As one of the most biologically diverse counties in the U.S., San Diego hiking trails are stunning and traverse through deserts, forests, mountains, and coastline, with distinct vegetation and wildlife. On a single trail, one minute you can can be walking through diverse desert brush and vibrant colorful desert flowers, and the next minute be trekking through what looks like a jungle before crossing right into a tranquil meadow. Although San Diego is sunny for over 260 days throughout the year, few periods of rain also provide enough water to create remarkable waterfalls on some of the San Diego hiking trails.

In regards to weather, one imperative note about hiking in San Diego is a lot of the trails should only be hiked in Spring, Fall, or Winter. Even with San Diego’s Mediterranean climate throughout the year, the summer heat can be extreme inland and heat stroke and exhaustion are a big concern. If you are visiting in the summer and wish to hike some of the inland trails that are exposed, plan for a very early start and bring WATER, WATER, and more WATER.

San Diego hiking trails offer easy through difficult level trails with lengths from 2 miles to 14+ miles roundtrip and various elevation gains for all levels of fitness. Navigate through the San Diego hiking trails list below to find the trail that best suites your fitness level and gives you views of the many picturesque landscapes in San Diego you wish to see.