Black Mountain Open Space Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Black Mountain Open Space Park
View from the top of Black Mountain overlooking the city of San Diego
Area	2,352 acres (952 ha)
Operated by	San Diego Park and Recreation Department

Black Mountain Open Space Park is a fantastic city park located in the sunny suburbs of San Diego, California. It's a great place to explore nature, go hiking, and discover amazing plants and animals.

Discover Black Mountain Park

This huge park covers about 2,352 acres (9.52 km²) of land. You can find it in the northern San Diego areas of Black Mountain Ranch and Rancho Peñasquitos. The park is famous for its many trails, perfect for both hiking and biking. It's also home to a wide variety of native plants and animals.

Amazing Plants of the Park

Black Mountain Open Space Park protects many native plant species. You'll find two main types of plant communities here: chaparral and coastal sage scrub.

• Chaparral: This plant community grows on the east and north sides of the mountain. It includes plants like manzanita, laurel sumac, lemonade berry, coffee berry, chamise, toyon, and California lilac. These plants are tough and can handle dry conditions.

• Coastal Sage Scrub: You'll see this type of plant community on the south and west faces of the mountain. It features plants such as Californian white sage, Californian black sage, California sagebrush, California buckwheat, and California sunflower.

Wildlife in the Park

The park is a lively home for many different animal species. Keep your eyes open for these creatures!

• Mammals: You might spot mule deer, bobcats, desert woodrats, and Pacific kangaroo rats. Many other small mammals also live here.

• Birds: Over 80 different bird species call this park home. Some rare birds, like the California gnatcatcher, rufous-crowned sparrow, and northern harrier, live in the area.

• Reptiles and Amphibians: Look carefully and you might see a red diamond rattlesnake. In wetter areas, you could find Pacific chorus frogs and slender salamanders.

Exploring Black Mountain

A view of Black Mountain from a nearby hiking trail

Black Mountain itself is the main attraction of the park. It stands tall at 1,554 feet (474 meters). At the very top, you'll see several communication towers. These towers help with things like cell phone signals.

Long ago, before Europeans arrived, the Kumeyaay people lived on this mountain. They called it "Amat Kwanyil."

Did you know Black Mountain is also an extinct volcano? It last erupted a very long time ago, between 118 and 125 million years ago! Black Mountain is part of the Santiago Peak Volcanoes. This group includes other mountains like Cowles Mountain. They all started as a chain of volcanic islands about 150 million years ago.

The Old Mine at Black Mountain

Hidden in a canyon within Black Mountain is an old, abandoned arsenic mine. You can reach it by following paths off the park's Miner's Ridge Loop trail.

The mine was started in the 1920s by a rancher named Frank Hopkins. Back then, there was a big need for white arsenic. This was a key ingredient in pesticides used to fight tiny bugs called boll weevils that harmed cotton crops. When the boll weevil problem got smaller, the demand for white arsenic dropped. So, the mine was closed in 1927. Some old articles also say Hopkins looked for gold here.

In 2016, scientists from the University of San Diego took soil samples near the mine. They found high levels of arsenic in some spots, including parts of the Miner's Ridge Loop trail. Because of this, some lower sections of the trail were closed for safety while more studies were done.

However, some trails near the mine area are still open. The Jas Arnold Trail for All People is a special trail that is easy for everyone to use, including those with disabilities. It's named after Jas Arnold, who helped guide the park for many years. The Lilac Canyon Trail is also open.

Hiking Adventures

Black Mountain Open Space Park is a very popular place for hiking. It has many trails that are different lengths and difficulties, so there's something for everyone!

Popular Trails

• Lusardi Creek Loop Trail
• East Rim Trail
• Miner's Ridge Loop Trail
  • This trail is about 2.3 miles long and has some uphill sections.
  • You can get to it from Carmel Valley Road.
• Glider Point Trail
• Nighthawk Trail
  • You can get to this trail from Hilltop Community Park.
• Little Black Loop Trail
• South Point View Trail