Kid-Friendly Hiking Trails & Nature Walks

Explore the best kid-friendly hiking trails & nature walks options for kids and families in Chula Vista

Rohr Park

Rohr Park

Outdoor spot for sports & free-play. Green space with a playground & fields plus a walking trail, model train rides & an equestrian ring.

Cedar Ridge Park Canyon

Cedar Ridge Park Canyon

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Juniper Canyon

Juniper Canyon

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Mother Miguel Mountain Trailhead

Mother Miguel Mountain Trailhead

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Switzer Open Space

Switzer Open Space

River canyon natural park & trail. Natural park with a hiking trail following a picturesque, plant-covered river canyon.

Dictionary Hill Hiking Trail

Dictionary Hill Hiking Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Maple Canyon Open Space

Maple Canyon Open Space

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Dictionary Hill Open Space Preserve

Dictionary Hill Open Space Preserve

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Cabrillo Canyon

Cabrillo Canyon

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Pennsylvania Canyon

Pennsylvania Canyon

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Proctor Valley Natural Resource Area

Proctor Valley Natural Resource Area

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Lake Murray Trail Head

Lake Murray Trail Head

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Sweetwater River Trail

Sweetwater River Trail

Scenic treks in a wildlife refuge. Hiking & biking route in the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge crossing bridges & scrubby terrain.

Mt. Helix Park

Mt. Helix Park

Peak with an amphitheater & city views. High point offering views of San Diego, with a large amphitheater hosting plays, lectures & events.

Lake Murray

Lake Murray

Fishing, boating & a waterside path. Small boat rentals, fishing & many picnic areas, plus a walking & biking path along the reservoir.

Ruffin Canyon Open Space

Ruffin Canyon Open Space

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Mission Valley Preserve

Mission Valley Preserve

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Gardena Loop Trailhead

Gardena Loop Trailhead

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park

Rocky cliffs overlooking the ocean. Natural cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean offer views of the coast & the occasional cliff diver.

Tecolote Canyon Natural Park and Nature Center

Tecolote Canyon Natural Park and Nature Center

Coastal park with a visitors center. This park running along the coast & up to the mouth of Tecolote Canyon includes a visitors center.

Tecolote Canyon Trailhead

Tecolote Canyon Trailhead

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Cowles Mountain Trailhead

Cowles Mountain Trailhead

Hiking spot with panoramic views. Picturesque uphill hiking trail known for its panoramic views at the summit.

Sunset Cliffs Coastal Trail (Linear Park)

Sunset Cliffs Coastal Trail (Linear Park)

Oceanside hiking path & sunset spot. Hiking trail atop the Pacific Ocean bluffs offering sunset views & seasonal gray whale watching.

Cowles Mountain

Cowles Mountain

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Mission Trails Regional Park

Mission Trails Regional Park

Expansive recreational area with trails. 8,000-acre recreational park featuring 60 miles of trails, along with a lake for boating & camping.

Shepherd Canyon

Shepherd Canyon

Visit this great place for kids and families!

West Shepherd Canyon

West Shepherd Canyon

Wildlife & scenic views in the suburbs. Vast canyon with trails for biking, jogging or just viewing greenery & wildlife by Dishwater Pond.

Big Rock Trailhead

Big Rock Trailhead

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Mission Trails-Kwaay Paay Peak

Mission Trails-Kwaay Paay Peak

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Oak Canyon Waterfall

Oak Canyon Waterfall

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Tecolote Canyon Hiking Area

Tecolote Canyon Hiking Area

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Rattlesnake Mountain Preserve

Rattlesnake Mountain Preserve

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Crestridge Ecological Reserve

Crestridge Ecological Reserve

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Lake Miramar

Lake Miramar

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Los Penasquitos Canyon Trailhead

Los Penasquitos Canyon Trailhead

Canyon preserve trailhead with parking. Starting point for moderate hiking & biking trail across rugged canyon landscape with a parking lot.

Penasquitos Creek Waterfall

Penasquitos Creek Waterfall

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Los Penasquitos Canyon County Preserve

Los Penasquitos Canyon County Preserve

Trails through canyons, forests, streams. Preserve (name means "little cliffs") with trails across 3,500+ acres of Peñasquitos & Lopez canyons.

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

Trails, beaches, lagoons & wildlife. Acres of oceanside trails for exploring or exercising while spotting occasional dolphins or bobcats.

