Places to Bike in San Diego

Summer has finally arrived to San Diego. A great way to take advantage of the great weather, as well as get some excellent physical activity is to hop on your bike and discover some of the ideal riding spots that San Diego has to offer.


There are places you can take your bike for a ride throughout the county that you may not have discovered yet.

Here are a few:

Balboa Park

This a mostly a beginner course that can be between three to eight hours. Florida Canyon offers a short, but very fun hiking and biking trail all around the park. Enjoy the scenery! You can park at the dog park near the San Diego Zoo off Park Boulevard, just north of Morley Field Drive.

Lake Hodges

This ride is about one to two hours at a distance of ten to fifteen miles. There is some climb involved and the time is usually between one and two hours.

This ride is both run and scenic, as you wind around Lake Hodges in Escondido. The ride is mostly along fire roads and climbs to the peak where you will find the water tower. There are some steep, single track roads along the way.

The east end of the ride stars off of Via Rancho Parkway, across from North County Fair Mall.

Mission Trails

Mission Trails can be anywhere from five to 25 miles long and can take up to three hours. There is a lot of climbing so this is considered an intermediate ride. The park is located in Tierrasanta, a short drive from most parts of San Diego and is about six thousand acres in size. The trails are a combination of fire roads and single track trails. There isn’t much flat terrain, so it can be a great workout.

Start at the park’s visitors’ center where you can find a map. It is located off of Mission Gorge Road where you will take Jackson Drive. Follow the signs.

Lake Poway

This intermediate course is about eleven miles long. These up and down trails take about three hours to complete so count on needing strong legs!

Take Poway Road east to Espola Road, then head north to Lake Poway Road and follow the signs.

Cuyamaca

This 20 mile course is for the more advanced rider. You will climb to about 2500 feet.

These fire roads start off smooth for a few miles and then turn steep. Once at the top, you go through some single track roads until you get to the street, but will find yourself climbing again along another fire road.

Take I-8 East to Highway 79 North. Go about five miles to the park headquarters where you can start the ride.

Hopefully, you have been dedicated to your workouts at CrossFit 619 and are ready for these tough, but fun rides!