Mt. Helix Park, the "Crown Jewel of East County," is truly a unique and historic site. Built as a memorial to Mary Carpenter Yawkey, Mt. Helix Park with its huge outdoor Amphitheatre nestled into the hillside below the magnificent 35-foot-tall Christian Cross crowning this 1,370 foot mountain peak, is one of the most recognized landmarks in San Diego County.

Inspiration for the Park

Mt. Helix Park was built in memory of Mary Carpenter Yawkey by her two children, Mary Yawkey White and Cyrus Carpenter Yawkey.  Following her marriage to Fred White, Mary and her husband eventually moved to San Diego. 

In the early 1900's Mary Carpenter Yawkey, who lived in Saginaw, Michigan, started visiting her daughter in San Diego and then lived with her during the last few years of her life. At that time Mt. Helix was barren, void of trees, and completely undeveloped, but according to Cyrus, his mother "loved to ascend to the summit and look upon the beautiful panorama of mesa, hills and sea spread out before her.  It was her favorite drive, and frequently, in her later years, with a reverent and true love of nature, she came up the steep, winding trail where she might see the sunset in all its glory from the high summit."