Rancho Penasquitos Hike for Families

There are Affiliate Links on this Page which may result in compensation for Family Travel Folio at no additional cost to you. Please read our Disclosure Policy for more information.

A Rancho Penasquitos hike is the perfect family adventure in San Diego county. It’s shaded a lot of the way, it’s by a creak, and depending on your chosen trail it’s an easy hike for kids.

Looking up at the branches bowing over our heads I thought, how odd. We aren’t climbing up. There is no view overlooking anything. We are just walking...and yet, I feel completely immersed in nature. I feel far away from the city even though we are in the middle of a bunch of neighborhoods. I feel calm, relaxed, and happy. It was then that I consciously realized a hike doesn’t have to be up a mountain. It doesn’t have to be far. It doesn’t have to be fast. 52 Hikes? Yes, we can do this.

Rancho Penasquitos Hike: Adobe Trail Stats

Location: Rancho Penasquitos

Distance: 3.2 miles (5.1 km)

Elevation: 55 ft. (16.7 m)

Weather: Cool but not cold

AllTrails Rating: Easy

Bathrooms: Located by the Parking Lot

Gear:

Baby Carrier
Snacks
Water
GPS

Rancho Penasquitos Hike

The difference between a hike and a walk is that a hike is a little bit longer and it’s in nature. That being said, you don’t have to hike 20 miles up a mountain to make it count as a hike. This trail was a great reminder of how you can take a stroll through nature, explore a bit, and just clear your head while hiking.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good view and being challenged, but sometimes it’s good to slow it down, recover, and soak in the experience. Especially if you are hiking with little ones- switching it up between long and short hikes, steep and flat hikes, and challenging and easy hikes. You get the idea.

Take a look at our flat trail experience and see for yourself.

The Beginning of the Hike

I wasn’t sure what to expect. After hiking a few trails multiple times within San Diego county, we were beginning to branch out and seek new adventures. I knew it wouldn’t be a climb, but I couldn’t remember the last hike we did that wasn’t uphill – at least partially- to some kind of view.

I was not disappointed.

Right away we ran into hoof prints, something you don’t see on many narrow, uphill trails as horses aren’t permitted on them. We aren’t around horses a lot (just a trail ride here and there), so it was especially exciting.

Not long after our hoof prints, we came across a little stream we had to cross over. Very easy for the adults of the group, but the Best Day Ever for the little feet. They trekked across the “river” to the other side, getting to splash their feet a bit.

It’s easy to forget how amazing all the bits of nature are, and little eyes help us slow down and see the world from a vantage point of discovery and awe.

When we came across a bridge, the hike just got better!

The Middle of the Hike

After one of our bridge crossings, we noticed the large, bowed branches of the trees shading the pathway. It created a peaceful and quiet atmosphere that was very relaxing…but we were also hiking with 2 young kids and a toddler.

The quiet didn’t last long, and I’ll be honest- our little girl was so excited to be around another kid (the previous year was 2020, and we were just starting to see a couple more people in our “bubble” of trust and caution) that she didn’t listen well…at all.

We had to stop a few times for a stern talk to them about not running ahead, but she got the message and settled down. After that, it was business as usual- laughing, talking, and taking in our surroundings. We had a wonderful time.

Do you run into concerns about your kids not listening on hikes? Or whining? We find that if we are consistent with our rules, and we take the time to be patient and engaging, the frustrations are greatly minimized or disappear altogether.

Check out our Little Hiker Lessons for our ground rules on hiking with kids.

The End of the Hike

Well, we went the wrong way and had to use the GPS even though we were surrounded by neighborhoods. But we got back on track, walked up a little hill, across some more streams and bridges, and ended up next to some goats.

Even if you hike in a well-populated area, it’s good to always have the outdoor essentials with you on hikes and camping trips.

Talk about a fun way to end a fun hike! The kids got to feed the goats, although our littlest munchkin fell asleep in the carrier and missed it. That’s ok, we still have 50 more hikes to go!

Hiking as a Family

Do you have anything stopping you from hiking with your kids?

What about anything preventing you from choosing an easier level, flat trail?

I know how you feel. We love being challenged and working up a sweat, but there is definitely something to slowing down and hiking at a more leisurely pace from time to time.

After all, a hike is a hike!

Want the hiking pack checklist we use? Download it below and also get a blank version for you to fill out if you don’t quite line up with our toddler and little munchkin hiking needs.

And if you’re looking for some new gear or to get your gear started, check out the Nomadik Subscription Box. It’s how we filled in our outdoor collection for all of our adventures.

Happy Hiking!

~Katie