With the second richest biodiversity of any county in the continental United States, San Diego County offers a huge variety of hiking experiences. The 4,525 square mile county encompasses ocean bluffs covered with rare Torrey pines, rugged inland peaks studded with granite boulders, gently rolling mountain ranges blanketed in pine and oak forests, and the scorched badlands of Anza-Borrego desert. A vast treasure trove of natural marvels awaits the adventurous hiker.
Viewing 74 of 74 Hikes
Cactus Loop
Cactus Loop
Distance: .7 mi
Time: .5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 214 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Tenaja Falls
Tenaja Falls
Distance: 1.6 mi
Time: 1 hrs
Elevation Gain: 400 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Truckhaven Rocks
Truckhaven Rocks
Distance: 1.5 mi
Time: 1 hrs
Elevation Gain: 250 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Love Valley
Love Valley
Distance: 2.2 mi
Time: 1 hrs
Elevation Gain: 300 ft
Difficulty: Beginner
Garnet Peak
Garnet Peak
Distance: 2.2 mi
Time: 1.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 550 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Batiquitos Lagoon
Batiquitos Lagoon
Distance: 2.8 mi
Time: 1.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 50 ft
Difficulty: Beginner
Rainbow Canyon
Rainbow Canyon
Distance: 2 mi
Time: 1.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 400 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Oakoasis Preserve
Oakoasis Preserve
Distance: 2.5 mi
Time: 1.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 500 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Sycuan Peak
Sycuan Peak
Distance: 2.1 mi
Time: 1 hrs
Elevation Gain: 800 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Mine Peak
Mine Peak
Distance: 2.4 mi
Time: 2 hrs
Elevation Gain: 750 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
El Prado Loop
El Prado Loop
Distance: 2.9 mi
Time: 3 hrs
Elevation Gain: 250 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Borrego Palm Canyon
Borrego Palm Canyon
Distance: 3 mi
Time: 1.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 525 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Oak Canyon
Oak Canyon
Distance: 3.2 mi
Time: 1.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 300 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Razor Point / Beach / Broken Hill Loop
Razor Point / Beach / Broken Hill Loop
Distance: 3 mi
Time: 1.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 350 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Guajome Regional Park
Guajome Regional Park
Distance: 3 mi
Time: 1.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 150 ft
Difficulty: Beginner
Santa Margarita River
Santa Margarita River
Distance: 3 mi
Time: 1.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 150 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Lake Calavera
Lake Calavera
Distance: 3.2 mi
Time: 1.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 400 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Stonewall Peak
Stonewall Peak
Distance: 3.8 mi
Time: 2 hrs
Elevation Gain: 900 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Horsethief Canyon
Horsethief Canyon
Distance: 3.2 mi
Time: 2 hrs
Elevation Gain: 500 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Boucher Hill Loop
Boucher Hill Loop
Distance: 3.6 mi
Time: 2.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 800 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Thunder Spring and Chimney Flat Loop
Thunder Spring and Chimney Flat Loop
Distance: 3.9 mi
Time: 2.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 900 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Ramona Grasslands
Ramona Grasslands
Distance: 3.4 mi
Time: 2 hrs
Elevation Gain: 380 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Agua Caliente County Park
Agua Caliente County Park
Distance: 3.2 mi
Time: 2 hrs
Elevation Gain: 500 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Viejas Mountain
Viejas Mountain
Distance: 3.6 mi
Time: 3 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1600 ft
Difficulty: Strenuous
Sheep Canyon
Sheep Canyon
Distance: 3 mi
Time: 4 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1100 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Double Peak
Double Peak
Distance: 4.7 mi
Time: 2 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1000 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Del Mar Mesa Preserve
Del Mar Mesa Preserve
Distance: 4.4 mi
Time: 2.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 500 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Azalea Glen
Azalea Glen
Distance: 4 mi
Time: 2.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 700 ft
Difficulty: Easy
West Butte Borrego Mountain and The Slot
West Butte Borrego Mountain and The Slot
Distance: 4.6 mi
Time: 2.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 750 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Eagle Peak
Eagle Peak
Distance: 4.4 mi
Time: 2.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1000 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Black Mountain
Black Mountain
Distance: 4.1 mi
Time: 2.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 700 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Lower Willows
Lower Willows
Distance: 4.3 mi
Time: 2.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 350 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Combs Peak
Combs Peak
Distance: 4.5 mi
Time: 3 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1200 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Clevenger Canyon South
Clevenger Canyon South
Distance: 4.4 mi
Time: 3 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1150 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Three Sisters Falls
Three Sisters Falls
Distance: 4.5 mi
