Lake Cuyamaca is a picture-book mountain lake in the pine-and-oak forests of the Cuyamaca Mountains near Julian, California, about an hour east of San Diego. At 4,600 feet and surrounded on three sides by the sprawling Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, this small 110-acre reservoir is a cool, scenic escape from the coastal heat — proof that good things come in small packages.

Fishing is the lake's claim to fame: it's stocked with tens of thousands of pounds of trout each year and is the only lake in San Diego County able to stock trout year-round, so anglers do well from shore or boat (a Lake Cuyamaca fishing permit, plus a state license for adults, is required). For paddlers, kayaks, canoes, and pedal boats are available to rent for a peaceful outing on the calm water.

One important note: this is a drinking-water reservoir, so swimming, wading, and body contact with the water are not allowed. Come for the fishing, paddling, picnicking, and birdwatching rather than a swim.

On land, several well-maintained hiking trails wind around the lake and connect into Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, including routes toward the summit of Cuyamaca Peak. The forested setting is gorgeous in every season — cool and green in summer, golden in fall, occasionally dusted with snow in winter. Bring layers for the mountain air, a picnic, and your fishing gear or a rented boat, follow the lake's rules, and pack out your trash. Easy to reach yet a world away from the city, Lake Cuyamaca is one of San Diego County's most charming little getaways.