Cottonwood Creek Park — Attraction in Encinitas

Cottonwood Creek Park is a charming place to for a picnic! It was incredibly busy on a Tuesday morning with mommy & me music and yoga classes on the lawns, preschool groups, and other families playing on the playground.

There is a well-maintained dirt trail that runs along the creek for about 1/4 of a mile. It continues on to a less-maintained dirt trail that runs right along the 5 freeway so that part makes it not a very tranquil walk. This part of the trail is undergoing maintenance so it looks like a mess right now. When the habitat restoration is complete, it will be a lot more enjoyable. I took our Bob jogging stroller on it but because there is so much debris on the trail it was very bumpy with a stroller. Total distance of the trail is about 3/4 of a mile.

📍95 N Vulcan Ave, Encinitas, CA 92024 🚙Limited free parking in lot & on the street 💰This park is free 🎠The play structure has a rubber/san ground surface and there are both standard and bucket swings 🚽Restrooms 🧺Picnic tables scattered around the park. Some under gazebo 🍔Large charcoal grill under gazebo 🪑Park benches at playground 🏖Playground is close to the beach 🖼Large lawns 🌳A couple shady trees but the playground is very sunny 🌟Clean grounds 🛣Far from busy roads 🥾Dirt hiking trail 🚲Paved path where kids can ride small bikes and scooters 🚂Train nearby (we saw two while we were there) 🏀2 half basketball...

Sorry guys,, no photos this time. For being in the middle of suburbia, this part surprised me with how nice it was, how clean, and how remote woodsy type it was. It almost felt like I was back up in a Seattle area park. It's not that huge of a park but it has a creek and plenty of trees that hide it from residential area in the north, the commercial area to the East and South, and roads all around. You can't even tell that your near all that, once your in the park. Very cool. Has plenty of grassy lawn areas, nice shade trees, open areas, play ground/ fitness areas, super clean bathrooms and even pickle ball courts in the back. Very cool. A great place to just chill for lunch or a picnic when I'm in the Encinitas area and don't feel like hanging out...

The park itself is absolutely beautiful, I love coming here with my kiddos and enjoying the afternoon. However, my only issue is that the parking lot remains completely full when nobody Is in the park. Most, if not all of the parking spaces are being taken up by people who are part of the tennis court. I understand since that’s a part of the park that parking should be available, however, it should not take away from the parking that moms with their babies need to be able to use in order to take their kids to the park. Something needs to change because it’s Insane that moms with young kids are forced to park across the street on a dirt road, when those who have the ability to park across the street don’t and take up the entire...