20 Best Hiking Trails in San Diego [2024 Updated]

With work, finances, family, and friends, the average American often finds themselves burning the candle at every end. This is why, every now and then, it helps to take a break and unwind, but what does one do in such a situation? One of the highlights of living in San Diego is the many well-known hiking trails you can experience, which have made hiking in San Diego a preferred option for many.

With several benefits in terms of stress levels and improving physical and mental health, it’s no wonder why so many people prefer spending their weekends exploring new hiking trails. If you’re out on an adventure for a longer duration, you will need to ensure your devices are charged. The best way to do this is using a Jackery Portable Power Station. These power stations are compact and feature a rugged build, so you can take them anywhere without worrying about exposing them to the elements.

10 Best Hiking Trails in San Diego

When you set out hiking in San Diego, you can rest assured that you’ll never get tired of the adventure on offer and the sights that await you. This section takes you through 10 of the best hiking trails you can explore in this city when you want to decompress or simply escape from the noise of your daily lives.

North Fortuna Mountain Summit Trail

Place: Mission Trails Regional Park

Address: San Diego, CA, USA

Length: 6.2 miles

Difficulty: Moderate  

Best For: 

• Hiking and mountain biking
• Rocky terrains and sweeping views

This popular hiking trail is open to mountain bikers, hikers, and runners and offers diverse crowds along the way. The trail offers stunning views of the city and the Pacific from multiple points and beautiful wildflowers in spring. It’s also open to dogs, provided they’re on a leash, and is a great place if you want to go for a solo hike.

Oak Canyon to Grasslands Trail

Place: Mission Trails Regional Park

Address: Oak Canyon Trail, Santee, CA 92071, United States

Length: 3.7 miles

Difficulty: Moderate  

Best For: 

• Rivers and waterfall sightings
• Dogs on a leash
• Hiking and running

This moderately challenging trail is incredibly popular among hikers and runners. It has sections where you pass under giant oak trees and crisscross the creek on wooden bridges. During the monsoon season, you can enjoy stunning views of two waterfalls that feed into the rock gorges below.

Tecolote Canyon Trail

Place: Tecolote Canyon Natural Park

Address: San Diego, CA, USA

Length: 6.3 miles

Difficulty: Moderate  

Best For: 

• Mountain biking and hiking
• Forests and rivers
• Wildflower sightings

This 6.3 mile trail is considered moderately challenging. It offers a few steep inclines to keep your adrenaline pumping, and if you happen to hike here after the rains, you may encounter a few creek crossings.

South Fortuna Mountain Trail

Place: Mission Trails Regional Park

Address: San Diego, CA, USA

Length: 4.7 miles

Difficulty: Hard

Best For: 

• Birdwatching and forest views
• Hiking and running

This out-and-back trail offers the perfect blend of rolling hills, shaded canyons, and the fragrance of the coastal sagebrush. These make it ideal for both seasoned hikers and newbies looking to challenge themselves. A key highlight is that it’s also dog-friendly.

Cowles Mountain Hike

Place: Mission Trails Regional Park

Address: 8282 Mesa Rd, Santee, CA 92071

Length: 5 miles 

Difficulty: Moderate  

Best For: 

• Rocky terrain with a moderate elevation gain
• Bird watching
• Kid and dog-friendly

The highlight of the Cowles Mountain Hike is that it takes you to the highest point in San Diego at 1,593 ft, offering views from Mexico to Orange County. This hike is safe and beginner-friendly and is also open to dogs. Climbing up the hillside along Barker Way also gives you spectacular views of Lake Murray.

Sunset Cliffs Trail

Place: Sunset Cliffs Natural Park

Address: San Diego, CA 92107, United States

Length: 2.1 miles

Difficulty: Easy  

Best For: 

• Mountain biking, hiking, and running
• Crystal-clear beach views
• Largely rocky terrain with minimal elevation gain

This hiking trail in San Diego is one of the best places to be if you want to catch a sunset along the coast. With steep trails that go down the rocky shoreline, it offers plenty of adrenaline-pumping trails you can enjoy all year round. The winter months also present the opportunity for spectacular gray whale sightings.

Grasslands Loop Trail

Place: Mission Trails Regional Park

Address: Oak Canyon Trail, Santee, CA 92071, United States

Length: 4.4 miles

Difficulty: Moderate  

Best For:

• Hiking and running
• Wildlife sightings
• Kids and dogs

This 7.1-kilometer stretch is one of the best hiking trails in San Diego. It starts off with a trailhead that offers picnic tables, trash cans, and bathrooms and eventually leads up to rocky inclines intersected with wooden bridges, with the sound of water creasing under them in the monsoons.

Annie’s Canyon Trail

Place: San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve

Address: 2550 Via Poco, Cardiff, CA 92007, United States

Length: 1.8 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Best For: 

• Sandstone canyons
• Kids and dogs
• Wildlife sightings

Naturally carved through sandstone rocks that have eroded over centuries, Annie’s Canyon Trail is a stunning hike with meandering trails that will leave you amazed at every turn. The 1.4-mile loop along Rios Avenue offers panoramic views and the opportunity for some unique wildlife sightings.

Torrey Pines Beach Trail Loop

Place: Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

Address: 12600 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States

Length: 2.2 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Best For: 

• Hiking and walking
• Rivers and wildflowers
• Forests and rivers

This spectacular trail makes for a great hike in San Diego, as you can tackle it in either direction. Hiking it clockwise takes you through the interiors first and then along the water, and vice versa.

