Mission Trails Regional Park facts for kids
Mission Trails Regional Park is a huge open space in San Diego, California. It covers about 7,220 acres (29.2 square kilometers). This park was created in 1974. It is one of the largest city-owned parks in the United States, and the biggest in California.
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Exploring Mission Trails Park
The park has many rugged canyons and hills. You will find both wild natural areas and places set up for fun activities. It is nearly 7,000 acres (28 square kilometers) of open space. The highest point in the park is Cowles Mountain, which is 1,592 feet (485 meters) high. This is also the highest point in the city of San Diego!
The San Diego River flows through the park. There is a special road that lets hikers, bikers, and walkers use one side, and cars use the other. The park is open every day of the year.
Fun Activities and Places to See
Mission Trails Park has sixty miles (97 kilometers) of trails. You can use these trails for hiking, mountain biking, and even horseback riding. There is also a place for rock climbing.
The Kumeyaay Lake Campground has 46 campsites next to a small lake. The park also has a large Visitor and Interpretive Center. It is about 14,000 square feet (1,300 square meters). Inside, you can see exhibits, visit a library, and watch movies in a theater. There is also an art gallery.
The most popular trail is the Cowles Mountain trail (say "Colz"). Hundreds of people hike to the top every day. From the summit, you get an amazing 360-degree view of San Diego County.
Another popular spot is the Old Mission Dam. This dam was built a long time ago to bring water to farms. These farms grew food for the Mission San Diego de Alcala. This was the first mission built by Junipero Serra in California.
Lake Murray is another favorite place in the park. It is a reservoir that provides water to San Diego neighborhoods. The lake is about 168 acres (0.68 square kilometers) big. Fish like trout and bass are often put into the lake.
West Sycamore Area
On December 17, 2014, a new part of the park called West Sycamore opened. This added over 1,100 acres (4.5 square kilometers) to the park. It also added 6 miles (9.7 kilometers) of new trails. West Sycamore is next to the Scripps Ranch community. It is north of the main part of Mission Trails Regional Park.
Park Events
Mission Trails hosts special events every year. An Amateur Photo Contest starts in March, and entries are due by mid-April. Each year, the park celebrates "Explore Mission Trails Day" (EMTD). This fun day happens on the third Saturday of May. All activities for EMTD are free. They take place at the Visitor and Interpretive Center and the Equestrian Staging Area.
Nature in Mission Trails
The park is part of the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion. This means it has special types of habitats and plants. You can find coastal sage and chaparral plants here. These plants are tough and can live in dry conditions. There are also riparian habitats along the San Diego River. These areas have plants that like a lot of water. Many of the plants you see are native to California.
The Park's Recovery from Fire
In 2003, a large wildfire called the Cedar Fire burned a big part of the park. However, the park's natural environment, called chaparral ecology, is very good at recovering from fires. Within a few years, the park looked healthy again. There was little sign of the fire damage.
