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The path is brief however steep, and it smells of sage. A number of hundred toes under, I see mothers with strollers on a path beside the San Diego River. Above, I see granite cliffs and listen to the hollers of unseen climbers.

“Rope!” says one.

“Hey,” says one other. “There’s a ram’s horn down here!”

A climber tosses rope close to Kwaay Paay Peak.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Instances)

That is the Climbers Loop Path at Kwaay Paay Peak, one in all my new favourite spots within the largest metropolis park that you simply’ve by no means heard of: Mission Trails Regional Park in San Diego.

No, this park just isn’t downtown like its extra well-known sibling, Balboa Park. However Mission Trails, eight miles northeast of downtown and 15 miles from the seashore, is the largest city-owned park in California. Together with the trickling river and a dam that dates to the early Spanish missionary days, the panorama consists of 65 miles of trails on greater than 8,000 acres of rugged mountains, hills and valleys.

It seems to be like a wholesome slice of Arizona, and it covers extra territory than Balboa Park, L.A.’s Griffith Park, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park and Irvine’s Nice Park mixed.

Additionally, it was my yard. All through my teen years, my household lived on a cul-de-sac on the base of Cowles Mountain, the very best summit within the park and the town. The chaparral started 40 toes from my again door.

Nearly as usually as we loitered on the mall and ogled the guitars at American Dream Music, my mates and I wandered the mountain slopes, wading by way of the sagebrush and nosing across the granite boulders, sidestepping coyote scat, and customarily strolling that wonderful line between excessive jinks and delinquency.

Formally, the park was youthful than we had been, having been established in 1974. Nevertheless it contained such deep and apparent historical past, even the teenage me might recognize it.

For millennia earlier than the Spanish confirmed up and constructed a dam to serve their first Alta California mission, the Kumeyaay lived in these hills.

The Outdated Mission Dam dates to the early Spanish missionary days.

Throughout World Warfare I, the Military used the world, generally known as Camp Elliott, for tank and artillery coaching. Throughout World Warfare II, the Marines did the identical, leaving loads of ordnance behind — together with some that exploded in 1983, killing two boys. (Even now, after numerous cleanup efforts, indicators warn that unexploded shells “might still exist.” When you see one thing suspicious, report it and don’t contact it.)

As soon as army officers determined they didn’t want the land, native leaders stepped in and started placing collectively a park within the Sixties and ‘70s. The city added Cowles Mountain in 1974. The visitor center followed in 1995. The Cedar fire of 2003 burned about 2,800 acres, which have long since regrown.

The park’s customer middle consists of academic displays and a present store.

I had a good time brushing up on that historical past and wandering Mission Trails for 2 days this spring — my longest spell in these hills since highschool. In a single day I slept in a cabin at Santee Lakes Recreation Protect, about two miles east of the park, the place a number of recycled-water lakes are surrounded by well-kept fishing spots, strolling paths, playgrounds and a campground.

Additionally, I’ve to notice that I used to be in Mission Trails for greater than three hours earlier than I noticed any graffiti. I’m unsure that’s doable in Griffith Park.

The Santee Lakes Recreation Protect, which incorporates cabins, is 2 miles from San Diego’s Mission Trails Regional Park.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Instances)

It’s unlikely many individuals outdoors San Diego County know this place exists. However native hikers and birders prove in power. Climbers like Kwaay Paay Peak (elevation: 1,194 toes) and mountain bikers, equestrians and anglers have their very own favourite park territories. You may camp at Santee Lakes or, on weekends, put up a tent within the park’s Kumeyaay Lake campground.

Kumeyaay Lake.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Instances)

Mission Trails has the very best peak within the metropolis (Cowles Mountain at 1,591 toes). It has the compact Kumeyaay Lake and the bigger Murray Reservoir (a.ok.a. Lake Murray), which has fishing, kayaking and canoeing about three miles south of the park customer middle.

However many would say the park’s Foremost Road is Father Junipero Serra Path, a paved path that runs alongside the San Diego River, mountains rising on both facet.

Father Junipero Serra Path runs alongside a stretch of the San Diego River.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Instances)

The lengthy, flat Father Junipero Serra Path is a superb, simple hike for freshmen.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Instances)

“I just started coming in the last few weeks,” hiker Sumeya Sayd, 23, informed me sooner or later as she stepped off the Serra Path. Like me, she had hiked Cowles Mountain as a youth and neglected the remainder of the park.

Now, impressed by a Muslim American Society group chat, Sayd has been mountaineering the Serra and Climbers Loop trails extra usually and interested by the Mission Trails five-peak problem — 5 peaks within the park, every over 1,000 toes.

