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 43 trails covering 187 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.
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...
Note: Escondido Creek Bike Path has closed from Hickory to East of Date due to the installation of new recycled water pipes. Please contact Mark Lewis, city of Escondido Field Engineering Inspector...
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 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 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...
The Inland Rail Trail runs alongside the Sprinter light rail service connecting Escondido to Oceanside. The 6.5-mile section in Escondido and San Marcos is the first segment complete, with a 7-mile...
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 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...
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 Peters Canyon Trail, currently open in two disconnected segments, runs northeast from Bill Barber Community Park to Portola Parkway, with a small gap from Warner Avenue to an active rail line that...
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 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 Juanita Moe Trail—formerly known as the Quail Hill Trail—is a short path along Interstate 405 south of downtown Irvine. Forming a link between the University Trail and Jeffrey Open Space Trail in...
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 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...
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 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...
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...
Running through downtown San Diego, Linear Park is a vibrant, palm-lined ribbon that parallels an active trolley line along Harbor Drive. The trail provides direct access to many of the city's...
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 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...
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 Harvard Trail is a short sidepath along Harvard Avenue in Irvine. Beautifully landscaped, lit and featuring smooth concrete, the trail is a much more pleasant experience than your average roadside...
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 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 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...
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 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...
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 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 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 Sweetwater Bikeway runs along the Sweetwater River from a parklike setting opposite the Plaza Bonita Shopping Center on the trail's east side to the yacht harbor at the mouth of the river. The...
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 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 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...
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 short Castaways Trail has expansive views of the mountains, ocean, Upper Newport Bay and Newport Harbor. Much of the 1-mile path runs along the bluffs in Castaways Park and the trail offers...
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 Inland Rail Trail runs alongside the Sprinter light rail service connecting Escondido to Oceanside. The 6.5-mile section in Escondido and San Marcos is the first segment complete, with a 7-mile...
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...
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 Mission Bay Bike Path is a paved trail that loops almost completely around San Diego's Mission Bay. The trail runs through Mission Bay Park, which includes and encircles the large man-made body of...
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 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 Sweetwater Bikeway runs along the Sweetwater River from a parklike setting opposite the Plaza Bonita Shopping Center on the trail's east side to the yacht harbor at the mouth of the river. The...
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 Harvard Trail is a short sidepath along Harvard Avenue in Irvine. Beautifully landscaped, lit and featuring smooth concrete, the trail is a much more pleasant experience than your average roadside...
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 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 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...
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 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...
Note: Escondido Creek Bike Path has closed from Hickory to East of Date due to the installation of new recycled water pipes. Please contact Mark Lewis, city of Escondido Field Engineering Inspector...
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 Martin Luther King, Jr. Promenade connects a number of sites along San Diego's waterfront. The walkway runs on the northern side of an active railroad corridor parallel to the Linear Park, which...
The Peters Canyon Trail, currently open in two disconnected segments, runs northeast from Bill Barber Community Park to Portola Parkway, with a small gap from Warner Avenue to an active rail line that...
The 56 freeway is loud but the views of the hills and valleys on the south side of the bike path are great.
Parked on hotel circle place, plenty of room. The trail is a little gravely until past the ball fields, afterwards it’s good quality until you get closer to the dog beach. The asphalt is a little broken up and bumpy, plus there are many folks walking their dogs and some of them don’t know how to share the bike path. All in all, a good ride.
Wow such a beautiful ride in the evening. Got here at 2 and finished by 7. We stopped at several parks, had lunch at in n out and finished off the night to a sunset on the beach and even got to see a little live jazz ¿¿
Its a asphalt all the way and very safe. Great fir families. My favorite trail.
The multi-year construction for the stretch from Como Channel to Warner seems almost complete. Indeed I can now ride from Warner on the new stretch to the Como Channel itself. Unfortunately there are two locked gates on either side of the channel itself, even though the last small segment looks complete. Indeed, sometimes one of the gates is left open, and so it’s complete except for getting through the remaining gate. I have not been able to find out the opening date; does anyone have that info?
This use to be a great hike and trail. But people have decided that their graffiti looked good here and ruined the scenery.
Great for quad roller skating! Only 1 steep hill, flat and scenic. Connects to Sand Canyon trail, Woodbridge trail, Peters Canyon amd many others!
My husband and I just finished this ride today. It was our first time on this bike path and we will definitely go back. Each turn on the trail provided a new experience and a beautiful view of something. Ducks and Canadian geese along the creek, small waterfalls, egrets fishing for their breakfast, lots of earthy woodsy smells. We started on the Laguna Niguel and rode all the way to Cook’s Borner and back.
Hey all! First of all, I was really excited for this path but I'm not sure if the weekend ruined it for me, or if its common, but I tried it out on a Saturday and it was WAY too busy for our times. I don't recommend it if you are trying to social distance and stay safe, no one was wearing a mask (which I don't blame them but..) It was super congested and I found my self watching out for people, instead of enjoying the scenery. We were going really slow, honestly, sharing the tight road with walkers, runners, roller skaters, and other bikers was not ideal.
I would not recommend this route to anyone who wants to truly enjoy Mission Bay and be safe by maintaining PROPER social distancing.
Cyclist who want to go faster than 5 mph, DON'T even bother.
During a recent visit to San Diego we rode from Coronado to Chula Vista and back. We parked at the Silver Strand state park parking area. The parking cost was $8 at the kiosk. Restrooms are available at this location. We then went thru the tunnel under HWY 75 leading toward the Loews Coronado resort. Once thru the tunnel we proceeded south in the direction of Imperial Beach. Beautiful views of San Diego Bay and the tidal wetlands on the left. The views of the Pacific are obstructed by the dunes on the west side of Hwy 75. The trail then leads into Imperial Beach, still very close to the bay. Next, into Chula Vista and the surrounding beauty of the bay starts to deteriorate into a heavy industrial area. I didnt feel unsafe, but your not in the tourist area of Coronado at this point. As of October 2020 you have a short ride on the street, but the traffic is very light if any. Next you arrive at the Chula Vista Marina. Restrooms and a few restaurants are at the marina offices. The area was a heavy industrial area currently undergoing redevelopment. We turned around and headed back to Coronado. Altogether, out and back, we rode about 15 miles.
Very nice scenic trail. Good for walking and biking. I came with my son because this site suggested that one of the activities you could do is inline but there is a sign that no rollerskating is allowed. I would agree that maybe only a real experienced skater with less people it would be OK. Too many hills and fast bikes to skate safely. Other than that, I enjoyed the walk!
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