Quick Hikes In & Around Oceanside

Are you looking for some quick hikes in and around Oceanside? Look no further than this handy-dandy brief overview of some trails and hikes that are not only beautiful to take in, but easy to maintain your 6 foot radius of personal space!

Hike Oceanside

Guajome Regional Park

Guajome Regional Park is located in the coastal community of Oceanside, including not only 4.5 miles of park trails to meander through, but also is surrounded by chaparral, woodlands, wetlands and mixed grasslands! There are two gorgeous fishing ponds and a sizable amount of open grass area, perfect for a picnic day, or to simply relax!

Location: 3000 Guajome Lake Road, Oceanside, CA 92057

Insider Tips:

Dogs at Guajome Regional Park must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet.
Bring a few bucks with you! Parking is $3.
The lake is great to feed the geese and ducks
Park rangers are onsite to patrol the area to ensure safety.

Buena Vista Lagoon Ecological Reserve Trail

Enjoy the 1/4 mile nature trail that loops around the Buena Vista Audubon Society. A variety of native plants and habitats are represented, which are planted and maintained by the Native Plant Club. Use the smartphone-friendly interactive online mapping program to help identify plants and key features along the trail. To access the mapping program enable the GPS navigation location on your smartphone, and then use one of the following maps to find out more!

Map of Plants and Features

Location: 2202 S Coast Hwy, Oceanside, CA 92054

Insider Tips:

Their programs help foster a knowledge and appreciation for the plants and animals that make up the natural ecosystem of our community. Their nature trail is open and perfect for exploring nature in their wetlands. Bring your binoculars!
Learn more about seasonal birding in Oceanside and what to see when.

Oak Riparian Park

Oak Riparian Park is a scenic public park that connects to over 6.4 miles of trails via Carlsbad’s Calavera Trail System, providing access to the Lake Calavera Trails. Walking the outskirts of the park on the cemented path will lead you to a wooded area that marks an entrance to the Calavera Trail System. After traversing the small crossing head right along the path and before long you will run into trail head signs. Continue on the path and enjoy a pleasant roughly 1.4 mile hike to reach Lake Calavera. Dogs on leash are welcome, as are mountain bikes. The main trail has numerous smaller trails that spider off in several directions, we recommend planning ahead using Google Maps as a guide.

Location: 4625 Lake Blvd, Oceanside, CA 92056

Insider Tips:

Strollers and wheelchairs can be used on the wide cemented path around the park
The Lake Calavera trails are open to bicycles and dogs on a leash. No motorized vehicles or horses are permitted.

Coastal Rail Trail

The Coastal Rail Trail will one day be 44 miles total from Oceanside to San Diego, along the Coaster commuter rail! Today there are four disconnected stretches of trailheads in Oceanside, Carlsbad and Solana Beach, currently open for use. In Oceanside, two trail segments allow for non-motorized travel through downtown. From near the Oceanside Transportation Center at Tyson Street to Oceanside Boulevard, the paved trail runs on the west side of the train tracks. As previously mentioned, the second paved trail runs south of Loma Alta Creek runs from Morse Street to Vista Way, adjacent to Lions Club Park!

Location: Near the Oceanside Transportation Center at Tyson Street to Oceanside Boulevard and/or South of Loma Alta Creek from Morse Street to Vista Way, with a crossing of the active train tracks required at Cassidy Street.

Insider Tips:

A new bike path located on the west side of railroad property owned by the North County Transit District.
Easy access to a continuous bike path from Oceanside Blvd connecting directly to the Oceanside Transit Center.
The bike paths are Class I bike paths; bikeways that are physically separate from vehicular traffic.
2 blocks west of the north end lies Tyson Street Park, offering ocean views.

Garrison Creek Trail (El Corazon Nature Trail)

Location: 3210 Oceanside Boulevard, Oceanside, CA 92057

Accessible Monday – Friday 7:30am – 5:00pm and Saturdays 8am – 4pm. A wide inviting trail of rolling hills, birds and wildlife, with lovely sights around each bend. This one-mile trail is perfect for a daily stroll, nature exploring with kids, jogging, or walking your dog on leash.

San Luis Rey River Trail

The San Luis Rey River Trail is a Class I bicycle trail open to pedestrians as well. The trail is 7.2 miles, one way, from the Neptune access (west end) to the eastern-most point on the College Bridge. The trail follows the path to the San Luis Rey River. Walkers and runners are welcome to bring their dogs to the trail for exercise as well. Just remember, if you use the trail with your four-legged friends, please pick up after them to keep the trail enjoyable for everyone!

Location: Access Point 1, the western-most entrance, is located on Neptune Way in downtown Oceanside. Access Point 10, the eastern-most entrance, is located on North Santa Fey Avenue and Highway 76.

Insider Tips:

The trail is smooth and mostly flat, makes it a local favorite among cyclists, walkers and inline skaters.
Dogs using the trail must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet.
This trail leads you all the way to the beach too, so don’t forget your camera.