Tecolote Canyon Natural Park and Nature Center

The trails are peaceful, quiet and filled with beautiful trees and plant life. It's a nice change for me compared to walking around my noisy traffic/construction filled neighborhood. My dog likes it too as we usually encounter at least a few dogs along the way.

This is a very pleasant, local, hiking and off-road biking trail system. There are some nice trails combined with utility access roads with plenty of flora to enjoy. Not all of the locations have easy access to parking so you may have to get creative on where you park your car. I am posting a map that gives you a great overview of the entire trail. It is about 6 miles in one direction. I entered off of Morena Blvd. on the southern most entrance and walked about one mile into Via Las Cumbres trail. Easy breezy.

The main trail is an easy dirt trail crisscrossed by side trails and (usually) dry creek beds. There are streams around the area, a good chunk of the trail near the Clairemont Rec Center is shaded (you can also access the trail from the Rec Center). Be wary when its hot, bring water.

Beautiful trails for spring and summer, flowers bloom early spring to early summer.

Beautiful trails all marked and easy to navigate we entered from a steep entrance in a neighborhood area. Very clean canyon, no trash cans do not litter! Also did run into 1 snake but only caught a glimpse before it slithered out of the trail be mindful wear you step.

Staff helpful and informative. Center has local wildlife displays and several live snakes. The trail is wide and very exposed to the sun.

Various trail options and topography.
Fun to see the abundant foliage. Its along a small creek. Lots of wildlife also. Bunnies!

We are going back with a plant identification app and learning what is growing their and what may be edible. A natural science room!

P.S. Watch for rattlesnakes. My partner saw a yellow one with a black and white striped tail before the rattle.

Great for runners. Long paths with hills so you can go the distance while challenging your muscles. Some paths split so you have options too. Gorgeous view.

We started off from a quiet neighborhood to enter this place. It starts off as an easy hike. Soon you walk along a golf course on a dry sandy path. There are some shady areas with trees but it is mostly desert. After about 4000 steps we came across this little "Oasis" with trees, a swing, and some water. I think water runs here when it rains. Even though it was reported as 63F, the weather felt pretty warm (no long sleeves were necessary).

Excellent hiking trail with a variety of natural fauna. Best keep a watchful eye in some spots as the thick brush on some parts of the trail provide excellent cover for the Western Diamondback Rattler who make their home here. Well maintained with great access.

Quite muddy after the recent rain but still a great hike, just be prepared for muddy shoes! First mile out from the nature center is pretty flat on the main lower trail and then quickly gets hilly. Lots of native plants!

Hidden gem in the middle of suburbia! Great resource for local residents or anyone looking for some bayside canyon action. Really enjoy cycling through on the way to Mission Bay and the ocean boardwalks. Also a great place for trail running with available easy flat trails or challenging climbs and descents. Last but certainly not least is all the native plants and animals... such a mid city gem!

Right now, in mid-May 2024, the canyon it's blooming like crazy. Go check it out!

I love this area and the trails, just be aware of the poison oak that is off the main trails. I caught it real bad a couple years ago, my legs looked like those of a zombie!

Great hiking next to a creek. You will be under a tree canopy if you follow the trail next to the creek. You could hike all the way to USD and Mission Bay all by canyon trail.

This is an excellent resource for many residents that live around Tecolote Canyon. The building is kept in good condition and they provide educational information. It’s a great place to start a hike through the canyon. My guess a lot of residents don’t realize this is here and part of the community.

Good hike , there are variety of loops for varying difficulty levels. There are some very steep sections going up and down the canyon . Carry water with you . There are alternative trails that stay along the sides and are appropriate for beginners or moderate effort levels.

We stumbled on this after arriving at the airport and looking for something to explore on our travel day. Three kids 7, 7, and 5, were all delighted. The person at the nature center fully engaged the kids, they learned a ton about local wildlife and history, got to handle a snake, and enjoyed exploring the trail, outdoor exhibits, and animal/wildlife toys. We loved this experience

Great hike! There are a few serious hills, so would definitely count it as a workout :)

Versatile trail for a workout. Southern entrance is flat for the first 1/4 of trail. There is an intense/moderate loop from Via las Cumbres to Sneed. Some bring hiking poles and only take the east end of trail to each of the 5 peaks, west end is moderate, shared with cyclists and runs along a river. Bello Access rd is prone to flooding.