8 Mile Mission Trails Waterfall Run
Hidden in Mission Trails Regional Park deep inside of Oak Canyon is a small but beautiful waterfall. It only runs during the rainy season so in order to see it you have to get back there between February and May. Even if the falls are not flowing the run is a challenging and scenic course that allows you to see one of the prettiest trails in San Diego.
Start your run at the Mast Blvd. entrance to Mission Trails Park at the equestrian center. This is also the start of the Dirt Devil Racing’s Stairway to Heaven 15K in August and the Xterra 15K in February. Head out West towards the grasslands until you get to the 4 way intersection. Go North (right) out and under the 52 freeway. You will run into Spring Canyon as you pass beneath the 52 freeway. Follow the canyon until you get about 1.9 miles. Make sure to take the single track trail that runs right along the hills on your left. At mile 1.9 look for the slot canyon on your left guarded by 3 rusty bullet ridden barrels. Make a left (West) into the slot canyon and follow the single track all the way to the back of the canyon. The trail will bend to your right and take you up the ridgeline to the top of a jeep road. This jeep road provides access all the way to Miramar Naval Airbase. When you get to the top of the jeep road look for the single track trail directly across and slightly to your right. It is hard to see but it’s there. Go directly across the jeep road and start your Westward descent down the other side of the canyon. The switchbacks will eventually give way to nice flat single track trail. As you course through the canyon you will eventually bend to your left (North) heading back towards the 52 freeway. The trail will take you back under the freeway where you will pass a trailhead sign and double track on your right. Continue past this and hook to your left. You will see a double track heading uphill in front of you and a rocky entrance to your right. Go north into the rocky entrance of Oak Canyon. Follow the rocky trail and listen for the waterfall on your right. The fall is slightly off the trail and requires you to do a little bouldering. Take time to play at the falls, have a snack and then continue into Oak Canyon. The trail will take you to a “T” intersection. To your right (West) is the infamous Hill of Torment which will take you up towards North and South Fortuna Mountain. Go left instead and stay on the single track trail that bears right and across a wood footbridge. Continue through rocky but scenic Oak Canyon. You will cross another wooden bridge and have a wooden fence on your left. Follow this trail towards until you cross another wooden bridge and head towards Historic Mission Dam. You will eventually cross the bridge over the dam and now have the San Diego River on your left. There is a water fountain and Port-o-Potty here if you need to stop. Run past the dam and up onto Father Junipero Road and go left on the pavement for about ¼ mile. Look for the entrance on your left and head down the concrete path over the stone bridge and back onto the trail dead ahead. The trail will take you back up into the grasslands. Once in the grasslands continue straight, you will see the 52 freeway in front of you. Look for the 4 corner intersection from the beginning of the run and make a right heading back to your car.
This is a great run and as many opportunities for adding more miles.
You can download a map of Mission Trails Regional Park at www.mtrp.org
See Interactive Map of Route Here
8 Mile Mission Trails Waterfall Run
Upper Otay Lakes Trail Run
In Chula Vista there is a large lake called Otay Lake. It is near the Olympic Training Center and has miles of single track trail to run. The lesser used lake is Upper Otay Lake.
You can access the upper Lake by parking on Otay Lakes Road and running up the paved road until you are above the dam. Follow the fire road around the lake until you cross a small footbridge. Once over the bridge you can fork either left or right. Go to the right along the grassy footpath until you reach a double track trail. Hang a right and follow that down to the lake and loop back the way you came. When you get back to the grassy footpath go right around the ridge then back the way you came for a nice easy 3 mile run.
If you want to do more mileage there is plenty of opportunity at the upper lake. The area is full of single and double track in addition to lots of hills if you want them. You can also hook up the upper and lower lakes for a much longer run. On the lower lake at mile 3.2 when starting from the boat launch there is a concrete drainage tunnel with graffiti all over it. Go through the drainage tunnel. Once through go left up the embankment then right on the paved road. Once at the top follow the fire road around the lake until you cross the footbridge. You can follow the same directions mentioned earlier or explore a new trail.
Upper Otay Lakes Trail Run- Map
See Interactive Map of Route Here
Upper Otay Lakes Run
Del Dios Gorge 13 mile Trail Run
There is a little known trail to runners that travels along the South West side of Lake Hodges. To get there start your run at Hernandez Hideaway on Lakeshore Drive. There is a dirt parking area across from the hidden Mexican restaurant and you can park there.
