There are hikes and their are hikes! Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve, just outside of Julian, CA is one of those hikes. Volcan offers raw beauty as well as a very strenuous physical challenge. 
On this day it also offered 43-degree temperatures and 45 mph winds, lots of fog and drizzle. Quite frankly the challenging weather just added to the richness of this hike and a hike I put in my top 5 in the county. Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve is located off farmer’s road, is easy to get to and parking is roadside off of Farmers. A sign marks the trailhead entrance, and a very abstract and beautiful sculptured gateway marks the trailhead start. Julian artist Jim Hubbell contributed the design for the gateway, building the rock wall using white pegmatite and black tourmaline in the raw stage with the shiny black being obsidian. Right from the get go you begin a steady climb with switchbacks along a well-carved compact trail. Some spots are rocky, but this serves as an advantage for you to get your footing as the trail twists and turns. You will soon come to the Five Oaks Trail signpost, which is on your immediate right. 
Various vegetation lines the trail including oak, white sage and other plant life. Many of the various plants are marked with signs and description. 
Follow this shaded trail the rest of the way up to the mid-summit part of the hike. A sign will alert you as you arrive there. From here you can turn right and head up .3 mile to the gate, which leads you the final 1.2 miles to the 5333-foot summit. Warning: The summit is only open on the weekends, and from April to November. A double locked wired fence and gate attests to this fact. Not that we jumped the gate to head on up to the summit, (and I’m not suggesting this but), if you do, you are in for a treat of an elevation change. Not only does the vegetation switch to an Alpine feel, but also the winds kick up. Soon you are above the pines and in a sparse area as you ascend to the summit.
On this day the winds were howling, literally, and the fog was blowing by us at a pretty quick rate. 
(I’m guessing that’s why they close this last section of the trail during winter) The final third of the ascent is uphill, but as far as the entire hike, I say the initial hike up the Five Oaks Trail trail is steeper and offers the more strenuous of the entire hike. The trail at the summit loops around and offer amazing views of the valley floor down below, Earthquake Valley, and far off in the distance, the Salton Sea. 
Great view and not one I had expected. The descent down lead us back to the same midpoint summit but from here we took the Fire Road Trail back which leads you back to the trailhead start. 
The ascent up total mileage is 3.1 the descent down is about a mile less at 2.1 miles.
I can’t say enough good things about the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve trail. It is strenuous, so if you’re not in hiking shape you are going to huff and puff, if nothing else because of the climb up to the 5333-foot level summit.
Directions: Take Highway 78/79 into Julian, to Main Street. Going north, Main Street turns into Farmer Road. Take Farmer Road to Wynola Road and turn right, then a quick left back onto Farmer Road.
HIkeability: Strenuous
Distance: 5-6 miles depending on route 2.5 hours
Water and Food: Yes and at least 50oz, more in heat. Snacks or a small lunch