Nice walking, hiking or rock climbing trail. People tend to keep their social distance and most are wearing a mask. Nice place to walk your dogs and get beautiful views.

A good hiking location in nature, it has multiple trails, some of them pass a small river and lake.

Weve been here for the fist time. This place is good for both newbies and proffesionals. I saw guys climbing the rocks. So, if you are interested in such an activity - you are welcome. Youll find plenty of places for trainings. Youll also find gorgeous landscapes for taking photos. Despite the fact the place is hot, there are places with benches under the trees. Furthermore, there are a creek and a little waterfall. Children like this place.

Weve been here for the fist time. This place is good for both newbies and proffesionals. I saw guys climbing the rocks. So, if you are interested in such an activity - you are welcome. Youll find plenty of places for trainings.Youll also find gorgeous landscapes for taking photos. Despite the fact the place is hot, there are places with benches under the trees. Furthermore, there are a creek and a little waterfall. Children like this place.

Great place to retreat for nature. The trails have been pretty quiet since covid. The service road trail is steep, I tried it on my mountain bike and realized I dont have low enough gears. Great for hiking!

This is my favorite place to come for an outdoor nature run or hike. Its not far from where live so Im not having to drive too far east into our local mountains. Theres so many different trails that you can mix up your hikes and/or trail runs. Theres easy flat trails and some fairly difficult steep trails. A little bit for all levels. Get there early if you can because parking fills up quick

This hiking place is amazing!If you are a long distance runner this place is for you.If you love mountain biking then this is for you.If you just like hiking for miles then come here, theres something for everyone here, just no motor vehicles.

Went for a short walk on the hiking trails around the visitors center. Great views and a variety of scenery. I could hear the river for a good portion of the walk too!

I went there for 1st time the waterfall is nice, but I feel like 3 miles just to get to a small waterfall us not cool total of 6miles back and going and getting back. But its a nice place for pictures....

Good place for a short, relaxing walk. Could have been better if there were porta toilets.

I love coming here for walks and hikes. There are so many different trails and hikes. It is very beautiful. There are signs before you start the hike that rate its difficulty too. Theres also a long paved trail that people walk their dogs/ bike ride on. Ive seen a lot of climbers here too. Theres something for everyone!

We tried the easy loop which is an easy hike for a family with kids. We went during August and the hills were very dry. It was pretty hot. Most of the trail provided shade, I would say 30% of the time. You can choose more difficult trails but I was content with the small loop. During the hike I got a whiff of a dead animal and as soon as I said, It smells like death, I heard footsteps over the brush sort of trailing me about 15 yards away. It was not a rabbit or a squirrel. It was the sound of a big cat trying to conceal its steps but the bushes kept cracking as it walked, not towards me but parallel to me. I asked my 6 year old to stop in a loud voice as he was sort of skipping ahead and stopped to wait for the rest of my group to make sure we were all safe. I had not seen any warning signs for mountain lions, coyotes or bobcats so I wasnt thinking this might be a problem. As I yelled for my 6 year old to stop, I believe the animal was startled and it stopped in its tracks. I took a peak and I saw a light brownish yellow coat through some high reeds. I told my wife...I heard a large animal. We picked up large stones just in case and moved along. We checked online once we got home and sure enough there are articles stating that Mountain lions, rattlesnakes, bobcats, tarantulas and even scorpions are in the habitat. Gulp. We should have done our research. Hope this helps someone. Park closes its gates after 7pm so do not go in the evening. Go early.

One of the most versatile trail in San Diego. You can hike, trail bike, climb, day camp in here. There are many loops to follow from easy to difficult climbing.

My first time here today and absolutely loved it. Clear road signs directing you to an easy and very approachable entrance to the visitor center. You can get a map as well a free tour guide at the right time. Information about the habitats history, vegetation, and wildlife are posted in various spots for easy reading of all ages.The Visitor Center Loop is a 1 = easy trail. Gets you moving without knocking you down. You can go towards the Grinding Rocks Trail where there is a little history within a quiet stream. Perfect to dip your toes in if you need to cool off or let your pup get some water. There is shade close to the visitor center but continuing on gets less and less.I decided to take the Climbers Loop to the top, where I found beginner rock climbers practicing their sport. Climbers Loop is a 3 = more difficult trail as it provides little to no shade and is a steady uphill elevation increase of 400+ feet. It is a very decent hike up, but worth the view. Theres a shade rock probably 50 degrees cooler up top so if you make it there you dont have to sit and bake in the sun.Take a breather and enjoy the view! A paved trail for bikers and pedestrians in one lane, and a one-way vehicle lane goes thru the area for a straight walk back to the parking lot.Cant wait to explore more of the trail and find new heights! Stay hydrated and stay safe people!