Time: 3.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1100 ft
Difficulty: Strenuous
Hellhole Canyon
Hellhole Canyon
Distance: 5 mi
Time: 2.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 900 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Piedras Pintadas and Bernardo Bay
Piedras Pintadas and Bernardo Bay
Distance: 5.2 mi
Time: 2.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 400 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Engelmann Oak Loop
Engelmann Oak Loop
Distance: 5.1 mi
Time: 2.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 800 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
La Jolla Shores to Torrey Pines Beach
La Jolla Shores to Torrey Pines Beach
Distance: 5 mi
Time: 3 hrs
Elevation Gain: 5 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Kelly Ditch Trail
Kelly Ditch Trail
Distance: 5.4 mi
Time: 3 hrs
Elevation Gain: 900 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Border Field State Park
Border Field State Park
Distance: 5.3 mi
Time: 3 hrs
Elevation Gain: 140 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Volcan Mountain
Volcan Mountain
Distance: 5.2 mi
Time: 3 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1300 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Santa Ysabel Preserve West
Santa Ysabel Preserve West
Distance: 5.2 mi
Time: 4 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1100 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Whale Peak
Whale Peak
Distance: 5.5 mi
Time: 4 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1700 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Goat Canyon Trestle via Mortero Palms
Goat Canyon Trestle via Mortero Palms
Distance: 5.5 mi
Time: 6 hrs
Elevation Gain: 2200 ft
Difficulty: Strenuous
Boden Canyon
Boden Canyon
Distance: 6.5 mi
Time: 3 hrs
Elevation Gain: 500 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Barker Valley
Barker Valley
Distance: 6.5 mi
Time: 3 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1000 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Hollenbeck Canyon
Hollenbeck Canyon
Distance: 6.3 mi
Time: 3 hrs
Elevation Gain: 500 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
San Onofre State Beach
San Onofre State Beach
Distance: 6.1 mi
Time: 3 hrs
Elevation Gain: 150 ft
Difficulty: Beginner
Cowles Mountain and Pyles Peak
Cowles Mountain and Pyles Peak
Distance: 6.3 mi
Time: 3 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1700 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Lawson and Gaskill Peaks
Lawson and Gaskill Peaks
Distance: 6.75 mi
Time: 4 hrs
Elevation Gain: 2000 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Eagle Rock
Eagle Rock
Distance: 6.4 mi
Time: 4 hrs
Elevation Gain: 980 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
West Mesa Loop
West Mesa Loop
Distance: 6.8 mi
Time: 4 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1300 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
San Elijo Lagoon
San Elijo Lagoon
Distance: 7 mi
Time: 3.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 300 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Sunset Trail
Sunset Trail
Distance: 7 mi
Time: 3.5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 850 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Corte Madera Mountain
Corte Madera Mountain
Distance: 7 mi
Time: 4 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1700 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Sandstone Canyon
Sandstone Canyon
Distance: 7 mi
Time: 4 hrs
Elevation Gain: 800 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
The Domelands
The Domelands
Distance: 7 mi
Time: 5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1200 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Granite Mountain
Granite Mountain
Distance: 7 mi
Time: 8 hrs
Elevation Gain: 3400 ft
Difficulty: Expert
San Ysidro Mountain
San Ysidro Mountain
Distance: 7.8 mi
Time: 9 hrs
Elevation Gain: 4560 ft
Difficulty: Expert
Mount Gower
Mount Gower
Distance: 8.2 mi
Time: 4 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1700 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Diablo Peak via June Wash
Diablo Peak via June Wash
Distance: 8.2 mi
Time: 5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1250 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Agua Caliente Creek
Agua Caliente Creek
Distance: 8.4 mi
Time: 5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1100 ft
Difficulty: Expert
Morena Butte
Morena Butte
Distance: 8 mi
Time: 5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1500 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Indianhead Mountain
Indianhead Mountain
Distance: 8.3 mi
Time: 8 hrs
Elevation Gain: 3200 ft
Difficulty: Strenuous
Hot Springs Mountain
Hot Springs Mountain
Distance: 9.9 mi
Time: 5 hrs
Elevation Gain: 2500 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Noble Canyon Trail
Noble Canyon Trail
Distance: 10.4 mi
Time: 6 hrs
Elevation Gain: 900 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
El Cajon Mountain
El Cajon Mountain
Distance: 11 mi
Time: 7 hrs
Elevation Gain: 4000 ft
Difficulty: Strenuous
High Point from Oak Grove
High Point from Oak Grove
Distance: 13 mi
Time: 7 hrs
Elevation Gain: 3500 ft
Difficulty: Strenuous
Black Mountain in Ramona
Black Mountain in Ramona
Distance: 14.2 mi
Time: 7 hrs
Elevation Gain: 3200 ft
Difficulty: Strenuous
Secret Canyon Trail
Secret Canyon Trail
Distance: 15.6 mi
Time: 9 hrs
Elevation Gain: 1500 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Otay Mountain
Otay Mountain
Distance: 15.4 mi
Time: 9 hrs
Elevation Gain: 2600 ft
Difficulty: Strenuous
Eagle Crag via Cutca Valley
Eagle Crag via Cutca Valley
Distance: 17.3 mi
Time: 9 hrs
Elevation Gain: 3800 ft
Difficulty: Expert
Rabbit Peak via Villager Peak
Rabbit Peak via Villager Peak
Distance: 22.7 mi
Time: 18 hrs
Elevation Gain: 8300 ft
Difficulty: Expert
