Middle Peak

Middle Peak reaches an elevation of 5883′, looming over Lake Cuyamaca at its foot to the east. Almost exactly between North Peak (to the north) and Cuyamaca Peak (to the south), the mountain’s name becomes a bit more obvious. While not nearly the tallest in the area, Middle Peak still offers worthwhile unobstructed views to the east into the ranges that host other HPS favorites such as Whale Peak and Rabbit Peak. Additionally, the slopes of the peak are scattered with mines from the gold rush era, making for an interesting historical (and financial, if you’re lucky) adventure.

Both HPS routes to the summit are direct and short, with 5 miles round trip distance and 1200′ of gain for either. Because of this Middle Peak is often grouped with other peaks (such as North Peak and Cuyamaca Peak mentioned earlier) into a longer day hike with a car shuttle. Route 1 approaches mostly on road from the Cuyamaca dam to the northeast. A few hundred feet of hiking due west at the top of the road make this route cross country. Route 2 approaches from Camp Hual-Cu-Cuish to the east and up a dirt road to eventually meet the same cross country point as Route 1. Both routes end into a short but notorious cross country segment that can be quite brushy. This section is regularly clipped by locals and is currently (2024) in good condition, but can be quite harrowing when overgrown. Online trip reports can often give you more information about its current condition.