Head Southwest on single track trail winding along the lake. You will soon come out to a gravel road. Follow the gravel road to Del Dios Highway and you will emerge onto a gravel trail along the road before making a left back onto the main trail. You will now run down into Del Dios Gorge eventually passing the dam and crossing a footbridge back to the other side. Follow this trail that parallels Del Dios Highway. You will soon come to Rancho Santa Fe Golf Course on your left and a series of descending switchbacks. Take these switchbacks down then back up the other side coming to the top of the ridge. At the top you will be under power lines with a stable on your left. You can turn around and backtrack at this point for a total of 13 miles.
There is an option to extend the run and I will be posting this in the future but if you want to try to figure it out yourself here is what you do. When you get to the top of the ridge go left past the stables and you will shortly come to a concrete road. At the concrete road make a left and cross the street looking for a trailhead on the other side and up the road a very short distance. This trail can take you all the way into Black Mountain.
Del Dios Gorge 13 mile Trail Run – Map
See Interactive Map of Route Here
Del Dios Gorge 13 mile Trail Run
Bust through Running Boredom
Even if you’re first in line for San Diego trail running events, you might still get bored with your daily run—and that’s ok. If you run the same routine during the week, you are bound to get bored. Here are a few tips for spicing things up:
- If time doesn’t allow you to run somewhere else, add some spice to your routine in the form of different workouts and effort levels. This means intervals! When your mind is focused on the next interval, you won’t have time to get bored.
- Use free time on the weekend to mark out a new trail system or route. The following week, you’ll look forward to your new route instead of trudging along your familiar one.
- Once a week, run with a group or a friend. By making your run a social experience it will feel less like a chore.
- Create a new playlist! Motivating music has been shown to increase performance. Start your run with easy-going songs and end with faster, more upbeat tunes so you’ll finish strong.
- Investing in custom fit sneakers from our San Diego store will get you motivated!
Become a Running Family
Good habits start young, and if you love running as much as we do, you likely want your little ones to share your enthusiasm for the sport. By running, you model healthy behavior for your kids—and decrease their risk of obesity and other health issues that stem from an inactive lifestyle.
So how can you encourage your reluctant kids to lace up their San Diego running shoes? Let us count the ways.
- Act as an active role model.
Children will copy things they see you do day in and day out. While you may take your daily trail run for granted, it will inspire your children to lead active lifestyles since they see it as the norm.
- Be active as a family.
Put an emphasis on doing activities as a family—active activities. If you have more than one child, encourage your kids to run together.
- Make your family vacations active.
Purposely plan active vacations. Even if you want to take a relaxing beach vacation, break up your time in the sun with activities like runs on the beach, snorkeling and hiking.
Start Running!
It’s no secret that we’re crazy about trail running events in San Diego and the sport in general, but we know that it takes some people a little coaxing to get into running. After all, it can be hard—but if you are a runner you know that it is all worth it!
Here are five reasons to start running now:
- It’s simple. You don’t need any equipment to start running, especially in a place with great weather year-round, like San Diego! In addition to workout clothes, and an iPod if you prefer, all you need is a pair of running shoes. Get custom fit sneakers at San Diego Running Institute!
- Running burns the more calories than the bike, stair-stepper and other gym machines. Enough said!
- Running reduces stress. Once you get into the groove of running, you will feel stress melt away. Try it.
- Regular exercise—including running—reduces the risk of diseases like cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
- Runners live longer. The Stanford University School of Medicine studied 538 runners and 423 healthy non-runners from 1984 until 2005 and asked all subjects (all over the age of 50) to take a disability questionnaire each year. The questionnaire measured simple tasks like shampooing and cutting meat and found that the disability levels were significantly lowered in the group of runners than the non-runners.
Man’s Best Friend
In addition to being trail running shoe experts in San Diego, we are dog lovers, and what better way to combine both passions than by running with man’s best friend? Here are five arguments for running with your furry friend.
- While human running partners can obsess about their GPS stats and calorie tracker, your dog will just let you run free! And isn’t that the point?
