Presiding over one of the North County’s highest mountains is Palomar Observatory, a major national astronomical facility and the star attraction of a sate park that embraces some of San Diego’s most scenic wilderness.

Sharing the mountain with the observatory is Palomar Mountain State Park, a top nature destination. Its leafy confines include nearly 2,000 acres of often-rugged terrain populated by mountain lions, bobcats, and mule deer. The park has 31 campsites and half a dozen major hiking parts; the Doane Valley Nature Trail leads to trout-stocked Doane Pond. Boucher Hill offers the best vantage points; on clear days you can see all the way to the Pacific Ocean and San Diego Bay.