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If you ask me to wake up at 7 a.m. to go on a hike, odds are, I'd probably say no. If you ask me the same question but tell me that there will be a bunch of dogs? Say less.
The most famous hiking trail in Cabo San Lucas is undoubtedly Mt. Solmar. Its peak gives you a stunning view of Playa del Divorcio and Playa del Amor, as well as an impeccable view of the city. But did you know that the only legal way to go there is with dogs?
The Story Behind the Mt. Solmar Dog Hike in Cabo San Lucas
Enrique is a local who used to work at a shelter, but now he has a facility where he trains some local dogs and temporarily boards others. He used to have many dogs to himself from running the shelter, but now, due to his capacity restrictions, he can "only" rescue one dog per month (his words, not mine).
Contrary to popular belief, there is only one legal entrance to hike Mt. Solmar, located on Enrique's property. Once I got there, I couldn't help but ask myself: How did he end up with such a massive landmark on his property?!
After a little chat with him, he explained that he rents out, paying half of it with his earnings and the other half by maintaining it. This helps the local authorities by providing safe access to what is honestly a dangerous area in itself.
When Does it Take Place?
Enrique does this hike every morning at 8 a.m., except on Saturdays.
Sometimes, he does special hikes on Saturdays and goes for sunrise, which we were lucky enough to do! These depart at 4:45 a.m. and seem to attract more people, so keep that in mind if you are looking to escape crowds.
To get to the base of the hike, you must head to Enrique's dog training camp.
You can also simply type in "Dog training camp" in your GPS, and it will take you there (there's not really another other option than this one).
Once there, you will see a large fenced gate, which should have a chain in front of it as well. On the left hand side of the gate, you should find a white board with information about the hike on it.
We were told that the hike was a beginner to intermediate level, with some slight rock climbing. Unfortunately, I have to disagree with that and say that it is intermediate level.
Although the start of the hike is relatively flat with a semi-paved path, the rock climbing part took us almost 20 minutes and ot was very steep. The rocks did not move or anything, but the fact that we did it before sunrise did not help as we had our phones in one hand to light the way, and a water bottle in the other.
Another thing to consider is that there are several cacti around the path, so there is not much room for error.
The hike itself is around 35 minutes and is easy if you are somewhat active and have good shoes with you.
To get a better idea of the terrain, visit Enrique's Facebook page and check out his numerous videos.
The hike is completely free, but it is expected to leave some tip to Enrique to help him take care of the dogs and maintain the area. There are designated boxes at the end of the hike to leave some tip.
The hiking spot is located near one of the best hidden gem in Cabo San Lucas, Playa el Balconcito. This uncrowded secret beach is one of my favourites in the area, with a magnificent view of the marina with many boats passing by.
The beach is about 5 minutes away from the Enrique's facility and is the perfect place to get to refresh yourself after this intense activity.
To know more about this secret spot, check out our blog post on it:
Discover This Cute Hidden Swimmable Beach in Cabo San Lucas: Playa el Balconcito
Rating: 9/10
Overall opinion: This hike was a blast. Enrique is super friendly and a great, bilingual guide and is truly passionate of what he does. My only point of criticism is that it was quite crowded for the sunrise hike, which slowed down the group, but you should not experience this issue for the daily ones.
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