Tecolote Canyon Natural Park and Nature Center — Attraction in San Diego

As an ecologist I have been visited this natural reserve a number of times over the last 45 years and I have a plethora of things to say about this area and what irresponsible humanoid encroachment has done to it...When I am done some of you had better "hope" that this park doesn't have night patrols; the homeless encampments need to be removed if they are still there, as some canyon homes have been vandalized and the park rangers and police may eventually remove everything. This is baloney ! A hike through Tecolote Canyon Reserve - especially during the spring time - is a delightful experience for a wildlife admirer; the area is brimming with many varieties of wildflowers and sometimes red tailed hawks and other birds use this area as a nesting site however, human encroachment has put a damper on that... The are plenty of snakes in the area, including rattlesnakes and there are ample warning signs throughout the park that warn visitors to stay on the open trails; the snakes are prevalent during the spring to late fall months and normally hibernate during the winter months. NOTE: It is also against park policy to remove anything from this protected reserve.There are also a number of challenging mountain bike trails and 'single tracks' too. The park has a number of hiking trails of varing difficulties; it goes on for miles, so you need to plan your day carefully.There are several grassy baseball fields at the park entrance and restrooms too however, last time I was there - a couple of years ago - the city caretakers now lock the entry gates before nightfall, as the rapidly expanding homeless population were trashing the restroom areas. As it stands now, I have no idea what the situation resembles; the problem back then seemed minor.There is also plenty of parking however, the area is - I believe - locked down right before dark; the recreational area may have to be reserved for public use. In fact, I recently spent several days wandering through the park and the problems are worsening: I discovered a number of small encampments and several very large clandestine bivouacs; it is clearly evident that small fires have been set , there are human discards and rubbish within these hideaways, as well a few discarded syringes here and there, which is nothing new nowadays. If you stay on the trails, pack plenty of water and your camera too, you're in for a fun filled day ; also try to pick a relatively cool day, as the canyon absorbs...

Great place to poke around in and get some good exercise in too.

I used to live right next to part of this Park and would frequently hike it for a good and intense walk / hike. The trail winds through the creek bed at the bottom of the Tecolote Canyon and is very clear and passable. At the north end, along Balboa Ave, the trail cuts west up the hill and that's a good intense climb. There's a gym in the strip mall at the end of the trail there that uses that section of the trail and its hill as part of the workout for their clients. It's a good pump.

This Canyon has some wetland and a number of different bird species makes use of that. So, if you're a birder then there's plenty here for you. Just take your time and poke around.

A few years back the folks running the Park decided there were too many invasive species of plants that had taken root in it. So, with lots of taxpayer dollars spent, they plucked those plants out and planted lots of native species in their place. They set up an extensive irrigation and fence system to help 'em take root.

As a result, the rabbit population boomed as there were plenty of fresh growths for them to munch. And following the boom of those rabbits came a boom in the coyote population in the Canyon. Used to be I might hear a pack of coyotes yipping at night perhaps a couple of times a year. After the replanting and population boom, it became almost a weekly thing. Even saw one or two of them loping along the trails ahead of me once or twice when I was walking them.

The Park is a real gem to have in such an otherwise urban area. It's not some pristine and carefully tended property like Balboa Park and nor is it really a "wild" nature experience. But it's a nice getaway to go through in an afternoon. And there's a Starbucks up at the end on...

Nearly every day I run through these trails to get my exercise on. I think one of the charms of tecolote is there are so many different trails to go through, and differing geological climates to it....all right in the middle of suburbia. For the first part of my route I actually get to pretend im in a forest. It's lush, green,water flowing (thanks to the rain this year!). Truly beautiful. Then some areas look pretty traditional of SD, chaparral and not much shade.

For those looking for a good challenge there are these awesome rolling steep hills running along the power lines - from Clairemont down to USD. Last weekend I was feeling gung-ho and decided rather than my standard one hill climb, I would just keep going. These hills are near vertical at parts and it's a fun challenge to see how high I can run until i collapse and tumble back down. Just kidding, I just walk up the rest. Ended up doing 3 of them and looping back around along the golf course back home. Not before a bug flew up my nose, I accidentally ran through a swarm of bees running downward, and witnessed a beautiful hawk coasting above me. Ahhhh nature.

I've hiked these trails with a lot of people and everyone seems to really enjoy it. As I said, there are lots of different routes so it's up to your desecration on how far to go and how challenging. Lot's of people take their dogs through them as well - oh and watch out for poison oak! It's dormant right now but is massive quantities during the high season.

It's always nice to have some rockin nature right in the middle of the city. I've crossed paths with a few coyotes but they pretty much keep to themselves and run away from you. Scrawny...