Get there early (5:30 AM) for prime parking. Overflow doesnt open until 8 AM on the visitor center side. It was an easy walk from one side to the other one paved road. They have alot of trail access on the main road. The peak hike was good, it was a good workout. Its not very high but for how quick you make the elevation it can take a little out of you. Camel back recommended, good shoes a must.

Ive walked the trail off and on since I was a kid. Back then it was walking on part of old Hwy 1. Then it abruptly ended underneath the VA hospital. You could snake through and make your way to the Legion of Honor and Sea Cliff if you wanted to.

Such a great regional park! Whether you are looking for a place to run, a flat hike through pristine grasslands or a days climb to a peak, Mission Trails has something to offer you.

The Barker Way trailhead at 5am is usually pretty empty and a socially distanced way to get to the summit of Cowles!

Many trails for different levels of experience as well as duration. Arrived around 10am and hiked for 2 hours which allowed for time to look at views from 2 peaks. It gets really hot midday so don’t forget to put on sunscreen.

Well maintained trails. Friendly hikers. Love the views from the top. Did all five peaks finally!

A very nice park with a number of trails of varying lengths and difficulty. We love how accessible this park is (even if you do have views of the city).

Fun place for all activity levels, miles and miles of trails for jogging, walking, etc. Plenty of benches to sit and rest or picnic benches to eat. Theres a few different peaks for an aggressive workout or flatland asphalt roadway.

If you like rocky condensation, this is the place. Also many people wear headphones when they hike, some people dont... wear headphones. Iykyk.

Lands End is right up against the Pacific Ocean, just north of the beaches, and a great getaway from the city where you can walk, jog, or bike along the coast with great views of the ocean and the Golden Gate.

We visited here a couple years ago with our grandsons cub scout group. We walked the loop and enjoyed the huge display of animals inside. Make sure to bring water as it can get very hot along the trail. There is shade along the way but not everywhere and is still hot. Well worth the effort.

Where to begin?Thats simple... begin on any trail you want for a local adventure! The visitors center has information about the wildlife and plant life, and the trails are accurately represented on each sign they have posted.We have done all five peaks as a family and plan to do it again before our adventures take us away from San Diego.We have seen so many different critters: garter snakes, rattlesnakes, tons of lizards, rabbits, coyotes, and the scariest of them all, humans!Cowles is a bit overcrowded with too many self-absorbed hikers who have no trail etiquette; but when you travel the less popular trails, you can find peace and quiet!We have actually met some really great people on our hikes here!

Great free and dog friendly place to hike!! Get here early because it can get hot and crowded. Awesome spot to go birdwatching as well. I also just like coming here to enjoy some quiet time and step into nature.

When visiting southern California make sure you stop and check out the beautiful landscape of Mission Trails Regional Park and everything the area has to offer. we truly enjoyed our time there and definitely recommend it to anyone else that is looking to get away and we have captured all of these photos for you to check out the beauty of the scenery. if you enjoyed our review and our photos then you should definitely leave a positive review for us

Great park for easy to difficult hikes! Has water, some shade, easy parking.

Very nice hiking trail. I 100% recommend to all levels of experience

Beautiful hike with a secret trail that will take you to the tree that still grows and some small waterfalls

Isolated and beautiful in the city. Quiet. Good views. Nice walking trails.

Great nature reserve that has a bunch of different trails ranging from easy to difficult. Awesome place to bring the family for a day of fun in the outdoors ️

Great place to take the family. Awesome trails and nice people. Dog and mountain bike friendly. You can ever ride your horse.