Visitors must be careful about high tides and must only venture out during low tides.

South Clevenger Trail

Place: San Pasqual Valley

Address: 18259-18313 CA-78, Escondido, CA 92025, United States

Length: 5 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Best For: 

• Hiking and Running
• Backpacking
• Dogs on leashes

This moderate climb offers spectacular views of the valley below and high peaks such as El Cajon and Cuyamaka Peak. With plenty of photo opportunities, the drive to the trailhead also offers spectacular sights.

5 Easy Hiking Trails in San Diego

While San Diego is home to hiking trails of every difficulty, there are several easy trails you can venture out to if you’re just stepping into the world of hiking.

Bernardo Bay Trail—San Dieguito River Park: This 2.5-kilometer trek, with an elevation of a mere 250 meters, is open to dogs and takes you along the banks of Lake Hodges, offering stunning water views and plenty of fauna.

Hike Batiquitos Lagoon Trail: This easy trail, which is 100 meters in elevation, is one of the best ways to experience the tidal wetlands in Southern California. With trails for avid hikers and families alike, it’s the perfect trail for a relaxed day out.

Boucher Fire Tower Loop: This trail offers a gentle climb to the tower, which, on a clear day, offers views of Mexico, the Coronado Islands, and Palomar Mountain State Park.

Lower Doane Valley and French Valley Hike: Every turn of this hike offers some eye-catching sights of the flora and fauna of San Diego as it takes you through meadows, groves of giant trees, and a hidden pool of French Creek.

Los Penasquitos Canyon Trail Guide: This easy trail highlights a waterfall plunging through volcanic rock. It also offers views of giant oaks and sycamores and a stream that’s home to several endangered species.

5 Places for Hiking in San Diego With Waterfalls

Among the many hiking and running trails in San Diego, there are several that will make those who love the sight and sound of water happy.

Cedar Creek Falls: The Cedar Creek Falls have been dubbed San Diego’s most famous waterfall hike. The trail leads downhill to the waterfall and uphill on the way back.

Three Sisters Falls: This moderately challenging hike, which includes some scrambling and narrow sections, offers spectacular views of three waterfalls along the trail. It is ideal for enthusiasts.

Green Valley Falls: The loop from Green Valley to Paso Picacho takes you through a thick grove of Manzanita trees, which open up to the waterfall in the early stages of the hike, making it a highlight for many.

Cottonwood Creek Falls: With cascading pools of water, this short hike has a moderate 500-meter elevation gain along the trail and offers splendid views at several points.

Maidenhair Falls: The Maidenhair Falls trail offers stunning views of waterfalls in the monsoon season. It also involves a bit of scrambling, which makes it ideal for those who like the idea of a slightly physically challenging hike.

Hiking Checklist and Items

While hiking in San Diego on an easy trail might not require as much preparation as a moderate or difficult one, it’s still critical that you be prepared to face any eventuality and to ensure you have all your hiking essential supplies on hand. Here are a few you should keep in mind:

Portable Power Generator: Jackery Explorer 100 Plus, Jackery Solar Generator 300 Plus + SolarSaga 40W Solar Panels.

Hiking Gear: Daypack, waist bag, hydration pack, trekking poles, winter traction devices.

Clothing: Moisture-wicking base layer, quick-drying trousers or shorts, hiking boots, socks.

Food and Water: Water bottles or a hydration pack, trail snacks, protein bars, and resealable bags (for trash).

First Aid Kit: Basic first aid supplies, pain medication, antiseptic wipes, and a clean handkerchief.

Jackery Portable Power Supply for Hiking

Jackery is known as one of the most notable manufacturers of portable power stations, solar generators, and solar panels. The Jackery Solar Generators effortlessly combine the Jackery Portable Power Stations with the Jackery SolarSaga Solar Panels.

When the solar panels are placed under direct sunlight, they absorb solar energy from the sun’s rays and automatically convert this to DC electricity. This is then passed through the pure sine wave inverter in the portable power station to convert it to AC electricity.

These portable power supply options are easy to carry, which makes them ideal for hiking and camping, and their robust build ensures you don’t have to worry if they’re exposed to the elements.

Jackery Explorer 100 Plus Portable Power Station

The Jackery Explorer 100 Plus Portable Power Station is compact enough for you to carry in your backpack even if you’re traveling on a flight. It offers enough capacity to keep your smartphone and other small devices charged, so you don’t have to worry about losing connectivity on a long day out. It’s also whisper quiet, so you can enjoy the sights and sounds nature has to offer without any disturbance whatsoever.

Jackery Solar Generator 300 Plus + SolarSaga 40W

The Jackery Solar Generator 300 Plus offers enough capacity to charge your smartphone, GPS, and even a laptop, making it ideal for hiking and camping for a night or two. The solar panels charge via ultra-fast solar charging, so you never run out of charge on your essential devices. The portable nature also means you can easily carry this lightweight and robust camping generator on your outdoor trips.

Conclusion

Hiking in San Diego offers some of the most breathtaking views of dense forests, stunning coastlines, and much more. With so many options to choose from across several different national parks and forest reserves, you will never find yourself wanting to leave the city when you need a break from the hustle and bustle of your busy schedules.

When you’re exploring the great outdoors, you can rest assured that you remain connected with your loved ones with Jackery Portable Power Stations. These are lightweight, portable, and feature robust build quality, which makes them ideal for outdoor use.