Top rated Nature preserves in San Diego, United States to elevate your visit (Updated March, 2024)

Top rated Nature preserves in San Diego

Experience the best that San Diego has to offer with our curated list of top-rated places. Sorted by average review scores from venues boasting over 30 reviews, these establishments promise exceptional quality and experiences to elevate your visit in the city. This list contains 16 places from Nature preserve category.

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Within San Diego

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

Nature preserve

Acres of oceanside trails for exploring or exercising while spotting occasional dolphins or bobcats.

4.80 (14.2K reviews)

Mission Trails Regional Park

Park

8,000-acre recreational park featuring 60 miles of trails, along with a lake for boating & camping.

4.80 (7.6K reviews)

Cowles Mountain Trailhead

Hiking area

Picturesque uphill hiking trail known for its panoramic views at the summit.

4.80 (1.7K reviews)

Point Loma Tide Pools

Hiking area

National monument rock pools exposed at low tide below sandstone cliffs teeming with rich sea life.

4.80 (1.4K reviews)

Lily Pond

Nature preserve

👍👍 This is a very popular photo spot in Balboa Park, day or night. There are always lots of fish to look at.

4.80 (108 reviews)

Ocean Beach Tide Pools

Nature preserve

👍👍 Better be CAREFUL, very slippery when wet to be able to walk across the tide pools to explore and have an amazing seat for the sunset. Not really accessible when the tide is high but 80% of the time you can walk across at ease. Not exactly wheelchair accessible but on a scale of 1-10 on difficulty I...

4.70 (468 reviews)

San Diego - La Jolla Underwater Park

City park

This huge underwater park with artificial reefs & kelp beds is popular with marine life enthusiasts.

4.70 (286 reviews)

Del Mar Mesa Preserve

Park

900-acre preserve offering hiking & mountain biking trails, seasonal wetlands & scenic canyon views.

4.70 (71 reviews)

Los Penasquitos Canyon County Preserve

Nature preserve

Preserve (name means "little cliffs") with trails across 3,500+ acres of Peñasquitos & Lopez canyons.

4.60 (566 reviews)

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Extension

Nature preserve

Beachside park features sandstone bluffs, a visitor's center, rare pine trees & nature trails.

4.60 (207 reviews)

Switzer Open Space

Park

Natural park with a hiking trail following a picturesque, plant-covered river canyon.

4.60 (102 reviews)

Tijuana River County Open Space Preserve

Nature preserve

Forest & scrubland trails for walking, cycling & horseback riding, plus riverside campgrounds.

4.50 (106 reviews)

Maple Canyon Open Space

Park

👍👍 Our new favorite place to hike with kids. The bridge is nice on top but the real fun is to hike down. Turn left right in front of the bridge if you’re on 3rd and Quince. You’ll see a small hidden path that goes down into the canyon. You can park on Quince no issues. Everything right now is super gr...

4.50 (52 reviews)

Cabrillo Canyon

Nature preserve

👍👍 This is one of my go to trail runs. I start near one of the canyon entrances in the neighborhood of Hillcrest. I either take the stairway up to the grassy parks on the edge of Balboa Park or run the trial to the Juniper Stairs. It's always beautiful.

4.50 (41 reviews)

Cedar Ridge Park Canyon

Nature preserve

👍 Nice park with play area for kids. Nice walking/bike path and bbq pits for your picnic

4.50 (41 reviews)

Ruffin Canyon Open Space

Nature preserve

👍👍 Really enjoyed this little hike out there, don’t get me wrong it’s nothing crazy there isn’t like an amazing mountain top peak or like a deep valley but hey it’s in the middle of San Diego and it’s a nice little walk about 2 miles or so I ran into one couple with there dog and you are walking on a d...

4.40 (40 reviews)

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Top rated Nature preserves in San Diego, United States