Explore the best rated trails in Vista, CA. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Santa Gertrudis Creek Trail and Coastal Rail Trail. With more than 45 trails covering 197 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
_132458_st.jpg)
The Shady Canyon Trail is an incredibly scenic route along Shady Canyon Drive in southern Irvine. Extending through the southern reaches of the historic Irvine Ranch and protected Irvine Ranch Natural...
As its name suggests, the Mission Beach-Pacific Beach Boardwalk conveniently links the two oceanfront communities north of downtown San Diego. The paved path, also known appropriately as Oceanfront...
The Rose Creek Bikeway closes a gap in San Diego's regional trail system, easing connections from Sorrento Valley and University City in the north to Mission Bay and downtown San Diego in the south....
The Rose Creek Bike Path is actually a segment of trail less than a mile long, connecting the Mission Bay Trail in the south to the Rose Creek Bikeway, opened in 2021. It's a short but important...
Coastal rail-trail experiences don't get much better than this—a long, smooth, palm-tree-lined trail with stunning views of the Pacific, San Diego Bay and the downtown skyline, plus easy access to...
The Aliso Creek Riding and Hiking Trail passes through the heart of Mission Viejo from South Laguna to Rancho Santa Margarita along an 18.5-mile corridor. The trail features many parks in Orange...
The Sorrento Valley Road Trail is a paved, two-lane section of road that was closed to traffic in the 1990s when CDOT built an interchange between State Route 56 and Interstate 5. In 1998 the road was...
The Turtle Rock Trail meanders its way through the neighborhood of the same name in southern Irvine. The path is a short—but serious—aerobic workout, as it features climbs to the trail's high point at...
Irvine's Jeffrey Open Space Trail, currently open in three disconnected segments, has won awards for its landscaping and innovative design incorporating a series of intaglio panels in the concrete bed...
The San Luis Rey River Trail runs for 9 miles along the course of the San Luis Rey River in Oceanside. The trail, which is smooth and mostly flat, is a local favorite among cyclists, walkers and...
The Woodbridge Trail, while short, is one of the most scenic in Irvine's extensive trail network. Views of two lakes and surrounding mountains unfold around each bend. It's a great route for families...
The State Route 56 Bike Path provides a traffic-separated connection between inland and coastal San Diego County. The route gradually inclines traveling inland and parallels State Route 56 closely for...
The Freeway Trail, as its name implies, parallels the San Diego Freeway (Interstate 405) on its brief route through Irvine. With power lines overhead and neighborhoods blocked by sound walls to the...
The Hicks Canyon Trail is a short but scenic blacktop trail along the landscaped Hicks Canyon Wash. It starts at the Peters Canyon Trail near Hicks Canyon Community Park and climbs up the wash to end...
The scenic University Trail begins at a connection with the San Diego Creek Trail and runs east along University Drive through southern Irvine. The trail stretches the length of William R. Mason...
The Venta Spur Trail travels along the narrow corridor of a former rail spur that began serving the Frances Packing House—a major citrus processing facility—in 1916. Today, the popular trail serves...
The short Upper Bay Trail arcs around the northern edge of the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve near the Newport Beach–Irvine city line. The protected estuary, home to six rare avian species, is...
The Inland Rail Trail runs alongside the Sprinter light rail service connecting Escondido to Oceanside. The trail runs for over ten miles through the San Diego County communities of Escondido, San...
_51127_sc.jpg)
The Salt Creek Trail, with more arms than an octopus, offers a variety of experiences for trail users of all types in Dana Point and Laguna Niguel. Featuring two sections, several branches and a mix...
The Bonita Canyon Trail is a sidepath along Culver Drive and Bonita Canyon Drive linking the Orange County cities of Irvine and Newport Beach. Near the trail's midpoint, pick up the Shady Canyon Trail...
The Woodbridge Trail, while short, is one of the most scenic in Irvine's extensive trail network. Views of two lakes and surrounding mountains unfold around each bend. It's a great route for families...
The Peters Canyon Trail runs northeast from Bill Barber Community Park to Portola Parkway. The trail closely follows Peters Canyon Wash, a channelized tributary of San Diego Creek. Much of the...
The Hicks Canyon Trail is a short but scenic blacktop trail along the landscaped Hicks Canyon Wash. It starts at the Peters Canyon Trail near Hicks Canyon Community Park and climbs up the wash to end...
This paved trail along Escondido Creek can help residents commute to the Escondido Transit Center or to local services, as well as providing a pleasant opportunity for recreation. The trail connects...
The Turtle Rock Trail meanders its way through the neighborhood of the same name in southern Irvine. The path is a short—but serious—aerobic workout, as it features climbs to the trail's high point at...
The Walnut Trail shares a wide corridor with an active railroad line, a BNSF route, through a section of Orange County known for producing oranges and strawberries. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe...
