Nature’s Art in San Diego – Mission Trails Regional Park

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San Diego is probably better known for its local music scene, restaurants or beaches, but San Diego also offers a plethora of gorgeous hiking trails.

One of largest urban parks in the U.S., Mission Trails Regional Park has almost everything an outdoor enthusiast could ask for. Hikers, bikers, and horseback riders can all find trails to suit their needs.

Photo from sdpitbull via Flikr

The Park has an interactive visitor’s center, numerous trails that wind through a variety of San Diego’s vegetation communities, places to picnic, trail signs providing a brief history of the area, and is the perfect place for novice hikers to find their groove.

Spring is a great time to catch wildflowers and flowering plants in bloom before the heat of summer picks up and the hillsides turn amber. Try the Grasslands Loop Trail if you’re looking for a short and easy hike. You’ll find mariposa lily, bee plant, deerweed, San Diego sunflower, and monkey flower boasting bright colors along the trail edges. If you’re looking to put a name to the plants check out San Diego County Native Plants by James Lightner.

Also take a look at www.mtrp.org for more info on Mission Trails and a map and description of the park.

Mission Trails Regional Park
1 Father Junipero Serra Trail
San Diego, Calif.
619.582.7800
www.mtrp.org