Mission Trails Clairemont Mesa Trailhead

Great trails and beautiful views. Lots of options if you want to make it longer or shorter. There is a bike station if you end up breaking your bike.

Warning Sign Text: This area of San Diego known as Mission Trails, once was a part of Camp Elliott. It was a 13,000 acre Marine Corps Training Camp used during World War II by the Second Marine Division for artillery and tank training in addition to other specialist training. In one period, at the height of the war, 50,000 officers and men were dispatched to combat zones from Camp Elliott in a little over a year. As part of their training, weapons ranging in size from 22 caliber rifles to 155 mm field artillery were extensively fired in this area. Salvage work has been done over the years to remove unexploded shells that might still exist. It is possible that some shells could surface due to natural erosion or other causes. These shells which vary in size and shapes were fired over 40 years ago and may be rusty. They could still explode if mishandled. If you should discover any suspicious object, do not touch it. Mark its location and call 911 immediately and wait for arrival of emergency crew.

Although there are a few steep parts, it's generally a moderate difficulty trail. I really like the loop layout of this plan; a welcome change from the typical in and out. It's a good workout with great views. Highly recommended.

Moderate hiking trails with some steep inclines but with rewarding views at the mountain summits of the southeast area of San Diego. Sights should be better around Spring rather than Autumn; pictures were taken sometime within November. Highly recommended to use hiking boots OR a hiking stick for stability as some parts of the trail can be a bit tricky to hike up.

An excellent and easily accessible entry to the Mission Trails Regional Park. This is a great location to access moderate to difficult trails in the park. Both hikers and mountain bikers will find this a great location to start your day. For those on two wheels you will also find the park has emergency air pump and basic tools in a few locations who thin the park. Lastly, no matter what time of year make sure you bring plenty of water you will find no drinkable water in this area.