The following is a quick list of the places I’ve done solo hikes and trail runs in the San Diego, California area. I say area, rather than county, because the Aliso Woods and Canyon Wilderness Park is in Orange County, but closer to some areas of San Diego than some of the other hikes.
The only one I probably won’t do solo again is Lopez Canyon. It may have been the random weekday time or post rain muddiness, but I saw no-one else on the trail leading into and at the bottom of the canyon. The canyon floor is pretty wooded, which makes it hard to see far around you.
When I was less experienced at trail running & hiking alone, I also stuck to doing Black Mountain solo on weekends. The weekend I did it alone, there were just enough people around mountain biking and hiking around that even though I went over a mile without passing anyone in some sections, I felt safe. Unlike Lopez Canyon, it’s also relatively open, making it at least feel safer.
It feels more desolate on weekdays – for example, one weekday, I went 5+ miles without seeing anyone. This can be a welcome refuge from some of the area’s busier trails, or spooky, depending on your solo trail comfort level.
Mission Trails is a system with a lot of trails in it and multiple trailheads. I have run/hiked through large sections of the park solo and done the five peak challenge in one day with a friend. I’d have no hesitation hitting any part of the park solo on a weekend or weekday. Weekends are busy but once you are a little past the visitor center and off the paved Father Junipero Trail Serra Trail, it thins out and feels relaxed. You pass a healthy number of people but it doesn’t feel crowded (Cowles Mountain peak is the exception – that’s a zoo every day of the week).
All the rest of the hikes, I’d do solo again in a heartbeat. Torrey Pines and the Mushroom Caves (very short hike) are so well traveled that they could be considered “busy” at peak times like weekend mornings.
1. Black Mountain Open Space Preserve
Trailhead: 14495-15065 Highway 67, Poway, CA 92064
Parking Cost: Free
Additional Information:
• All Trails: Nighthawk Trail
• Modern Hiker: Black Mountain
• Hiking San Diego County: Nighthawk Trail
2. Iron Mountain
Trailhead: 14495-15065 Highway 67, Poway, CA 92064
Parking Cost: Free
Additional Information:
• All Trails: Iron Mountain Trail
• Iron Mountain Basics & Photos by Me
• San Diego Hikers Association: Iron Mountain Trail
3. Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
Trailhead: 12600 North Torrey Pines Road, San Diego CA 92037
Parking Cost: Free and Paid options. The state park parking lot is by far the most expensive at $12 – $20 per day depending on the day of the week and season.
Additional Information:
• Official Torrey Pines State Reserve Site
• LaJolla.com Guide to Hiking Torrey Pines
4. Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park
Trailhead: 28373 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
Parking Cost: $3 but fills quickly on weekends. Many park in the parking lot of the church next door but there are no parking signs there.
Additional Information:
• Laguna Canyon Foundation: Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park
• All Trails: Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park
5. Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve
Trailhead: West Trailhead, 4300 Sorrento Valley Blvd, San Diego, CA 92121
Parking Cost: Free
Additional Information:
• All Trails: Los Penasquitos Canyon Trail
• City of San Diego: Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve
6. Annie’s Canyon Trail aka “Mushroom Caves”
Trailhead: Solana Hills Trail, Solana Beach, CA 92075 (Google map)
Parking Cost: Free street parking
Additional Information:
• Mushroom Caves/Annie’s Canyon Trail in Photos
• San Elijo Lagoon Conservatory: Annie’s Canyon Trail
7. Elfin Forest
Trailhead: 8833 Harmony Grove Road, Escondido, CA 92029
Parking Cost: Free with a free overflow lot
Additional Information:
• Handful of Mini San Diego Hikes I’ve Done as a Sole Female by Me
• Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve Official Site
8. Lopez Canyon
Trailhead: Lopez Canyon Trail, San Diego, CA 92121 (Google map)
Parking Cost: Free but limited
Additional Information:
• All Trails: Lopez Canyon Trail
9. Mission Trails Regional Park: Cowles Mountain
Trailhead: 7029-7055 Golfcrest Dr. San Diego, CA 92119
Parking Cost: Free street parking
Additional Information:
• Mission Trails Regional Park Official Site
• Mission Trails: Trail Map
10. Batisquitos Lagoon
(Ok, more of a walk than hike but still trail and I like the number 10 better than 9)
Trailhead: 7380 Gabbiano Lane, Carlsbad, CA 92011
Parking Cost: Free street parking
Additional Information:
• Batisquitos Lagoon Foundation
• California through My Lens: Batisquitos Lagoon
Disclaimer: My opinions on safety are just that – opinions. Hiking, whether solo or in a group, carries inherent risk. Please independently weigh your risk tolerance.
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