- Sure, a human running partner can commiserate with you when the going gets tough. But when the going gets tough your dog will simple wag his tail, and what more encouragement to keep going could you need?
- Can you think of a better way to bond with your animal than by going for a run together? We couldn’t either.
- When you tire your dog out, he will be less likely to chew on your brand new fitted trailing running shoes!
- While a human running partner will accept excuses for missing a run, your dog will not! Studies have proven that people exercising with a dog are more likely to stick with their routine.
Trail Running Safety
It’s no secret that at SDRI, we’re crazy about San Diego trail running events, training and trail runners shoes, but we also know that it order to enjoy the sport, there are certain safety measures that are important. Read a few below before hitting the trails on your next run.
- When embarking on a trail run, think in time, not distance. Hills and rough terrain can double your normal time for a mile, so think about how long you want to be out as opposed to mileage.
- If you are trying a new trail, bring a compass, whistle and smart phone (with mapping capabilities). If you can, go with someone who has run the trail before. If you are going it alone, make sure someone knows your intended route in case you get lost or hurt.
- Even on short runs, bring food with you in case you end up on the trail longer than you intended. The carbs in energy bars and gels will help you concentrate on your path and stay energized.
- Don’t forget about hydration. Take small sips from a hydration pack or water bottle frequently.
- If you are new to trail running, get used to it by taking on easy paths in the beginning and invest in trailing runners shoes—available at our San Diego store.
Don’t Be Beat by the Heat
We didn’t get much of a summer in San Diego last year—June gloom lingered for months after it was welcome—but things are much different this year. While the sunshine and heat is ideal for heading to the beach, it can make trailing running events in San Diego more challenging than usual.
Read our tips for beating the heat during your trail or road runs this summer:
- Stay hydrated! Make sure to drink 8 oz. of liquid before you hit the trail and try to sneak a few sips of water every 15 minutes during your run.
- The coolest time of the day is sunrise, so set your alarm and lace up early! Unfortunately, that is also the most humid part of the day, but luckily San Diego isn’t usually humid!
- Wear technical fabrics on your runs, as the fabric will wick away sweat and have you feeling cool and dry.
- Hats can trap heat, so opt for a visor to shield your eyes from the sun.
- If you love running in a hat, soak it in water and store it in the fridge for at least a half hour before your run. (Note: old baseball caps retain moisture longer than newer technical hats)
- The last tip is for all seasons, not just the summertime: invest in good shoes! As trail running shoe experts in San Diego, we can help you find the perfect pair.
Start Training for the Raptor Ridge Half Marathon Now!
The Raptor Ridge Half Marathon is in October, which means it’s time to get your marathon running shoes from San Diego Running Institute and start training!
Presented by Dirt Devil Racing, the Raptor Ridge Half Marathon will take place at San Dieguito River Park in Esconido on October 9. The out-and-back course kicks off with 4.5 miles of flat and fast jeep road, which winds its way east towards the Wild Animal Park and Raptor Ridge (where the race gets its name).
While the single track up Raptor Ridge is runnable for stronger runners, those with less experience should plan on “hiking” up to the top, where you will be rewarded by views of the entire valley. Trust us: it’s worth it, October in San Diego means perfect weather and the view at the top of the ridge is breathtaking.
If you opted to hike and not run up to the top of Raptor Ridge don’t worry, you will make up time on the way down the other side of Raptor Ridge. Be sure to lean into the hill and run fast as you return to the flats, towards your turnaround point.
Running up the backside of the ridge after the turnaround is easier than running up the single track, as the longer hill features less of an incline. You’ll feel your quads burning on the way up, but try not to break your pace. After cresting the top, you’ll get back on the single track and “trail-surf” your way down to the bottom. Ladies and gentlemen: this is trail running at its finest, so enjoy it, and again enjoy the view.
The mountains will be on your left as you run along the rolling jeep road, so enjoy the view but don’t forget to refill your water at the 5th aid station. You only have three flat miles—flocked by farms on either side—so get into a groove as you finish the finish line. The sound of cowbells and volunteers calling “Runner!” will give you the last burst of energy you’ll need to finish.
Registration is currently open on Active.com. The entry fee is $50 until August 31 and $60 after that (registration closes on October 2).
Check back for more San Diego trail running events.
