The Kumeyaay call this mountain Ewiiy Hellyaa, meaning the 'Mountain of the Moonlit Rocks', which was considered a place of power where the Moon sleeps.

It is also associated with a mythical rabbit and the story of Toyapai, a Kumeyaay sprit giant who stepped on the southern side of the mountain on the way to the coast.

[5] The mountain became popular in the 2010s as Potato Chip Rock became more widely known through the influence of social media platforms such as Instagram.

[8] One popular way to reach the rock is through a 6.6-mile round trip hike from the Lake Poway trailhead to the west.

[6] The rock was used as an April Fools' Day prank by Poway mayor Steve Vaus in 2017.