Learn about current park closures and updates.
As new events are finalized, we'll list them below as well as on our Facebook page.
Women in the Wild is heading to Lake Morena County Park for an introductory backpacking trip! We’ll gather at the Ranger Station for safety lessons and equipment
checks before a 3.7-mile trek to a secret meadow destination. Along the way, rangers and guides will discuss the park, plants, animals and the nearby Pacific Crest Trail – with an optional additional 4-mile hike from camp.
Camping essentials will be taught at camp, with time for solo and social activities. The next day’s hike is 2.5 miles. The trip covers about 700 feet of elevation gain and packs a week’s worth of knowledge into a 24-hour adventure!
COST: $75 per person
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED:
Spots are limited! Call the Spring Valley Community Center at (619) 479-1832 or email SpringValleyCommunityCenter@sdcounty.ca.gov by May 15, 2026
NOTES:
This is a small-group activity, curated for an adult audience. Snacks and light breakfast will be provided. Guests are responsible for bringing their own dinner. Inclement weather will cancel.
EQUIPMENT PROVIDED:
Don’t worry about camping equipment; we will loan you a pack, tent, sleeping bag and pad with your registration fee.
Women 18 years and older.
Parking $5/car; carpooling is encouraged.
Saturday, May 16
12:30 p.m. Check-in; Gear Distribution
1 p.m. Welcome + Icebreaker; Safety Talk + Gear Check
2 p.m. Hike to Backcountry Campsite; Backpacking Basics; Map Reading + the PCT
5 p.m. Set Up Camp; Hike or Self-Reflection Time
6 p.m. Dinner/Social Time; Campfire Safety
10 p.m. Bedtime
Sunday, May 17
7:30 a.m. Breakfast; Break Down Camp
8:30 a.m. Guided Meditation
9 a.m. Hike to Main Campground; Animal Tracks
12 p.m. Gear Return
Join us on Memorial Day weekend for a tough trail adventure designed to test the physical and mental stamina that’s required to climb what’s arguably the toughest hike in San Diego County – El Cajon Mountain in the El Capitan County Preserve.
We break the hike into three levels to match different interests and abilities. Celebration Stations sit at the 1-mile and 3-mile turnaround points. Extreme hikers will push on to the summit (about 11 miles, roundtrip).
No RSVP - just show up to hike and bring plenty of water.
Learn more about the Warrior Hike Challenge.
What is Women in the Wild?
Women in the Wild is a program that is designed to teach outdoor skills in a fun, nurturing and non-competitive environment. Experiences are educational and interactive – building confidence and a sense of community while fostering new appreciation for our region’s parks, preserves and diverse recreational opportunities.
Our mission is to encourage women to spend more time in nature through education, training and experiences that empower them to make outdoor recreation a way of life.
Our vision is to bring women closer to nature, and to each other, through recreation, collaboration and accomplishment.
Research shows women are interested, and see value, in outdoor experiences, but sometimes barriers stand in their way of spending as much time in nature as they'd like. The County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation is reversing that trend.
Women in the Wild experiences are planned for women, by female staff members. With events ranging from backpacking to bouldering and hiking to camping, we're opening new avenues for conversation, connection and collaboration.
Take a risk, tackle a trail, show society what it looks like to play
like a girl… Join us as we embark on this adventure together!
Women in the Wild is proudly sponsored by the San Diego County Parks Society . Your support helps make programs like this possible, connecting our community to the joys of nature and the outdoors. Make a donation and Support San Diego County Parks!
*Research:
