Jessica S.
Yelp
We've hiked four of the 5 peaks in Mission Trails, and Cowles ranks at the very bottom of my favorites list.
It's a popular spot, so we purposely avoided the "main" trail head, choosing to approach the peak via Big Rock Park and the Cowles Service Road. That turned out to be a good idea; while we met a few other hikers, it definitely never got crowded - until we hit the summit, that is.
But, before we get to that, the Big Rock Trail is easy to follow and well-marked. While most of the path is unshaded, there were a couple of spots that offered a brief respite from the heat and sun. It's a steep ascent, so you'll feel it in your lower body well before you hit the service road.
And speaking of the service road, be prepared to slip. Like, a *lot*. It's a path made for vehicles, not hikers, so the rocks that line the gentle incline are small and loose, and easily give way under your feet. We shambled our way up most of the service road before taking the path that connected to the "main" Cowles Trail path to get to the summit.
So - back to the popularity of this spot. I love that there are so many locals that want to see the views and take the pictures, but it was just *so* crowded at the peak. We were dodging running kids, duck-face selfie-takers (people still make those faces, huh?), groups of half-naked teens and people lost in their music as we tried to find a place to catch our breath for a minute. Right before we ambled off in the direction of Pyles Peak, I had to ask a father if we could get a picture of the Cowles sign, which his kids had been climbing/sitting/standing in front of for the entire 5 minutes we were there.
I think it was just a shock to my senses, after having spent the majority of the hike with just my husband and nature, to be bombarded with a wall of people.
Don't think we'll hike Cowles again...at least, not until we take up the 5 Peak Challenge.