You may stroll or pedal on the Serra Path, which stretches 2.6 miles and connects the park customer middle to the Outdated Mission Dam. (Ordinarily, there’s a lane open to vehicular visitors, however due to a sewage-line enchancment undertaking, automobiles shall be banned till summer season of 2028.)

“This is Desert Wishbone-bush,” I overheard Justin Daniel saying sooner or later alongside the path. Daniel, who held aloft a purple flower, was main a gaggle of about 15 folks from the California Native Plant Society.

Quickly the group moved on to the California Buckwheat and Daniel added that “we have the most native plants in California for one county,” together with “more native bees than you can shake a stick at.”

How city is that this city park? Not very. No museums, no zoos, no eating places. Nonetheless, its busiest path will get an estimated 780,000 hikers a 12 months. That’s the path to the highest of Cowles Mountain from Navajo Street and Golfcrest Drive.

Once I lived within the neighborhood, many individuals nonetheless known as Cowles Mountain “S Mountain,” as a result of nearly each fall from the Thirties into the Seventies, San Diego State freshmen used lye and white paint to make an enormous S close to the highest, 400 toes excessive and visual for miles.

Now the S is lengthy gone, however by way of the years I’ve seen foot visitors develop. I’ve hiked it solo, with my daughter and with a good friend going through a profound loss. Though the path to the highest from the Golfcrest trailhead is simply 1.5 miles, each time it’s a bit tougher than I count on — 950 toes of elevation acquire, irregular steps, crumbling rocks. Within the previous days, I used to stand up and down in 90 minutes. These days, my knees complain and the spherical journey takes two hours.

Fortuitously, the view from the highest nonetheless hits me like a shock each time: the hills of Mexico to the south, the shoreline to the west, the miles of undeveloped slopes and valleys to the north. In an ideal hiker’s world, possibly there can be no line of utility towers slicing by way of the Fortuna Mountain portion of Mission Trails and no buzzing radio towers atop Cowles Mountain. However this can be a metropolis park in any case. On this huge expanse of nature, that’s simple to overlook.

Cowles Mountain is the very best peak within the park.

The place to hike

Mission Trails Regional Park has almost 65 miles of trails. Listed below are some to attempt.

When you’re in search of a simple hike and also you’re a beginner, begin with the lengthy, flat 2.6-mile Father Junipero Serra Path. Two different simple routes, effectively suited to youngsters, are the Kumeyaay Lake Nature Path (1 mile across the lake; filled with birdsong within the mornings) and the 1.5-mile Customer Middle Loop Path. For an extended, principally flat hike with ample shade, attempt the park’s Oak Canyon Path, the place somewhat seasonal waterfall materializes among the many rock formations close to the far finish of the three.4-mile out-and-back route. That path has solely 240 toes of elevation acquire; park rangers name it a “moderate” problem. It’s 1.5 miles to the highest of Cowles Mountain from the trailhead at Golfcrest Drive and Navajo Street. When you begin as an alternative at Massive Rock Park in Santee, it’s a 2.5-mile climb to the highest. Rangers classify each routes as tough. For a stiffer problem, you’ll be able to attempt climbing to the South Fortuna or North Fortuna peaks. (Distances range, relying on route). Additionally, there’s the transient, steep Climbers Loop Path (rated tough, with 400 toes of altitude acquire in a 1-mile spherical journey).

Down the highway, there could also be new challenges, as a result of the park continues to be rising. Within the final 12 months, Mission Trails Regional Park Basis govt director Jennifer Morrissey mentioned, the park has added greater than 100 acres by way of a pair of acquisitions at its northern edges. Finally the park may additionally add a secure river-crossing close to the customer middle — a risk rooted in tragedy. In early 2021, 21-year-old trailrunner Max LeNail died in a sudden storm whereas attempting to cross the San Diego River close to the customer middle. His household is hoping to construct a footbridge in his reminiscence, however for now, the closest crossing is a number of miles away.

The Santee Lakes Recreation Protect consists of 10 cabins.

The place to remain The Kumeyaay Lake Campground (2 Junipero Serra Path, San Diego; [619] 668-2748) is a part of Mission Trails Regional Park. It consists of 46 dry/primitive campsites, open Friday and Saturday nightly solely. No RV hookups. Charges start at $26 nightly. Santee Lakes Recreation Protect (9310 Fanita Parkway, Santee; [619] 596-3141) consists of 290 RV spots, about 12 tent-camping websites and 10 cabins. The RV and tent tenting spots hire for $62-$111 nightly. Cabins go for $137-$265. There’s loads of fishing and boating, however no swimming within the recycled water of the lakes. The protect has an area put aside for a lakefront restaurant with ample deck, however two concessionaires have closed there since 2021 and 2024. Protect administration has mentioned one other restaurant will open quickly.

The view from atop Cowles Mountain at Mission Trails Regional Park, San Diego.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Instances)