The Kelly Ditch Trail is Reopened

Doug George, Representative of Parks and Recreation of San Diego County cuts ribbon to Kelly Ditch Trail.

By Amber Ward

The popular 6-mile Kelly Ditch Trail has been restored and reopened, two years after it was damaged during the Cedar fire.

The trail, which connects William Heise County Park with Cuyamaca Rancho State Park and Lake Cuyamaca, reopened to visitors Oct. 28. California State Parks, the Department of Parks and Recreation, the California Conservation Corps, and many other volunteers have worked on restoring it since 2003.

The trail is named after a 100-year-old waterworks project. The Kelly Ditch was dug by Chinese laborers in order to collect runoff from the Cuyamaca Mountains into the Cuyamaca reservoir.

The Kelly Ditch Trail is open to all nonmotorized users such as hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians. Round-trip, it covers 11 miles with a 1,200-foot elevation change, depending on which end is the starting point.

To reach the trail from Julian, drive eight miles south on Highway 79. Upon reaching Lake Cuyamaca, just past Engineers Road, look for a State Park boundary sign and another marked “Trail.” Park safely on the shoulder. From here, the trail is mostly downhill and can be a one-way day hike. One-way hikers can arrange to be picked up at William Heise County Park.

To get to William Heise Park, drive one mile west of Julian on Hwy. 78/79. Turn left onto Pine Hills Road and follow the park signs for four more miles. The Kelly Ditch Trail begins at the picnic area just across from the park’s entry kiosk.

For more details, visit www.sdparks.org.

Photo by Amber Ward