Make sure you bring your camera for this trail. The Fay Avenue Bike Path runs through the upscale seaside resort community of La Jolla, and opens up to the sweeping vistas of the Pacific Ocean,...
The Victoria Avenue Bike Path parallels a scenic parkway dotted with palm trees that was built in 1892 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The northeastern end of the trail...
The Venta Spur Trail travels along the narrow corridor of a former rail spur that began serving the Frances Packing House—a major citrus processing facility—in 1916. Today, the popular trail serves...
The Bonita Canyon Trail is a sidepath along Culver Drive and Bonita Canyon Drive linking the Orange County cities of Irvine and Newport Beach. Near the trail's midpoint, pick up the Shady Canyon Trail...
As its name suggests, the Mission Beach-Pacific Beach Boardwalk conveniently links the two oceanfront communities north of downtown San Diego. The paved path, also known appropriately as Oceanfront...
Want an enjoyable loop hike through a new preserve and three parks with stunning ocean views throughout? Check out the trail system in the Dana Point Headlands, a scenic coastal area in Orange...
The scenic University Trail begins at a connection with the San Diego Creek Trail and runs east along University Drive through southern Irvine. The trail stretches the length of William R. Mason...
The Santa Gertrudis Creek Trail is a 3-mile paved trail that serves as both a recreational amenity and an active transportation alternative for locals looking to get to nearby locations without...
Irvine's Jeffrey Open Space Trail, currently open in three disconnected segments, has won awards for its landscaping and innovative design incorporating a series of intaglio panels in the concrete bed...
To the trail user, the West Irvine Trail and Peters Canyon Bikeway are one continuous trail with two names in three cities. The northern component of the Peters Canyon Regional Trail, both paths...
The Rose Creek Bikeway closes a gap in San Diego's regional trail system, easing connections from Sorrento Valley and University City in the north to Mission Bay and downtown San Diego in the south....
The Shady Canyon Trail is an incredibly scenic route along Shady Canyon Drive in southern Irvine. Extending through the southern reaches of the historic Irvine Ranch and protected Irvine Ranch Natural...
The San Diego River Trail is a network of paths that lead along the San Diego River channel and mud flats and provide access to Mission/Fashion Valley shopping areas. You can walk or ride on either...
The Oceanfront Boardwalk begins in West Newport Beach at the end of 36th Street and runs nearly 3 miles down the Balboa Peninsula. Along the way, trail-goers will find restaurants, dory fishermen,...
The short and sweet Rose Canyon Bicycle Path is a popular route because of its scenery and the important off-street connection it provides between the Mission Bay and UC San Diego areas. Tucked...
The Sorrento Valley Road Trail is a paved, two-lane section of road that was closed to traffic in the 1990s when CDOT built an interchange between State Route 56 and Interstate 5. In 1998 the road was...
To the trail user, the West Irvine Trail and Peters Canyon Bikeway are one continuous trail with two names in three cities. The northern component of the Peters Canyon Regional Trail, both paths...
The San Juan Creek Trail starts where the creek meets the Pacific Ocean at Doheny State Beach in scenic Dana Point. From there, it runs on the levee along the western bank of San Juan Creek to its...
The Woodbridge Trail, while short, is one of the most scenic in Irvine's extensive trail network. Views of two lakes and surrounding mountains unfold around each bend. It's a great route for families...
Coastal rail-trail experiences don't get much better than this—a long, smooth, palm-tree-lined trail with stunning views of the Pacific, San Diego Bay and the downtown skyline, plus easy access to...
The Salt Creek Trail, with more arms than an octopus, offers a variety of experiences for trail users of all types in Dana Point and Laguna Niguel. Featuring two sections, several branches and a mix...
The Victoria Avenue Bike Path parallels a scenic parkway dotted with palm trees that was built in 1892 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The northeastern end of the trail...
The Rose Creek Bike Path is actually a segment of trail less than a mile long, connecting the Mission Bay Trail in the south to the Rose Creek Bikeway, opened in 2021. It's a short but important...
The Aliso Creek Riding and Hiking Trail passes through the heart of Mission Viejo from South Laguna to Rancho Santa Margarita along an 18.5-mile corridor. The trail features many parks in Orange...
The scenic University Trail begins at a connection with the San Diego Creek Trail and runs east along University Drive through southern Irvine. The trail stretches the length of William R. Mason...
The San Diego Creek Trail is the spine of the City of Irvine's extensive system of trails and bike lanes. It begins in Newport Beach, joining the Upper Bay Trail near where San Diego Creek empties...
The San Luis Rey River Trail runs for 9 miles along the course of the San Luis Rey River in Oceanside. The trail, which is smooth and mostly flat, is a local favorite among cyclists, walkers and...
As its name suggests, the Mission Beach-Pacific Beach Boardwalk conveniently links the two oceanfront communities north of downtown San Diego. The paved path, also known appropriately as Oceanfront...
