San Diegans are blessed to enjoy many hikes that are near bodies of water, and they’re not all near beaches or scenic coastlines.
This time out, we take a look at two hikes that provide some pleasant inland water views.
McCoy Trail, Tijuana Estuary
One of the hidden gems of San Diego County is the Tijuana Estuary, a wetland system in South County that offers an incredible and diverse amount of wildlife and environment.
Much if it is close to hiking trails that are easy to get to. The south and north McCoy Trails are easily accessible from the Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center at 301 Caspian Way in Imperial Beach.
There is free parking in a gravel lot at the Visitor Center. From there, you can connect right away with the North McCoy Trail, which is a short .3 mile trail that leads from the Visitor Center out to the wetlands.
Once you’re done there, consider the nearby South Trail, which is slightly longer at .75 mile and takes you further into the wetlands and to the mouth of the Tijuana River.
Both trails are flat and easy to hike, with either dirt or gravel paths. There are several benches in the area to allow people to stop and rest.
The trails are in a wide open expanse so there’s not much sun cover, but since the trails aren’t long, there’s less exposure.
Highlights: The Estuary is a breeding, feeding and nesting area for local birds and thousands of migratory birds that travel along the Pacific Flyway. Over 370 species of birds have been documented, and on our hike we saw California Least Tern and Western Snowy Plover.
There’s also plenty of flora, including Fennel, Coast Cholla Cactus and Coastal Sage Scrub.
But the Estuary itself also offers diverse visual delights, with coastal sage environments including salt marshes, vernal pools and sand dunes.
One thing to note — the estuary is near the Naval Outlying Landing Field and on the day we hiked, there was a nonstop airborne parade of helicopters conducting training maneuvers. So, don’t be surprised if it’s a lot noisier than your usual hike.
Oak Canyon Trail, Mission Trails Regional Park
Mission Trails Regional Park is hiking heaven with several trails to choose from, each offering different scenery.
One of the hikes offering water views is the Oak Canyon Trail, which starts right behind the historic Old Mission Dam, which always has running water. The dam is registered as both a National Historic site and a California State Historic Landmark and is easy to get to as there is a small parking lot at the entrance, but also plenty of parking along the road leading to the dam.
From the dam, you take a dirt path along the Oak Canyon Trail that begins to wind along the river. The trail is designated as Moderate and is about 3 miles round trip. It takes you over several wooden bridges and there is a slight incline with the terrain getting a little rockier the further you go along the trail.
Highlights: As you continue along the trail, it will take you past streams that join up with the San Diego River. The big payoff is an area with small pools of water and two small waterfalls. The weather is getting warmer so expect to see less and less water as we get into the summer.
On that note, consider early morning hikes and take plenty of water and sunscreen as the weather heats up. Happy hiking!
Although he was raised in the urban jungles of New York, Luis Monteagudo Jr. loves to hike and enjoy the outdoors. He has hiked in the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Zion National Park and the Oregon Coast among many other locations. If you have any hikes you’d like to recommend, let us know at luism@timesofsandiego.com.