Great place to go hike and look around. If looking for quiet: not the best as most parents let kids scream to hearts content, people travel in large groups and some carry small portable speakers and such but past that its a nice little park to hike around.Best in spring and if rains were great throughout the year the flowers can be delightful. Most of the year there is live and green plants near stream, lake and dam, but most of the year the rest of the park away from water is typical to inland So Cal: dry so only some plants that can tolerate climate, much is brown. There are many peaks to hike to and can see ocean from some.Ive been hiking here for 6years now and havent seen a rattler but consider myself lucky as there are rattlers here and many of them...... so dont go running with ear buds in on trails, be alert and rattlers dont always rattle so be diligent to be aware of where you step. There are other critters: lizards, road runners, lots of birds especially by lakes before dam by the camp grounds. Guess mountain lions have been spotted but typically its a adolescent thats exploring so not sure the cats still here? Also as of 2020 I think badgers may be in area as Ive seen signs asking if youve seen them.Lots of people on weekend and many with dogs of all types: meaning some status symbol people with there tough aggressive dogs that match their super tough dont mess with me personality but mostly well mannered/family dogs. Lots of mountain bikers on trails as well so watch out for speedy McGee.Nice park to have to visit for sure. I definitely recommend for excercise, quick nature get away, mountain bikers and there is even a paved route that cuts through parks for normal bikers and strollers, hikers, back packers and such.

Always a fun hike. Great views of all Dan Diego from the top!

Definitely not a beginners trail. This trail has rocks and boulders you have to maneuver over and around.

Can be crowded. Really nice scenary with a variety of conditions. Highly recommend

Perfect hike for exercise and the most beautiful view of the sunset at the top.

With so many different spots to run, hike, climb, explore, or just relax, Mission Trails has become one of my favorite outdoor spots to come no matter what I’m looking to do. There’s something for everybody here. I love hiking north fortuna, especially during sunset.

A great hike that is not very difficult. Most adults under 60 should be fine doing it.

I took one of the first hike trails on the right side while walking down the main paved road. It took about an hour of a steep climb (amazing view) and descending. Back to the road, it was a beautiful trail, ending with a small lake. Peaceful option for a light hike/walk.

Great place to take a wilderness walk, hike or dog walk. There are trails for hiking and a closed road for dog walking with signs along the way that tell you how far it is to each destination. If you are into rock climbing there are some really steep hills and monster rocks.

Many trails to choose from at different levels. Great for serious hikers down to the family.

Mountain biked e ticket. A little crowded on the way up, other then that great trail to ride. Tough climb!

A pretty good workout. Gets the heart racing.Lots of rocks so be careful not to sprain ankle.

First time doing Cowles Mt. The hike was totally worth the sunset at the end!

This park was a lot of fun! The difficulty level was on the higher side if trying to move at a fast pace, but making it to the top of Cowels was a great experience and gave a great view of San Diego. The trail was very rocky and had several carved out steps and hand rails to help keep you steady. If you like being outdoors and going hiking, you should stop here for a couple of hours (just make sure to bring water and watch out for snakes).

Perfect day weather-wise. No crowded conditions.

Good for hiking, side street parking available. Good neighborhood. Trail is easy to moderate. Therebare small shops by the foot of the mountain for snacks and beverages.

Beautiful hike on Cowles mountain. Plenty challenging for people who arent in great shape but also still doable because its a short hike. Wear shoes with good traction and be careful on the rocks that have sand on top of them it gets slippery! Saw some very fit people jogging the trail, small kids hiking the trail, dogs are allowed and they were also enjoying it.

This Park is great! This year the wildflowers were in Superbloom so it was nice to go for a hike and take pictures. The place was busy on the weekend but the park is always worth it.

Very challenging climb to kewaay paay peak, one of the 5 peaks challenge. The views are amazing.

Amazing hikes. We did one that had a pretty steep grade throughout. Very fun.

Kicked my behind.... AWESOME NIGHT HIKE!

Too many reasons to love. The guides took our kids from school on a walk. It was awesome really

Well labelled wide trails are fairly flat and well used. Parking is limited but wait a short bit and the turnover in hikers will free up a spot. This trail is also shared at the far end by a campground so you will see hikers, bikers, dog walkers and families on this trail.

Many trails, I love it. Just finished doing the 5 peak challenge in 1 day this past weekend. It was awesome.

Beautiful place but a lot of it felt kinda fake and manufactured. A lot of concrete waterfalls and streams.

This is a great park for a couple reasons. For one its free. Free to park, free to hike. The visitors center is very well placed and put together. There is a paved road for bicycles, pedestrian, and motor vehicle traffic. There are hiking trails that offer a challenge for hikers as well as views. Come prepared for those trails, bring plenty of water, wear the proper clothes and footwear, and be in good physical condition. There is also a historical dam built by natives many years ago. This a great way to exercise and clear your mind.