The Rose Creek Bikeway closes a gap in San Diego's regional trail system, easing connections from Sorrento Valley and University City in the north to Mission Bay and downtown San Diego in the south....
Make sure you bring your camera for this trail. The Fay Avenue Bike Path runs through the upscale seaside resort community of La Jolla, and opens up to the sweeping vistas of the Pacific Ocean,...
The Shady Canyon Trail is an incredibly scenic route along Shady Canyon Drive in southern Irvine. Extending through the southern reaches of the historic Irvine Ranch and protected Irvine Ranch Natural...
The Oso Creek Trail offers just over four miles of paved pathway connecting Jeronimo Open Space Park and Oso Viejo Community Park in the suburban southern California city of Mission Viejo. Much of...
The short Upper Bay Trail arcs around the northern edge of the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve near the Newport Beach–Irvine city line. The protected estuary, home to six rare avian species, is...
The State Route 56 Bike Path provides a traffic-separated connection between inland and coastal San Diego County. The route gradually inclines traveling inland and parallels State Route 56 closely for...
This concrete trail is very well maintained and worth your time. Good workout on a bike. My first time on the trail was from Portola to I-5 where I diverted left to Sand Canyon and accidentally discovered the Walnut trail :). Irvine has so many good trails!
The end section in San Marcos is quite good, the part along Mission Ave. in Escondido is OK. But in between the cities are a number of locations where tree roots have severely damaged the asphalt, some in shadow area surprising you when you hit them with your bike. So if coming from Escondido by bike I take Rancheros Dr. down to Woodland Pkwy, take a right and then a left on Mission Ave all the way to Twin Oaks Valley RD and get back on trail there. This is to bypass the poor section of trail.
Fantastic views make this walk worth the effort of stairs.
A nice meandering route which is great for one and all!
I started at the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve Interpretive Center. There was lots of parking there and on the street next to it. The trail starts along the preserve and winds through Irvine. You can really tell you are in an upper class area as the trail was not only beautiful but well maintained and totally free of trash and homeless issues. It was well marked and well maintained. This is a trail I will do again in the future. You feel very safe on this trail during the entire route.
I did the entire loop yesterday to train while I was in San Diego. It is paved, so that’s a good thing (for me!) but frankly it’s just not as scenic as advertised and there are sections that are just industrial and ugly. So much trash along sections and the onroad portion on the San Diego side of the bay is terrible. On the more scenic side, you are mostly riding next to a high-speed road so it’s noisy. Can’t really ride along the San Diego side once you get to the crowds - or at least go very slowly. (Same right near Coronado but that thins out quickly.) Bottom like is that it’s worth checking out if you are here, but not something to travel a distance for. I managed to do ~30 miles by adding a loop around Coronado and going out and back on the Sweetwater Bikeway.
If you're with a group of guys you should be 'ok'. SD River Trail homeless encampments has grown and grown and that means ton of trash and possible not so good encounters.
Just ride the Aliso trail this morning. Started in the middle and rode west first. Part of the trail was closed where the I5 freeway overpass is but they do have detour signs once you start looking around. On this part of the trail it was a little difficult in some places to follow the trail. It is very pretty and it was busy with others bikers and walkers. Once I started back and got back near Muirlands the trail got far less busy and the trail was easier and to follow all the way to Cooks Corner. I made a few stops
This was my 3rd time doing this path. I always park at the easternmost entrance to the trail. There is a gravel parking lot there and in a good area to leave you car. I really like this path because it does not follow any highways or cross any busy intersections. You feel totally safe riding on this path. No homeless encampments etc. to deal with just nice nature. When riding from east to west I have always encountered a strong headwind. You ride along what used to be the San Luis River, long such dried up but there are many areas of interesting sites. Going from east to west you end up in Oceanside and only a few blocks from the ocean walkway. All in all this is one of my favorite bike paths. Well maintained, safe, flat, and just the right mileage for me. One note: Aprox 1 mile from the easternmost path entrance you do travel through a residential neighborhood. It is NOT well marked which way to go. As soon as you enter the neighborhood turn RIGHT on the street and go to the end of that block where you turn left for about a block. Look for a sign that points to the re-entrance to the bike path on your right.
I had the chance to do 2 bike paths in 2 days that were close by. This was my first time on the State Rt. 56 path. I started from the east end and parked in the parking lot at the Carmel Mt. Ranch Community Park. The parking was free and I felt in a good area that was secure to leave my car at. To access the beginning of the path however was a bit of a job. You have to bike down the street and turn right to access the trail. The first time I rode past the entrance and had to circle back. As bike paths go this one is just o.k.. The path is well maintained but does cross several streets with crosswalks. At one point not too far after starting you come to an intersection that is NOT well marked for the bike path. After some looking around I finally noticed the path sign diagonally across a big intersection. There are areas of the path that are very nice and quiet but for the most part it's a noisy bike ride along the freeway.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Map Search
_51127_st.jpg)
