Hiking San Diego: Quarry Loop Trail at Mission Trails Regional Park
Mission Trails Regional Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States. There are many great hikes located by the state-of-the-art visitor’s center. However, the western end of the park also has a great network of trails. This is our look at a short 2-mile hike on suburban Quarry Loop Trail.
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- Starting Point: 4198 Colina Dorado Dr, San Diego, CA 92124
- Length: 2 miles
- Elevation: about 300 feet up and down
- Type: loop
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As the crow flies, the western end of Mission Trails Regional Park is a short distance from the Mission Trails Visitor Center. However, by car, it is a 10-mile drive.
NOTE SPRING 2020: The West Fortuna area of Mission Trails Regional Park is undergoing construction activity on the water line until Winter 2022. This has included closing the parking lot at West Fortuna Staging Area. However, most trails are open. There may be some detours and construction conditions can change regularly. Before hiking you can check the official map for the project to look for current conditions. There will also be updates on the official website for Mission Trails.
Many of the hikes in the area start at the West Fortuna Staging Area. However, Quarry Loop is part of a small network of trails that starts a short distance away at the intersection of Colina Dorada Drive and Calle De Vida in the Tierrasanta neighborhood.
There is plenty of parking on the side street by the entrance gate. This area of Mission Trails is quiet, and crowds are at a minimum. We found the Quarry Loop trails to be a perfect hike for maintaining social distancing. In multiple hikes we only have come across a few people.
There are actually several hikes we do on Quarry Loop. There is the actual Quarry Loop which is 1.3 miles. However, there is the option to do a shorter one-mile hike that also eliminates some uphill. This is good for when you want to get some younger kids out for a brief exercise.
The hike here is a 2-mile loop that adds a little extra length to Quarry Loop. It can of course be incorporated with other hikes in the area. We have a longer 2.5 mile hike that starts at West Fortuna Staging Area.
All the hikes from the Colina Dorada Drive go a short distance up a gravel road to a kiosk on the left at a 4-way intersection. In spring 2020 there have been trail closed detour signs. There is a map on the other side of the road from the kiosk that shows ongoing road construction in the area.
Despite the signs, a study of the map shows that currently the Quarry Loop Trails are NOT impacted by the construction. The hike comes back along the road ahead. The road closure is past where Quarry Loop trail ends. The warning signs are for people wanting to head further into the park.
To head on Quarry Loop turn right at the kiosk and follow the Quarry Loop signs to a narrow trail. In a short distance you will come to a fork. Quarry Loop trail bears right downhill. The left turn goes slightly uphill. This is the way you come back if you are doing the short 1-mile hike.
In the spring of 2020, the trail was extremely green and overgrown with recent rains. However, it is easy to follow. It heads downhill before turning left and heading uphill. At this point you will see the quarry below.
As you head uphill you will get views of downtown San Diego and the coast. You will also start to see the mountains of Mission Trails that are part of the 5-Peak Challenge.
At about ¾ of a mile you will come to a 3-way intersection. Quarry Loop trail heads uphill to the right, while the shorter trail back turns to the left. If you are tired here is where you can turn left and go back for a 1-mile hike.
This hike continues uphill to the right. At the top of the hill, a little more than a mile into the hike you will come to another intersection. The official Quarry Loop turns to the left. However, this hike continues ahead bearing right to complete a longer loop (on our official Mission Trails map both routes are labeled Quarry).
This portion of the hike heads downhill to Fortuna Saddle Trail. Fortuna Saddle Trail is one of the main routes through the park. This is actually a service road that vehicles use to access the SDG&E power lines that run through the park.
The Fortuna Saddle Trail road is where construction is being done. In our recent hikes, the road to the right is where the official closure started. However, completing the loop means heading back by turning left on the road.
The road back takes you directly to where you started. A short distance down you will see where the official Quarry Loop Trail meets the road. This would be the route to take if you want a shorter 1.5 mile hike.
Quarry Loop Trail is a nice suburban hike with great views and some mild uphill. It can be combined into longer hikes but mainly we like to do it when we are looking for some quick outdoor exercise.
One note, this is a popular area for mountain biking. The trails can be quite narrow, so you definitely want to keep a lookout for bikers. They are usually not hard to spot and we always try and step aside to let them go past.
For more hikes in Mission Trails be sure and check out our full guide.
For more hikes in Mission Trails Regional Park be sure and check out our full guide.
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