Map of bike paths / walking paths in the San Diego area

Recreational trails for walking, running and cycling in San Diego, Chula Vista, El Cajon and La Mesa California

San Diego is located at the very southern tip of the State of California. It is a beautiful city situated on the Pacific Ocean, with miles of beaches, San Diego Bay and Mission Bay. The climate is sunny and mild year-round and it is a wonderful location for outdoor activities. The recreational trails located in San Diego provide a great way to see the sights, stroll along the beach or the bay, see the downtown area or head inland.

Bayshore Bikeway

The Bayshore Bikeway is a partially completed 24-mile long route that will wrap around San Diego Bay. It is a system of local trails that go through Coronado, down the silver Strand to Imperial Beach, then up the waterfront through Chula Vista and eventually will reach Downtown San Diego. Currently about 13 miles of paved trail are currently constructed.

Harbor Drive Trail

The Harbor Drive Trail is a 3.7 mile long paved pathway that goes along the San Diego Bay waterfront. There are beautiful views of the San Diego skyline, the Coronado Bridge and the ships and sailboats going out to sea. The south end of the Harbor Drive Trail is located at Seaport Village, near the intersection of W. Harbor Drive and the Pacific Highway. The trail runs north through Ruocco Park and goes past Tuna Harbor Park. It passes by several piers, the USS Midway Museum, the Maritime Museum of San Diego and the San Diego International Airport. The trail then heads west along the shoreline, past the marinas and the the entrance to Harbor Island. There are walkways along Harbor Island Drive that lead out to a paved walkway along the waterfront.

The west end of the Harbor Drive Trail is at the bridge just west of Laning Road.. There is a separate bridge that you can cross to get to the NTC Park Path is you wish to head north.

Embarcadero Paths

The Embarcadro area has several walking paths for taking in views of San Diego Harbor. This area is located adjacent to the San Diego Convention Center and Seaport Village. The pathways take you out to Embarcadero Marina Park South and Embarcadero Marina Park North. There are views looking across the bay to Coronado and south to the San Diego - Coronado Bridge.

Mission Bay Trails

Mission Bay is located just north of the west end of Interstate 8. There are several paved walkways that follow the shoreline of the bay, take you past the hotels and resorts, Sea World, the marinas, Mission Beach and along the outlet for the San Diego River.

Read more about Mission Bay Trails

SR-56 Bike Trail

The SR-56 Bike Trail is located along Highway 56, just east of Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and south of the Del Mar Heights neighborhood. The 9-mile long paved trail is separate from the roadway. This is a pretty route that goes through the natural scrub brush covered hillsides. There are very few street crossings, but there is over a 500 foot gain in elevation over the length of the trail.

Read more about the SR-56 Bike Trail

Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve

Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve is located between Interstate 5 and Insterstate 15 and to the north of the Mira Mesa area. This area is situated to the south of Rancho Peñasquitos and Sorrento Hills. This 4,000 acres preserve is managed by the City of San Diego and includes both Los Peñasquitos Canyon and Lopez Canyon. There are numerous soft-surfaced hiking trails in the area. Bike riding is only allowed on a few designated trails. The preserve offers visitors a view of the natural beauty of the area with waterfalls in ths spring, rocky canyons and an opportunity to see the local geologic formations and the native flora and fauna.

Some remains of pre-historic culture can be found in the preserve. There are also remnants of the first Spanish settlers in the area including the Santa Maria de Los Peñasquitos Adobe.

The many hiking trails of the area are accessible from Carmel Mountain Road and Sorrento Valley Boulevard. There is a large parking area with access to the main trail for the area off of Sorrento Valley Boulevard, 1 mile east of Interstate 805. Another large parking area for the preserve is located off of Black Mountain Road at Mercy Road.

Read more about the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve

Resources

Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the communities and trails mentioned in this article.