Ouch.
The wind can get a little brisk from the top, but the view is almost as high as the Tower’s view. Don’t miss the hillside climb to the mountain springs, where the view is even higher. How invigorating!
Personal Experience
Boulder Park is on the same property and literally right next to the Desert View Tower. All of Jacumba is filled with rock caves, but this area just makes it easier to explore some of them.
You will discover a lot of interesting things during your journey here. Keep your eyes peeled for the guinea hens too! Hike to the “spring” if it’s not too hot. You will see signs for it. It’ll make you chuckle, unless it’s too hot out, then you might just be pissed off.
While you’re in the area, make sure to visit the Valley of the Moon nearby!
The people out here are great, talented and obviously have a sense of humor. One gets the feeling that there are a LOT of hidden gems in this area. You could spend days exploring. Camp out in if you can and go stargazing. Let us know what you find!
This area is the perfect place to escape the congestion of the city–just don’t go in the summer unless you like it HOT! I recommend going in late fall to early spring. Check the weather map to be safe. Make sure to check out Coyote’s UFO Repair shop as you head into the tower. It’s right next door!
They also have an Airbnb that you can stay at now on this property!
We came across an old cistern along the way:
A guinea hen!
The last time I came out here the owners were on vacation and nobody was here but us and the dogs! The dogs wandered all of Boulder Park with us, giving us a tour of their land. It was magical. 🙂
Let’s hike to the spring! Â Shall we?
We excitedly made our way up the hill, hoping to find running water. Â There was no water, but we did find the springs:
Deathvalleyson
The weight looks like an ore crusher
June 25, 2015
Julia Vogt
I’ve live in La Mesa/El Cajon all my 60 years of life. I’ve always seen the lookout tower from hwy. 8. I would like to visit it so bad but I’m disabled ( able to walk) short distances. Is the path to the tower handicap friendly? Is there a way to be driven up to the tower?
Thank you, Julia. (619) 517-2398
August 20, 2023