Not far from land, but safe from predators such as snakes, coyotes, raccoons, and domestic animals, the California least terns make their nests on Stony Point on Fiesta Island. This federally-listed endangered species primarily eats …

The La Jolla/Bird Rock Bike Path begins at the southern end of Bird Rock at the intersection of La Jolla Hermosa and Camino de la Costa. On the north end, the trail turns around when …

The Daley Ranch in Escondido offers a little bit of heaven for all of its visitors. Hikers, bikers, and equestrians can find trails that vary from easy to difficult, dirt to paved, narrow to wide. …

In 1969, the Buena Vista Lagoon was set aside as California’s first ecological reserve. It continues to be a refuge for birds and other wildlife and can be a great place to observe migrating waterfowl, …

Coyote Mountain is sandwiched between the Coyote Creek fault and the Coyote Mountain/Clark Lake fault within the San Jacinto Fault Zone. Pressure from these right-lateral faults has caused the uplift creating Coyote Mountain and the …

The Birding Trail was established at a time when San Felipe Creek discharged into a large wetland, or cienega, with intermittent pools of open water. It was an important stop for migratory birds. The pools …

This little canyon in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is only a hop, skip, and a short off-road drive southwest of downtown Borrego Springs. It is a popular local canyon for day hikes, and surprisingly, internationally …

The Painted Gorge near Ocotillo and Plaster City offers the opportunity to explore the brightly colored mud hills of an ancient marine layer and volcanic flows. This particular excursion is of variable length and difficulty, …

Harper Canyon is home to hundreds of magnificent ironwood trees (Olneya terota). They can become quite large and, though the pinnately compound leaves don’t provide abundant shade, they are evergreen and attractive year around. Since …

The Hoyt Park Trail in Scripps Ranch offers a chance to escape traffic and crowds in a quiet canyon shaded by eucalyptus trees. It is a short distance from the Scripps Ranch Village Shopping Center …

Olivia Canyon. also known as 47th Street Canyon, is the eastern-most canyon of the City Heights Canyons Loop Trail system. There are five trailheads into this canyon. Near the entry at 47th Street, you will …

Pamo Valley is a beautiful, peaceful little valley that seems very isolated in spite of its closeness to nearby Ramona. Though you are within a few miles of town, you can no longer hear the …

The hill with the funny name has a lot of things going for it. It had been scheduled for a major housing development that would have leveled and lowered the summit by many feet. Through …

San Diego Botanic Garden has a collection of over 4,000 unique plants, many found at exotic locations throughout the world. You can explore habitats from places you would like to visit without ever leaving San …

Fault Line Park, the first public park in East Village, is adjacent to two high-rise apartment complexes on its east side. It is a public park because no structures for human occupancy can be built …

Tucked into the foothills of Otay Mountain, this unassuming peaklet provides a quick getaway if you have just a couple of hours but want to escape the crowds and enjoy views of mountains near and …

San Diego is blessed with many nice public walks, and this is one of the nicer ones, because it hugs the south shore of Mission Bay opposite Fiesta Island. It is named for Rose Marie …

A new birding trail has been opened at the very bottom of San Diego Bay in Imperial Beach within the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. There is a well-marked dirt path stemming from the …

This is a segment of the 110-mile Trans-County Trail that follows Peñasquitos Creek as it meanders through South Poway and Sabre Springs. About half of the hike is an easy walk through coastal sage scrub …

The out-and-back trip is an easy walk through coastal sage scrub and grassland habitat, with an occasional dip into shady live oak, poplar, sycamore and willow riparian groves. It is good for everyone, including parents …

Many reasons have been given for climbing Sombrero Peak, including its distinctive shape and the fact that it is quite prominent when viewed from Indian or Bow Willow Valleys. It is on the list of …

Begin the hike from the parking area and follow the wash veering to the northwest, keeping the hills on your left. Bisnaga Wash is a wide wash with gradual elevation gain, ending in a narrow …

The Bayshore Bikeway can be entered at the end of the parking lot at Glorietta Bay Park in Coronado. Pay attention for riders as you enter. This is the beginning of a nice 9-mile ride …

The land that is now Carlsbad was once home to Kumeyaay people, perhaps for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Spanish priests and their accompanying soldiers displaced the Kumeyaay by the late 18th century, and …

