Instead of staying cooped up in the house with relatives over the holiday weekend, consider hitting the trail.
San Diego is an especially great place to be outdoors in late November. The weather is still essentially perfect, if a little dry, and autumn leaves on the trees give everything a warm, golden glow.
These five hikes around the county let hikers take advantage of that — plus, they’re all mostly easy and straightforward, making them ideal for large groups, families and kids. A few of them offer educational components, too.
Instructions for all these hikes, plus dozens more, can be found at sandiegouniontribune.com/tag/hiking.
City Heights’ canyons loop
Get to know City Heights on a 2.5-mile route through two of its canyons, Manzanita and Hollywood. The hike is a mix of dirt trails and sidewalks and passes by community art pieces, gathering spaces and a water conservation garden. There’s also a 4-mile loop through four of the neighborhood’s canyons if your group is looking for something longer. Read more here.
Crestridge Ecological Preserve loop
Try a 1.6-mile loop in this East County nature preserve, which follows three trails and includes a few interactive elements, including the opportunity to explore an adobe kiosk constructed by James Hubbell and made entirely from recycled materials. Nearby, hikers can also enjoy the Storybook Hike, a quick journey through a shaded oak grove with stops at chapters of a short story. Read more here.
Par 4 Trail, San Diego National Wildlife Refuge
Find this 1.8-mile trail within the more than 12,000-acre San Diego National Wildlife Refuge. It follows a simple loop with pleasant views of distant mountains. The refuge is one of my favorite places in San Diego County because it’s accessible and offers well-maintained trails, yet still feels like an escape to nature. Read more here.
Razor Point Trail and Beach Trail, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
If your family is visiting San Diego from out of town, bring them to one of the region’s most picturesque spots: Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. The trails are wide and well-marked, and nearly every corner of the preserve features sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. This 1.5-mile loop brings hikers to two lookout points and features a few hills to climb and some rockier sections. Read more here.
Wright’s Field loop
The community of Alpine in East County is lucky to have this 245-acre ecological preserve. There are several routes to hike throughout Wright’s Field, including a 2.5-mile loop around its perimeter. The beautiful area is steeped in history. One section of the trail intersects with the “Jackass Mail Trail Historic Route,” which was a mail and stagecoach line that ran from San Antonio, Texas, to San Diego in the 1850s. Read more here.