Great trails! I wish dogs could be off leash though. I had mine off a couple times and got in trouble. If you like to hike a lot and I’d bring some water. There is a stream at the trail head I start at but the rest is all exposed to sun and you can easily lose track of time here.

This is a great place to go hiking in the San Diego area. It isnt overly crowded and because of the vegetation it stays cooler than the city it seems. The trails arent difficult to hike and there are many areas that kids can explore.

Great spot. Huge area for hiking, camping and rock climbing. All within 20 min of downtown San Diego. Rangers are super and the information center is friendly and knowledgeable. Must do for anyone living here or visiting.

This is such a great place. My 3 year old niece loved it.We did the loop trail around the center. She was having too much fun at the waterfall.

This park provides a variety of hiking trail options, many are in open sunny spaces to get your dose of vitamin D. There are some really difficult trails, like the North Perimeter Trail. I recommend wearing hiking boots if you plan to use the difficult trails, you’ll thank me later. Wearing sneakers or hiking shoes on the flat trails is perfect. ALWAYS take water and hydrating snacks for you and your pup on these trails, even if you think you’re only going to hike for a short period!! It’s rugged out there!

I have hiked Mission Trails Park for years. This is the best Ive ever seen it. It is said there are over a hundred varieties of flowers. It may not be the California poppy experience but its certainly worth a look.

A treasure, especially in pandemic times for those who prefer to avoid big crowds and indoor activities. Miles of trails, a mix of accessibility (father jun is extremely wide and paved, rock climbers loop requires scrambling over rocks), distances, and views. Not super shaded, so I try to go early in the morning or at sunset (which means parking in the surrounding neighborhoods because the parking lots close early), but thats hiking most places here.

Do the 5 peaks challenge here! I didnt because Im out of shape ;D

Beautiful trail to walk and the damn is a beautiful surprise at the end of your trail. Theres different trails to hike some very easy and flat and others a nice good challenging workout, like climbers loop. Definently one of my favorite trails.

Amazing, mesmerizing, dreamy and an awesome place to hike. Bring the family, and visit the park for you never know what you might find.

A great hiking spot for everyone. If you love rock climbing there are tons of places where you can climb, and they have equipment already set up on the rocks.

This is my favorite place to come for an outdoor nature run or hike. Its not far from where live so Im not having to drive too far east into our local mountains.

Good parking. Los of trails. As usual, be careful of unmarked off shoots, otherwise trails are marked well.

Beautiful park right in the city! The trail wasnt bad, unless you ask my 15yr old couch potato... she thought it was horrible.

This is a beautiful, fun and educational place for anybody! There are some areas that could even accommodate persons with disabilities/mobility limitations. There are many different experience level trails and my 3 year old was easily able to take the easy trail around the nature center. The wildlife is amazing and the plants and trails are well maintained. Highly recommend the visor center for smaller children!

We are so lucky to live in the City that offers a place like this to get away from the City is just the frosting on top. Its so close yet so far.

Mission Trails is extremely beautiful. Im so grateful I have a wonderful friend that took me to The Mission Trails Visitor Center. The Visitor Center is extremely informative. There is a library and a study area as well. Lots of information about wildlife. I did not have as much time as I would have liked for my first visit but will definitely be going back very soon.

Pretty close to the city and easy to get to. The park seems quite popular so there may not be much parking. You will have to park on an adjacent street most likely.I hiked Cowles mountain and it was a nice hike. Lots of people on there so you dont need to worry about going solo. It was only 1.5 miles to the peak so its a fairly quick hike too. The views from the top are nice. You can see the downtown skyline and quite a bit all around id the sky is clear.

Great hike. Lots of rocks though so be careful. Also this hike is mainly just going up an incline with few flat areas and its a great hike but definitely not for the faint heart lol Id rate it at intermediate level.

All the trails are well marked and easy to get. Almost done the 5 peak challenge it’s been fun to do it.

This is one of my favorite places to take my children on a hike and bike rides. The park has 5 peaks which can give a great view point over San Diego. The park is kept very clean which is nice compared to other parks in the area. There plenty of trails to go on and things to see along the way. The San Diego river flows through the park and Old Mission Dam that still stands there. Parking can take some time and it can be very tight.

