Big Black

Big Black sits inside California's Cleveland National Forest, north-east of San Diego, and is one of the more access-sensitive sites in the region. After years of work with the Palomar Ranger District, the local club regained access under a Special Use Permit — which means every flight here comes with community-wide responsibility. Membership in the San Diego Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association is required to unlock the gate to launch, and the only permitted landing is the tight, obstacle-heavy Cross-Roads LZ up on the mountain, not the valley below. Launch itself is a small cutout between pines: tricky for paragliders, workable for hang gliders. The Forest Service allows no site maintenance from 1 February to 31 May — do not pull weeds unless a ranger is present or you have prior authorisation.

Launch & conditions

Small cutout between trees — launch can be tricky for paragliders (nested in pines) but okay for hang gliders. Site is under a Special Use Permit.

Getting there & local rules

Gate access to launch requires SDHGPA membership — ask the San Diego club for permission first. From San Diego North County or further north: from I-15, take Highway 78 East to West Haverford Road (east again), then Pamo Road (north). Park up the road from the Cross-Roads rather than at the Cross-Roads itself — the Cross-Roads IS the LZ and is small and obstacle-rich even without cars.

Local rules & hazards

Landing is permitted only in the Cross-Roads LZ — landing in the valley below the mountain is forbidden (still under negotiation). The LZ is not visible from launch but is an okay glide with modern gliders — save it as a waypoint before takeoff. It's roughly 150 ft × 200 ft, uneven, cut into foothills, and requires solid intermediate (P3) approach and non-coastal spot-landing skills. No site maintenance from 1 February to 31 May — do not pull weeds without Forest Service personnel present or prior authorisation, per Special Use Permit conditions.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Big Black, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Big Black with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.