The plaque at the summit reads:
"COWLES MOUNTAIN
Elevation 1,591 Feet Above Sea Level
Mission Trails Regional Park
Cowles Mountain is the prominent feature of
Mission Trails Regional Park and
the highest point in the City of San Diego.
It was named to honor George A. Cowles,
a pioneer leader of San Diego County in the 1870's,
Rancho Mission San Diego land grant.
Cowles Mountain was purchased jointly by the
City and County of San Diego
on December 31, 1974.
Dedicated October 1984
www.MTRP.org"
Wuikipedia (
visit link) adds:
"Cowles Mountain is a prominent mountain within the city limits of San Diego, California and also within Mission Trails Regional Park, in a neighborhood known as San Carlos, San Diego. The mountain is named after George A. Cowles, an early ranching pioneer in San Diego County. Its 1,593-foot (486 m) summit is the highest point in the city of San Diego. The main trail to the summit is a popular hiking destination taking hundreds of people per day to a 360-degree panorama of San Diego County. The hike to the top is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and an elevation change of about 950 feet (290 m).
History
San Diego State University
For many years Cowles Mountain was locally known as "S" Mountain. In 1931, 500 students from San Diego State University (SDSU) painted a 400-foot-tall (120 m) letter "S" on the side of the mountain, after which it took on its popular name. In April 1942, during World War II, the local military ordered the S covered up for the sake of national security. After the war the painting tradition was resurrected. In the 1970s, the annual repainting tradition was discarded due to complaints from environmentalists but enjoyed a brief resurgence in the late 1980s.
The mountain, except for marked trails, is now a protected area, and the "S" has not been repainted for nearly two decades.
Trails
The main trail to the summit is a popular hiking destination taking hundreds of people per day to a 360-degree panorama of San Diego County. The hike to the top is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and an elevation change of about 950 feet (290 m). This trail is on the corner of Golfcrest Drive and Navajo Road. A much-less-used but maintained trail begins near the intersection of Boulder Lake Avenue and Barker way. This trail meets the main trail near the summit.
On March 25, 2013 the trails of Cowles were closed for maintenance. The trails were reopened in May 2013 after several improvements to water drainage and rock steps.
Pronunciation
While many people pronounce "Cowles" to rhyme with "towels," the pronunciation of the name should be like "coals" as this is how George Cowles's family was known."