Absolutely beautiful! My boys and I absolutely loved it. We will go back again and again. The flowers were beautiful.

Beautiful. Did Grasslands Loop. Was perfect for a post recovery hike. Broke my ankle and this was just right for me. Have a chance to see the dam at the overlook.

There are few places as magical as this park in San Diego. Definitely a place to disconnect for a while and forget about the fact that you have many responsibilities to take care of. Just make sure to go a day when there isnt many people.

My fave place to go hiking and its the first hiking place where me and a friend went and the view is great to many power lines witch takes the beauty if but not much still love it.

Its always nice for quick hike!

Wild flowers were in bloom, it was a beautiful day to walk on the trail. My two kids really enjoyed the walk!

Been coming here all my life and for the very first time checked out the visitor center. WOW I was impressed. Great hikes and not usually super crowded.

Its been a few years since I came here last. Some parts of the trails were a bit overgrown, hard to walk through with shorts and a furry pup getting scratched and tangled. The park itself is open a bit later than the info center, which is nice! They close the gates at 7pm, which was right around dusk. Perfect. There are 2 ways to get in to where some of the main trails are, the first being a one way road from the info center (the other side of the road is for pedestrians/bicyclists/etc) or you can go further up mission gorge road and come in through the other entrance. That way is a 2 way road, and has parking lots just outside the gate closure...in case you might want to not rush back for that 7pm lock up.There were lots of information sigs, and a lot of warning signs, but trail signs were harder to come by. I could see them on the way up, but the way back not as clearly. You can easily get off the main trail because of all the side trecks people have made....that might not get you anywhere.The waterfall was dried up, which was disappointing. But it was neat to see what was underneath since I have seen the waterfalls there before. It was a quick 15 min casual walk from the trail head to the waterfall, nothing too strenuous.My only complaints are 1. The main trails need to be trimmed back and better signage. And 2. DONT BRING YOUR PETS IF YOU CANT PICK UP AFTER THEM. so much poop on the trails. Shame on you

Tough to find parking if you don’t get here early but an amazing place in the center of town to run, hike, bike, or climb in. I would definitely recommend getting away from Cowles Mountain.

This place is great for hiking! The trails range from beginner to advanced and theyre the best views of San Diego. Fun to take friends and family who are visiting out of town.

I love going on the trails below and the mountains up top. All are great places for thinking, meditating, and photography. Yet, when hiking up and down the mountain, the trails become steep and very narrow, so be very cautious of snakes. I ran into one today and it freaked me out, but just stay calm, be still, and wear the right attire. Have fun!

Plenty of roaming room; maybe a deer early mornings. Need good hiking shoes and plenty of water & sunscreen.

We cruised through the park and the to Carlton oaks t hen around Santee lakes on the way back we did a loop that took us by the visitor center(closed) you can visit your tax dollars here. Nice spot.

If you like outdoors this is the place. Love this mountains.,North fortuna. South fortuna, short hikes. Long hikes. Love it.Make sure you bring enough water on hot days.PLEASE DONT BRING YOUR DOGS. IS GET VERY HOT.AND BE VERY CAREFUL.ENJOY THE HIKE.!!!!!

Gorgeous park, lots of trails...what more could you ask for. I will say that the majority of trails are quite challenging. In fact, the park guide rates 90% of them as level 3 (difficult). All summit trails are rated as 3 fyi. If you are up for a real hike then go for it! The San Diego river runs through the gorge which flows full through the spring months along with abundant wild flowers at that time as well. Bring your sunscreen because there isnt much shade. The views are spectacular even if you dont make it to a summit. Well worth a visit.

If you are a runner, love beautiful sceneries, and enjoy a good workout, this is the place to come. It took us about three hours to go up and down. We did stop many times to take pictures.

Beautiful trails and an awesome spot for sport or trad climbing. A quick Google will bring up the routes beta - bring a rope and check it out, or try a class through one of the nearby REIs or climbing gyms.

One of the best hikes in San Diego. If you do it fast it can be a nice workout, or if you want to take your time or have children thats doable as well. Great views, cleanly, and overall a perfect hike. Also: Its Pet friendly as long as it not too hot outside, and there are bike trails if thats your thing.

I did the moderate hike up Cowls Mountain. First Mountain Ive ever been to, being from the very flat Southeastern U.S. I enjoyed it. There werent that many people when I visited later in the afternoon.