A Guide to Balboa Park's Trails in San Diego

Balboa Park is considered San Diego's Crown Jewel, and is one of the most popular destinations in the city for tourists and locals alike. The park, which is famous for its museums, historic sites, and scenery, has 65 miles of marked trails, which travel some of the most and least visited areas of the park. In this video we look at the five gateways where all of the Balboa Park's trails originate from, what you can find in each area, tips for navigating the trail system, and our picks for the best trails.
More info on Balboa Park's Trails including maps and descriptions of each individual trail can be found here: www.balboapark...
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[@ylana4444]

Thanks for making it so concise and easy to follow. These trails and trail heads can be confusing and having an easy explanation and directions helps so much! Much appreciated!

[@DoctorVdW]

This was a pet project I spearheaded whilst serving on the board of the San Diego Foundation, along with the Ranger staff led by Casey Smith, also David Contois, author Jerry Schad (1949 - 2011), and many others. We used newly developed GPS field units, and had built many trail improvements, such as the 65 step (+/-) stone staircase located about 125 feet east of the Juniper and Sixth (closer to Balboa Drive) restrooms. The stone stairway was built by CCC, paid for by the SDF, and connects the southernmost end of the lowest elevation trail which takes you under Cabrillo Bridge and on to the West Mesa near the aforementioned building in what is called the Pine Grove Picnic area (mostly oaks now). It's a shame you didn't show that, I opine, but I appreciate the great video nonetheless! Btw, the trail markers have been subjected to much loss and vandalism and was a never-ending job to keep up. GPS technology advanced rapidly in the timeframe immediately after the completion of the trail system so we opted to forgo the marker maintenance in lieu of the trail maps at the gift shop and the Balboa Park app which is free and shows the trail system as well as offering users regular updates as to the goings-on in the park. Again, thank you very much for the great video! Alyssa

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Thank you for replying with this information and for your work on the trails. They are an absolute treasure and allowed us to see so much of the park we had never seen before.

[@mrvic92154]

Thank you for taking the time and producing these very simple and informative segments of things we can do in and around and bout San Diego, great job thanks again!!

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Our pleasure! Thank you.

[@swithinbarclay4797]

Back in 1915, there were twin World's Fairs, The PPIE's (Panama-Pacific International Expositions). One was in San Francisco, which my Grandfather attended as a young man, and the other took up most of Balboa Park. Most of the buildings standing today, in The Park, are repurposed from the Exposition. They were SO GRAND--I sure wish that I could go back in time--and meet Granddaddy as a young man! Wireless voice radio was first introduced here, believe it or not--San Francisco, that is. I dunno about San Diego, though. And both places, had pre-war barnstorming airplanes! Whenever I go there, if it's a Sunday afternoon, I'll go to that Spreckels Bandshell and Pipe Organ. YES, the back door rolls up, and there's a huge Pipe Chamber, with a Console that rolls out. It's loud, can be heard throughout most of The Park and surrounding residential neighborhoods. A beautiful, magnificent instrument. That, is also a leftover feature from the PPIE.

[@jaimegonzalez7610]

im going this weekend and this video is so helpful!!!

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Have fun!

[@rhrh3853]

Thank you, I knew about some of the trails. Did not know about all of this.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Thank you for watching. Glad it was helpful.

[@birdman5223]

Great stuff/info MrSteve👍👍👍

[@marcuswhonea]

Great channel I'm a native San Diegan and love your content. I never knew the cactus garden was there either it's now on my radar.

[@lanaday3557]

Excellent video, thank you! Short, sweet & to the point :)

[@kurtweiand7086]

Thanks for the trip.👍

[@Seek_Him]

Thank you It's very Beautiful

[@thomrun3929]

I have the course record (running) on one of the trail segments there. Love Balboa park. Thanks for posting this video.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Very cool! Which segment if you don't mind?

[@thomrun3929]

@@SidetrackAdventures I will look that up on my Strava. It was on the south end

[@lilys4960]

great video

[@stankygeorge]

Interesting! Love those old, pre-mud flood Tartarian buildings!

[@MadHatterND]

Great memories! I used to live in North Park.

[@williambliss6087]

There used to be a horseback riding stable in the park. My father took me riding there in 1955. I guess these days you gotta walk.

[@tattooyu]

Squirrel 💣at 1:58!

[@Kemrer]

Thank you

[@kiranpatel7429]

Thank you so much for this overview of the trails. I had no idea there were so many options. I also appreciate your cautionary note about taking a trail alone. And, I was concerned about the implication that homeless people are dangerous (though perhaps unintended and I’m sensing with good intentions of safety for those who visit the park). My request is that you edit that part of the video and replace the homeless bit with something more general (e.g., “so as to minimize the possibility of being mugged in isolated areas.”). Would you please let me know if that is something you would do? It does break my heart when marginalized groups have negative stereotypes which work against them on top of their already challenging life circumstances. Thank you! 🙏🏼

[@turkrane12]

Marston Point is adjacent to the Fire Alarm building. Back in the day when a fire broke out downtown the fireman would go to the point and check out the smoke to see how many trucks to send to the fire.

[@donkeedic9825]

Here's another hidden gem that I don't know if you know about...... It's the spruce Street bridge in mission hills that was built back in 1918 I think.... It's an extension of the sidewalk that goes over a canyon..... It's it's pretty long and you can actually go down into the canyon from under the bridge......

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Been on the bridge a few times but haven't made it to the trails below it yet. Hopefully soon.

[@jfranklin9549]

Amazing! Signs that are actually informative, rather than directing you to use an app.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

They did a great job on the trail system at Balboa Park.

[@laurelruthfinnerty8950]

Back in the 50's you could ride horses through those dirt trails under the bridge.

[@adabee]

I got married there in 1979, at Cafe Del Rey Moro. Wonderful place

[@matty_w]

Actually, Speed Racer... The speed limit on that section of SR-163 (at 3:21 ) is only 55mph!

[@ssn0651]

You didn’t mention the homeless camps under the bridges .

[@ericowen96]

That cactus garden is where the park's extermination team lives! A big ole group of cats.

[@Robarriosg]

Gotta check it out then!

[@franklopez1390]

1:59 a rat?

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Its a squirrel.

[@MichaelTitera]

Balboa Park Trails are wonderful, minus the homeless population. San Diego should maintain a better effort in making the trails safer by consistently removing the homeless encampments throughout the park.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Unfortunately its like wack-a-mole, they remove one encampment and another springs up. Hopefully they can figure out some solutions to the problem because it has gotten pretty bad in places.

[@MichaelTitera]

@@SidetrackAdventures , yeah, that's unfortunate. Most of the homeless are friendly, but every once in awhile you come across some mean and possibly violent ones.

[@swithinbarclay4797]

@@SidetrackAdventures Sounds like Golden Gate Park in 'frisco. Plus, GGP has perverts, gangs, and junkies--NO place for families--NO place to take your nice and pretty young girlfriend for a date. SO, SO SAD--I don't think the city politicians really give a hang, what goes on there.

[@Dagger-Moose]

Looks beautiful, the problem is it's in California. Wouldn't even think of visiting that state anymore.

[@lambo425]

We don't need you here anyway.

[@skitown11]

Stay where you are!

[@davidboultinghouse3332]

No people to speak of specially on the trail

[@pablotanja2405]

I love your video