I was met with what felt like thousands of birds when I arrived at Lindo Lake this week.
There were dozens of great-tailed grackles in nearly every tree, a range of ducks waddling on the shore and paddling in the water and Canada geese parading along the sidewalk. Two hummingbirds tussled in low branches. Other small birds chirped and tweeted across the sky.
Their songs and calls to each other provided the background music for my easy walk around the East County lake. It was such a scene of tranquility — the birds and the gently moving water and the warm sunshine. “I could be a bird,” I thought to myself. Aside from the predators and threats of climate change and other human-made disturbances, this seems like a nice life.
Alas, I’m subject to an existence as a mere hiker.
This 1.5-mile walk around Lindo Lake County Park in Lakeside follows a hard-packed dirt path, with distant views of El Cajon Mountain to the northeast. It’s located right next to an elementary school and residential neighborhoods, so it’s generally quiet, save for the noise of kids playing outside. Along the walk, there are several benches overlooking the lake.
After a quick walk on a sidewalk, the trail begins, heading east along Lindo Lake. (Maura Fox / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
To begin, park in the lot on Lakeshore Drive, located on the northwestern side of the lake. You’ll begin walking east on a sidewalk. After about 500 feet, the sidewalk ends and you’ll hop on the dirt path. There are some bumps in the dirt, but this is mostly a very flat route and likely accessible for wheeled visitors, including with strollers or wheelchairs.
Cross over a small wooden bridge and continue southeast. At 0.2-miles, near the restrooms, the trail splits into two. Take the trail that continues southeast to stay along the side of the lake.
From here, it’s relatively simply to follow the trail. There are signs directing visitors to the lake overlooks and signs for the main trail. I didn’t have a set route in mind, so at one point I doubled-back to see an overlook that I’d missed.
The view of one of the lake overlooks on the northeastern side of Lindo Lake. (Maura Fox / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
I began to head west around the 0.8-mile mark, and at 1.2-miles I intersected with a wide dirt path in the middle of the county park. Here, I chose to head north, or right, to reconnect with the trail I started on.
There are quite a few hiking options in Lakeside, including the challenging El Cajon Mountain and moderate trails at Louis A. Stelzer County Park. Lindo Lake fits in nicely with the group as a super accessible, family-friendly option.