Carmel Mountain Preserve

Carmel Mountain Preserve

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Del Mar Mesa Preserve

Del Mar Mesa Preserve

Multiuse trails & stunning canyon views. 900-acre preserve offering hiking & mountain biking trails, seasonal wetlands & scenic canyon views.

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Extension

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Extension

State park with rare trees & trails. Beachside park features sandstone bluffs, a visitor's center, rare pine trees & nature trails.

Sea Cliff Coastal Bluff Trail in Del Mar

Sea Cliff Coastal Bluff Trail in Del Mar

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Crest Canyon Open Space Park

Crest Canyon Open Space Park

Scenic open space with a hiking trail. This tract of chaparral features hills, canyons & a day-use-only trail loop for hikers.

Miner's Ridge Loop Trail

Miner's Ridge Loop Trail

Hiking & biking trail on Black Mountain. This hiking & biking trail ascends the mountain in Black Mountain Open Space Park.

San Dieguito River Park

San Dieguito River Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Harbaugh Seaside Trails

Harbaugh Seaside Trails

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Annie's Canyon Trail

Annie's Canyon Trail

Hiking area in an ecological reserve. Rugged wilderness hiking paths in an ecological reserve with sweeping ocean & lagoon views.

Gemma Parks Interpretive Trail

Gemma Parks Interpretive Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

San Elijo Lagoon and Ecological Reserve

San Elijo Lagoon and Ecological Reserve

Wildlife-watching & visitor center. Nature reserve with 7 miles of trails plus a visitor center with exhibits overlooking the lagoon.

Manchester Preserve Hiking Trails

Manchester Preserve Hiking Trails

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Del Dios Highlands County Preserve

Del Dios Highlands County Preserve

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve

Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve

Spacious park for hiking & picnics. Large park featuring native plants, picnic areas & hiking, biking & equestrian trails.

Ridgeline Trailhead

Ridgeline Trailhead

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Double Peak Park

Double Peak Park

Hiking trails with panoramic vistas. Rugged, 200-acre park featuring a play area & hiking trails that lead to a summit with ocean views.

Lagoon Trail At Pelican Road

Lagoon Trail At Pelican Road

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Batiquos Lagoon

Batiquos Lagoon

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation

Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation

Coastal wetland & nature reserve. Protected wetland habitat with on-site parking & wildlife-viewing opportunities.

Batiquitos Lagoon North Bluff Trail Windrose Circle Trailhead

Batiquitos Lagoon North Bluff Trail Windrose Circle Trailhead

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Batiquitos Lagoon North Bluff Trail Avenida Encinas Trailhead

Batiquitos Lagoon North Bluff Trail Avenida Encinas Trailhead

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation (Discovery Center)

Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation (Discovery Center)

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Buena Vista Park Loop Trailhead

Buena Vista Park Loop Trailhead

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Buena Vista Park

Buena Vista Park

A duck pond, ball fields & hiking too. Large park offering a tranquil duck pond, ball fields, a hiking trail & other features.

Daley Ranch Park

Daley Ranch Park

Nature reserve with hiking trails. Conservation area featuring 20+ miles of trails for hiking, biking & horseback riding, plus views.

Agua Hedionda Lagoon Garfield Street Trailhead

Agua Hedionda Lagoon Garfield Street Trailhead

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Agua Hedionda Lagoon Carlsbad Blvd Trailhead

Agua Hedionda Lagoon Carlsbad Blvd Trailhead

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Carlsbad Highlands Ecological Reserve

Carlsbad Highlands Ecological Reserve

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Lake Calavera Hiking Trail

Lake Calavera Hiking Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Calavera Lake

Calavera Lake

Scenic hiking area on a dormant volcano. A warren of trails on a dormant volcano draws hikers & cyclists to this serene locale with a view.

Calavera Nature Preserve

Calavera Nature Preserve

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Lake Calavera Trail Head

Lake Calavera Trail Head

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Lake Calavera Preserve

Lake Calavera Preserve

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Oak Riparian Park

Oak Riparian Park

Playground with a field & picnic spots. Scenic neighborhood green space next to trails with a playground, grassy field & picnic areas.

Cougar Pass Trailhead

Cougar Pass Trailhead

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Hosp Grove Park

Hosp Grove Park

Unpaved nature trail with ocean views. Winding through a eucalyptus tree grove, this trail with elevations of 100 feet offers ocean vistas.

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