Discovery Lake and Hills Loop is a 0.8 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near San Marcos, California that features a lake and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
dogs on leash
wheelchair friendly
kid friendly
stroller friendly
hiking
nature trips
road biking
walking
bird watching
running
forest
lake
partially paved
views
wild flowers
Miss L. recorded Discovery Lake to Double Peak
Did the ridgeline this time, beautiful views.
Nice place for an easy stroll with family (15-20min) or a flat terrain to jog (5-10min). Stay on the lower trails or else you will be hiking up to double peak. This trail has hardly any elevation. Been coming here for a few years and the trial is always clean. Finding parking in the small lot varies by what time you come.
very good trail. looped around it a couple times. very dog friendly and has paved area and on some parts a dirt area. there is also a park right next to it.
Was open as of yesterday. A lot of people there 5-6pm, around 50% without masks FYI if that matters to you. Love this place.
Just checking... is this trail still open and if so when does the park open/close for hiking?
Erica Mills recorded San Marcos Hills Loop
Plus bonus lake loop :) lots of ppl out but mostly just on the bigger wider parts of the trail
Megan Browning recorded San Marcos Hills Loop
Too many people
We went in the middle of the day and dang it was too hot to handle LOL. We only made it halfway up the hill. Directions there were a bit confusing, but we figured it out, basically in the middle of neighborhood. Lots of families having fun.
Walked this today with my niece and dog. We all enjoyed it. I like that you can make it as easy or hard as you want with the trails off of the lake loop.
Love this place! The scenery is so beautiful to look at!
Really pretty hike around Lake. Easy but you can veer off onto other trails that would be more difficult with inclines. Great with kids and dogs. Very relaxing atmosphere.
Very well maintained trail. Couldn't find the loop up at Double Peak summit. Returned on steep trail west side of summit. Walked extra short trail around lake at bottom of trail. Very nice!
A pleasant little walk. We went on a June gloom weekend and of course it was very crowded. I would like to go back during the week when the sun is shining and fewer people are about.
i love this place, it has other trails and a very relaxing atmosphere. there is a fountain for the kids next to the playground and i bring my 5 yr old to ride her bike or walk a few laps. today we did one lap.
easy trail, variety of trails, very busy during the weekend along the lake, limited parking ( parking available on the side of the road), dog friendly ( must be on leash), great for bike riding, small playground for children. Overall place was nice.
Very busy place. Great short walk to do with your kids and pets (on leash). Cute park for kids to play after!
Lots of choose your own hike adventure options around here. Nice easy loop around the lake and we went further up on Cima trail. Was a bit washed out due to recent rain, but nothing too bad and easy to handle.
This is one of my favorite places to go when I need to get out of the house but still feel as if I am escaping the town and busyness. It’s serene. There are a great amount of activities that you can do here! 10/10 recommend for people with children and/or dogs. Also lots of wildlife!
Very pretty, peaceful and tons of birds. It’s a flat, paved walking trail, so it’s very easy. A plus is that it is adjacent to another trail which is more moderate- The Double Peak Trail- it has a steep upgrade and some nice views. One drawback of both trails is that they are doing some huge construction nearby, building a new neighborhood. So that really interferes with the overall experience.
it's short, easy, relaxing and beautiful
Super easy and clean paved walkway try the hills for a better workout
Family Friendly. Super chill. Trail is closest to the lake that wraps around. Several detour trails but the one closest to the lake is kid friendly and stroller friendly.
Great spot for bike riding. trails are all paved. Has nice scenery and a playground.
Nice walking trail around the lake
A beautiful day to take a short walk. Nothing really to share about this place to entice you to make a drive here.
Nice. Tried this as a getaway to think or relax. Liked the scenery.
great trail at sunset. tons of birds and beautiful path. bring bread to feed the ducks
Ashton P.
Good hike for strollers!!!
I use a walker, so it was very nice to have a pleasant paved level path to travel. I liked the dog bag stations but was disappointed that there were no cans for bag disposal next to them. The bathroom door did not lock, fortunately someone was with me to watch the door. I loved hearing the bullfrog and other nature sounds near by. Good distance around near the lake.
Great trail for families, stroller friendly.
