Laguna Mountains

This article is about the mountain range in San Diego County, California. For the mountain range in southwest Arizona, see Laguna Mountains (Arizona). For the recreation area in San Benito County, California, see Laguna Mountain Recreation Area.

Laguna Mountains
Chaparral, riparian, and grassland habitats.
Highest point
Peak	Cuyapaipe Mountain
Elevation
Coordinates
Geography
Location of Laguna Mountains in California
Country	United States
State	California
District	San Diego County
Range coordinates
Parent range	Peninsular Ranges
Topo map	USGS Mount Laguna

The Laguna Mountains are a mountain range of the Peninsular Ranges System, located in eastern San Diego County, southern California. The mountains run in a northwest/southeast alignment for approximately 35 miles (56 km).

The mountains have long been inhabited by the indigenous Kumeyaay people.

Geography

The Laguna Mountains are bordered by the Cuyamaca Mountains area on the west and the Colorado Desert on the east, where the mountains form a steep escarpment along the Laguna Salada Fault. To the north the Laguna Mountains are bounded by the Elsinore Fault Zone and to the south by Cameron Valley and Thing Valley.

The highest point is Cuyapaipe Mountain at 6,378 feet (1,944 m). The mountains are largely contained within the Cleveland National Forest. Snow falls on the highest peaks several times a year. Mount Laguna is a village in the Laguna Mountains with a population of about 80.

The headwaters of three perennial streams begin in the Laguna Mountains: Noble Creek, Cottonwood Creek, and Kitchen Creek.

The Laguna Mountains extend northwest about 35 mi (56 km) from the Mexican border at the Sierra de Juárez range. The Sawtooth Range and In-Ko-Pah Mountains are adjacent to the east. The Santa Rosa Mountains lie further to the northeast. The Cuyamaca Mountains are adjacent along the west.

The southern section is in the Mountain Empire region of San Diego County, and the northern section is in the East County region.

Laguna Mountain's chaparral habitat in foreground, Cuyamaca Mountains in backround.

Laguna Mountains (lower right/east), and other Peninsular Ranges in Southern California.

Cleveland National Forest observation deck in the Laguna Mountains.

Inspiration Point view, east towards Anza Borrego Desert State Park (right), Vallecito Mountains (left), and Santa Rosa Mountains (left background).

Recreation

The Laguna Mountains are a popular recreation area in the Cleveland National Forest. They comprise the southernmost crest along the Pacific Crest Trail.

Their relatively high altitude induces the highest snowfall in San Diego County making it one of the few local places to offer snow activities like sledding and snowshoeing.

See also

• Mountain ranges of San Diego County, California
• Natural history of the Peninsular Ranges