Poway

Poway, CA: The City In The Country

Poway lies in northeastern San Diego County, about three miles east of Interstate 15. The city covers 39.4 square miles. Elevations climb from roughly 450 feet to 2,700 feet. City Hall sits at 486 feet. Census Bureau estimates put the population near 49,180.

Poway calls itself The City in the Country, and the land backs that up. More than half of the city stays in dedicated open space. That is over 19.7 of its 39.4 square miles. Roughly 4,700 acres hold about 76 miles of trails. Poway incorporated as a general law city in December 1980.

Old Poway Park anchors the historic side of town. A restored early 1900s setting there includes a working vintage train. An Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration fills the park each summer. Lake Poway Recreation Area and Blue Sky Ecological Reserve open onto the trail network. Mount Woodson Gateway County Preserve holds the trailhead for the Potato Chip Rock hike.

The Poway Business Park drives much of the local economy. The 700 acre complex holds more than 500 businesses and roughly 18,000 jobs. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, GEICO Direct, Delta Design, and Sysco Foods all operate there. Poway Unified School District is the third largest in the county, with about 36,000 students. Palomar UC San Diego Health Poway sits on Pomerado Road inside the city.

Neighborhoods include Old Poway, Green Valley, High Valley, and Poway Valley. Garden Road, Rancho Arbolitos, The Heritage, and Poway Royal Estates fill out the rest. Poway Days brings a Rotary Club parade each September. The Poway Rodeo follows at the Poway Valley Riders Association arena. The City of Poway website lists the full calendar.