Hiking San Diego: 1-Mile Hike on Quarry Loop Trail
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 1.3-mile hike on suburban Quarry Loop Trail.
- Starting Point: 4198 Colina Dorado Dr, San Diego, CA 92124
- Length: 1.3 miles
- Elevation: about 200 feet
- Type: loop
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.
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.
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 three hikes we do on Quarry Loop. There is a the actual Quarry Loop which is 1.3 miles. However, this is an option to do a shorter one-mile hike that cuts out an uphill portion. This is good for when you want to get some younger kids out for a brief exercise. We have a longer 2-mile hike that does the full Quarry Loop. There is also the 2.5 mile Quarry Loop hike via West Fortuna Staging Area. This hike is recommended in the Mission Trails park literature.
All the hikes from the Colina Dorada Drive go a short distance up a gravel road (called Fortuna Saddle Trail West) 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 construction in the area. This construction is for a water project further up the park.
The official Mission Trails site is a good place to check for latest conditions.
Despite the signs, a study of the map shows that currently the Quarry Loop Trails are NOT impacted by the construction. The official Quarry Loop hike comes back along the road ahead. However, the road closure is past where Quarry Loop trail ends. The warning signs are for people wanting to head further into the park. However, there is a chance that access along the Fortuna Saddle Trail road may be limited. However, this short hike avoids most of the construction, and unlike the full Quarry Loop hike, does not go along the road.
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 on this 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. This is where we turn left to complete the shorter loop. If you are not tired you can head uphill to the right to complete a longer loop.
This short trail heads up a short distance before heading downhill to where you started at the 4-way intersection.
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 Regional Park be sure and check out our full guide. We also have a regularly updated hiking guide.
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