Best Trails near San Diego, California

Nice view and almost flat with frequent breeze I would definitely love to go back

I loved it and so did my dog

Very nice hike with the hubby and dog through lovely Maple Canyon and then an little zig zagging through historic Bankers Hill.

Love this hike!
Good exercise. Great View. Close to home.

Nice little stroll don't expect an actual hike during this time. You can walk down to the beach and dogs are welcome.

Really fun, and short. I usually go on longer more nature hikes but this was a good experience because of the nooks and crannies you climb through. I would definitely do it again, and if you are looking for a hike in the San Diego area this is a good one to consider!

Very nice trail. It has nice jumps, drops, rock gardens and tecnical areas. Recommended for advance riders. One of my favorites trails in San Diego.

This was a great workout, but not too challenging. The trail up to Cowles peak is busy, but after that the crowds disappear. I saw only 2 others on my way from there to Pyles peak. I was warned several times about a large rattlesnake haunting the trail this morning, but never saw it. Kind of relieved, kind of disappointed :)

Classic San Diego canyon landscape with river rocks on a partly shaded trail. The far eastern part of the trail includes a steep sandstone portion with deep grooves. Not quite a sandstone slot canyon (at least not yet), but beautiful, unspoiled, and definitely unexpected. Minus one star for constant road noise from the 52 and for general proximity to the freeway. Climbing down the sandstone part of the trail, I felt almost awkwardly watched by drivers getting on the 805 south from the 52. But it is what it is; the freeways aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, and I hope the park isn’t either. Perfect for getting your nature fix without leaving the city.

- PROS -
1. Some of the most beautiful panoramic views of surrounding San Diego.
2. Much less foot traffic than other popular nearby hikes (Mt. Woodson, Iron Mountain). I saw maybe 10 other people on a Sunday morning.
3. Great workout, with plenty of climbs. Definitely a solid Moderate.
4. Very nice ample free parking and bathrooms at the start
5. Well maintained trail, albeit small rocks here and there.

- CONS -
1. The section between Secondary Summit and Black Mountain Peak is CLOSED. I noticed this was mentioned back in Feb. 2017, and apparently it is still under restoration now in Sep. 2018. This makes it a bit of a pain to hike a loop. I went counter-clockwise, following the posted route. Once I got to Secondary Summit, it should just be ~0.4mi uphill to Black Mountain Peak...but it's closed. So I needed to backtrack to the short nighthawk trail connector, at which point it joins Miner's Ridge Loop. From there, I went up to Black Mountain Peak, and then followed Miner's Ridge Loop all the way down.
2. The entirety of Miner's Ridge Loop is a wide service road from the antennas at the top. This was fine, just be aware that it isn't quite as "natural".
3. Not much clear signage. However, I just used a GPS map on my phone whenever the trail split and didn't get lost. I had cell service and 4G during the entire hike.

This was a very easy, and nice family hike. There are frequent shady areas, which come in handy midday. I would definitely recommend bringing at least 2Liters of water per person.

We walked the first part of the trail that runs along North Dairy Mart Pond. The lookouts over the water are nice, and my kids enjoyed the wooden walkway after the left (south) turn). The Information boards about local wildlife were good too. This time we ended up doubling back instead of finishing the square loop trail, but we’ll be back to try again. We saw birds, butterflies, dragonflies, and bees. Very peaceful, and the kids loved it!

This actually was 7.95 miles be prepared was rough.

Very beautiful! Isn’t the most nature-esque trail, but it’s as good as it gets for Southern California. It does have really incredible views of downtown, the Coronado bridge and sailboats. Definitely a must-do!

This is a nice trail but it’s steep you will be out of breath within 5 minutes of starting. Don’t forget you water and maybe the inhaler.

This Trail Map App has this Trail marked incorrectly, it is not designated by the county or the city as a loop trail, you can make it a loop but you must know where your going, the county does maintain it but it is not marked anyplace as a “Loop Trail”. This could be misleading to someone who wants to check out manually and run, or walk expecting the trail to “loop” them back to where they started. So pay attention, it is an awesome nice easy family friendly Trail!

Great trail and a good workout. Maps available at the trailhead. I took the route clockwise, so I hit North Fortuna first and came down South Fortuna. It was a little hard on the knees going down those steep stairs after the South Fortuna peak. Also towards the end it wasn't totally clear where I was supposed to go, lots of 4-way intersections, but I think as long as you head in the right general direction you can't get lost.

The "Getting There" is inaccurate - you shouldn't go to Equestrian Circle for this trail head. But if you click on the "Directions" it leads you in the right place. Just type in 11441 Clairemont Mesa Blvd to your GPS.

Stars only for easy hike with good payoff with a nice view of San Diego, otherwise very crowded with people with horrible trail etiquette. Speakers blasting music, trash not packed out, people not staying on trail and ruining surrounding brush.

When in SD with my sister, we completed this trail with her Ex. It was amazing! All I remember was it was hard because I didn’t have the proper foot ware from packing lite due to a cross county road trip. The terrain was rocky and steep incline. But the view was worth the ankle rolls. I remember the Rick formations and crossing the fence - Not sure why those things stick out in my mind but they do lol! Go here if and when in SD! I always try to do a hike when traveling and so far I’ve been successful!

The back side is more preferred. Not nearly as crowded and is more demanding.

Accurately described. Lake with a bit of desert landscaping. All dogs were on leash. Some owners don’t scoop the poop. Overall nice trail.

Perfect for appreciating the dramatic part of the San Diego coastline. It was a good length for kids to walk too, but we held them by their hands or carried them, as portions of the trail are dangerous. Exercise caution and use common sense!

West end of this trail is super sketchy and not run-able. I lost the trail twice. Views are really pretty and I only saw one person.

Ambas montañas tienen su atractivo, recomiendo subir primero Fortuna Sur por las escaleras continuar a Fortuna norte y bajar por el sendero perimetral de esta ultima, hay que llevar mapa del parque(lse puede imprimir de la pagina o en el centro de visitantes hay disponibles)para elegir el sendero correcto en el regreso.

Smashed this hike wearing 60lbs of body armor....it gets very crowded, get there early. It is an easy hike that would be great for a beginner who is unsure about their skill level. The views are nice from the summit and you’ll feel
Like you’ve accomplished something.

Hiked it this morning....would be greatly challenging for a beginner and I’d say a moderate hike for more experienced hikers. The trail gets steep (stairs) but isn’t horrible. The views can be decent on a clear day....downtown San Diego and Coronado bridge can be easily seen from the summit. All in all a good time to be had for all.

It was a decent hike up, but definitely super crowded. I was there by 8 & there were still a bunch of people already on the trail.

good trail for beginners

Good for a day run