Hidden and well-known treasures of Balboa Park

A fitness routine surrounded by natural sights and sounds

Follow part of the early stagecoach line between Poway and Escondido

An unassuming cemetery in Mission Hills

The many eucalyptus trees (Eucalyptus globulus) growing in this part of Carlsbad were originally planted by F.W. Hosp, an Oceanside nurseryman, who hoped to use the wood for railroad ties, bridges, and trestles. Hosp and …

The South Poway Trail is part of San Diego’s 110-mile Trans-County Trail, currently incomplete, that will eventually extend from the Anza Borrego Desert State Park to the Pacific Ocean near Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. …

Once the site of a sand and gravel quarry, Morrison Pond is now a partially-secluded spot within the Sweetwater Regional Summit Park that is great for nature watching. It is an open preserve with multiple …

The San Elijo Ecological Reserve protects one of the largest remaining wetlands in Southern California as well as the bordering hills containing dense stands of maritime chaparral and coastal sage scrub. The Stonebridge Trail takes …

La Mesa and adjacent Rolando Village stand out as one of the few areas in the county that offer a system of public walkways and stairways. Probably best known are the “Secret Stairs” of Mt. …

This is a moderate hike that offers little shade on its way to the top of Champagne Pass (~5500’) where the views are magnificent. This trail can be taken year-round, with blooming wildflowers in the …

For those looking for stair stepping exercise in San Diego County, there are actually several options for a cardio workout: The San Diego Convention Center has about 100 steps; the “Catwalks” of Rolando Village are …

The Del Mar Mesa is a flat, chaparral-covered plateau, with an average elevation of 400 feet above sea level. Canyons drain south from the plateau into Los Peñasquitos Creek and northwest into Deer Creek, then …

Poway is a “city of trails” with some of the most popular hiking trails in coastal San Diego, especially those to Iron Mountain and Mt. Woodson. However, it has many other trails, mostly used by …

Annie’s Canyon Trail goes through a variety of habitats, including riparian forest, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and salt water marsh. It also has an amazing slot canyon. There are outstanding views of the ocean, lagoon, …

If you are someone who enjoys a little adventure through a bouldery desert landscape with few other people and you’re up for a bit of a navigational challenge, then this hike just may fit the …

A couple of very good slot canyons make for an interesting add-on to the impressive geology hike at the upper portion of this canyon. The Roam-O-Rama write up “The pull-apart basin” from 11/22/17 describes the …

The Coyote Mountains are part of a larger area known as the Colorado region of the Sonoran Desert. Here two plates meet, the Pacific Plate to the west and the North American Plate to the …

Three geothermal natural springs once flowed freely from the northern face of the Tierra Blanca Mountains, creating a desert oasis that was known to the Kumeyaay people. The abundant water now fills swimming pools and …

Manzanita and Hollywood Canyons demonstrate the ability of nature to thrive in disturbed areas and neighborhoods. Not only are these canyons necessary habitats for native flora and fauna, they also act as windows into San …

Seventeen Palms Oasis is one of the popular places to visit in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. It has been a desert watering stop for over 100 years. A good way to experience early desert travel …

Nestled into a quiet neighborhood at the eastern fringes of Poway is a hiking trail that goes through the riparian habitat of Poway Creek, rises steeply up into chaparral slopes, and culminates at a panoramic …

The San Elijo Ecological Reserve protects one of the largest remaining wetlands in Southern California, as well as the bordering hills containing beautiful stands of maritime chaparral and coastal sage scrub. The La Orilla Trail …

Alta Vista Botanical Gardens was designed and largely constructed by the environmental artist and contractor Bryan Morse, as well as by a host of dedicated volunteers. It is a work in progress and completely dependent …

After parking at the Pictograph Trail trailhead, begin your hike by heading east up the well-marked Pictograph Trail. Be sure to take a moment to read the informational kiosk so you understand the importance and …

In the early 1900s, cattleman brothers Julius and Amby Harper, who had a family ranch with their father in Rattlesnake Valley in the Cuyamacas, discovered a large, gently-sloping valley in the Pinyon Mountains while looking …

According to former State Park Superintendent Mark Jorgensen, this canyon “is a surprise during good wildflower seasons and holds many species of blooming plants in its shady confines.” It is the canyon commonly recommended for …