Trail Advocacy & Projects
The San Diego Mountain Biking Association staff and volunteers work every day to improve trail access for mountain biking in San Diego County. These efforts include keeping in regular contact with federal, state and local land managers, communicating the need for more and better trails with elected officials, locating funding and opportunities for partnerships, understanding where the opportunities and constraints exist, and prioritizing our work in order to use our time effectively.
Working on trails and advocacy generally takes two forms - short term projects and long term efforts.
Short term projects can include trimming/brushing, tread work projects to control erosion, and even bridge replacement. Many factors have to be taken into consideration such as weather, soil conditions, funding, city/county/agency permission and staff availability, and whether the appropriate environmental studies are completed if necessary.
Long term efforts include all of the work that happens before the shovels can even hit the ground. This work is all about meetings, emails, phone calls, being involved in public planning processes and public comment periods, keeping an eye on jurisdictional agendas and land use decisions which might affect current or future trail access, engaging other stakeholder groups, and so much more. Master Trails Plans, Public Access Plans and general park planning are all part of the mix. These plans can occur in the same open spaces or parks where short term efforts continue each season. Developing and getting these plans approved and implemented can take years, if not decades. This the long game that is necessary to ensure that we have trails now and in the future.
There are many opportunities in San Diego for improved recreational trail access but there are also significant issues and challenges. The complexities of land ownership, mitigation, and conservation land and habitat protection requirements along with future development mixed in with federally listed endangered species, cultural resources and water management are a few of the constraints placed on trail development or improvement. There needs to be a balance between the conservation of our open spaces combined with responsible management and reasonable public access.
Here are some of our ongoing trail projects, advocacy efforts and programs.
Any questions can be sent to info@sdmba.com
SAN DIEGO
TRAIL ADVOCACY & PROJECTS
CLEVELAND NATIONAL FOREST
Location: Cleveland National Forest east of San Diego
Land Manager: USFS Cleveland National Forest, Descanso Ranger District
Expected Completion: Multi-Year Project
Status: Phased plan for trail improvement in planning
Location: Alpine, CA
Land Manager: USFS, Cleveland National Forest, Descanso District
Expected Completion: pending land acquisitions for access
Status: in process
Location: Central and Northern San Diego County
Land Manager: USFS Cleveland National Forest, Palomar Ranger District
Expected Completion: Unknown
Status: No current projects or planning
Location: Escondido
Land Manager: City of Escondido
Expected Completion: Multi-Year Project including advocating for a Master Trails Plan
Status: Ongoing
BLACK MOUNTAIN OPEN SPACE PARK
Location: Black Mountain Open Space Park
Land Manager: City of San Diego
Expected Completion: Multi-Year Project
Status: Ongoing
LOS PENASQUITOS CANYON PRESERVE
Location: Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve
Land Manager: City of San Diego & County of San Diego. Del Mar Mesa holdings by California Department of Fish and Wildlife & others
Expected Completion: Multi Year Project
Status: Ongoing
SYCAMORE CANYON & GOODAN RANCH
Location: Poway, CA
Land Manager: County of San Diego
Expected Completion: Multi-Year Project
Status: 2025 Updated Resource Management and Public Access Plan Approved. Implementation to begin spring 2025 on southern trails. Other phases will be implemented as funding and resources are available.
Location: San Diego, CA
Land Manager: City of San Diego
Expected Completion: Multi-Year Project
Status: ongoing planning and trail maintenance
SD URBAN CANYONS & TRI-CANYONS
Location: San Diego, CA
Land Manager: City of San Diego
Expected Completion: Multi-Year project
Status: Ongoing planning and trail maintenance
OTAY REGIONAL TRAIL ALIGNMENT STUDY
Location: Chula Vista, CA
Land Manager: Multi-jurisdictional
Expected Completion: unknown
Status: In Planning
SAN DIEGO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Location: San Diego, CA
Land Manager: U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Expected Completion: Multi-Year Project
Status: In Planning and ongoing trail maintenance
Location: Cuyamaca, CA
Land Manager: California State Parks
Expected Completion: Multi-Year project
Status: Ongoing trail maintenance. Waiting on implementation on General Plan approved in 2015
Location: San Diego, CA
Land Manager: U.S. Marines
Expected Completion: Ongoing
Status: Pending acquisition of this alignment by the County of San Diego which could take a few years to finalize.
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Location: San Diego, CA
Land Manager: Multi-jurisdictional
Expected Completion: Multi-Year Projects
Status: Ongoing
Location: Mission Trails Regional Park | Santee, CA
Land Manager: City of San Diego
Expected Completion: Multi-Year Projects
Status: General Plan Approved by City Council 2019 - Phase 1 Priorities set
LONG-DISTANCE TRAIL ALIGNMENTS
Location: San Diego, CA
Land Manager: Multi-jurisdictional
Expected Completion: Multi-Year Projects
Status: In Planning with some gap completion ongoing
Location: Between Carlsbad and San Marcos, CA
Land Manager: Center for Natural Lands Management
Completion: Multi-Year Project
Status: Ongoing maintenance
Location: San Diego, CA
Land Manager: San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority
Completion: Multi-Year projects
Status: Ongoing maintenance and support of SDRP staff and MTB patrol
Location: Pacific Highlands Ranch
Land Manager: City of San Diego
Completion: Singletrack Built by SDMBA 2020
Location: Chula Vista, CA
Land Manager: City of Chula Vista
Completion: Multi-Year Project
Status: Ongoing maintenance and advocacy to formalize trails
Location: Chula Vista, CA
Land Manager:
- City of San Diego
- County of San Diego
- US Fish and Wildlife
- City of Chula Vista & others
Completion: Ongoing
Status: Project planning and ongoing maintenance
TIJUANA RIVER VALLEY REGIONAL PARK
Location: Chula Vista, CA
Land Manager:
- City of San Diego
- Border Field State Park: California State Parks
Status: Infrastructure issues ongoing. Continued advocacy on cross border sewer issues.
ELFIN FOREST RECREATIONAL RESERVE
Location: San Diego, CA
Land Manager: Olivehain Municipal Water District
Status: Maintenance Ongoing
Location: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Completion: unforeseeable
Status: advocacy ongoing
