Details

Activities
- Mountain Bike
- Hike
- Trail Running
Riding Area

Otay Reservoir
Chula Vista, California
Difficulty Rating

Green rate
Hiking SAC Scale

T1 Hiking
Trail Type

Singletrack
Bike Type

AM, XC
Direction

Both Directions
Climb Difficulty

Green
Physical Rating

Easy
Trail Visibility

Always easy to follow
Season

All Year
Family Friendly

Yes
Dogs Allowed

Yes
TTFs on Trail

Bridge
Ride in Rain

Yes
Global Ranking
#72405 in Mountain Biking [+]
- #89461 in Trail Running
Local Popularity
65 in Mountain Biking [+]
- 5 in Trail Running
- 5 in Hiking

This popular trail encircles the Lower Otay Lake. The trail itself can be completed as a 'lollipop' or it can be connected to other trails in the local network to create an all day epic ride. The trail is primarily singletrack and it pops out onto the dirt/gravel road in a couple spots. There are a few forks and off-shoots, but the overall trail scheme follows the path of the shoreline so a rider can't really get lost. The trail is frequently overgrown in the early spring and then gradually thins out later in the season as the foliage dries. There are a few small 'bridges' along the path on the western side of the lake and depending on the season their use may be necessary to avoid getting wet. Families and new riders will frequent this trail and it is occasionally used for organized races. The boat launch at the southwestern side of the lake has restroom facilities.
In 1897, the first Lower Otay Dam was completed by the Southern California Mountain Water Company. When full, Lower Otay Reservoir has 1,100 surface acres, a maximum water depth of 137.5 feet, and 25 shoreline miles. Lower Otay Reservoir has a water storage capacity of to 47,066.9 acre feet. Water levels are monitored weekly. The reservoir is the home of the United States Olympic Training center for rowing sports. A Curtiss SB2C Helldiver plane was spotted in the lake in February 2009 by a bass fisherman. On May 28, 1945, it had been on a practice bombing run from a nearby aircraft carrier when a stalled engine forced an emergency landing in the reservoir.

source: Lake Description Site

Local Trail Association

San Diego Mountain Biking Association
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Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Kumeyaay

More Stats for Lower Otay Lake Trail multi-use trail trail

Altitude change

19 ft
Altitude min

486 ft
Altitude max

524 ft
Altitude start

493 ft
Altitude end

512 ft
Grade

0.1%
Grade max

-11.8%
Grade min

8.7%
Distance climb

2 miles
Distance down

1 mile
Distance flat

4 miles
Avg time

00:37:19
Avg reverse time

00:51:15
view trail stats

status	date	description
	Apr 8, 2025 @ 7:07pm Apr 8, 2025	Trail is fine but some twiggy branches need to be tamed
	Apr 7, 2025 @ 3:47pm Apr 7, 2025	Did some repairs to bridges.
	Apr 6, 2025 @ 5:29pm Apr 6, 2025	Alright, the bridge finally got me. I knew it was getting wonky but today it tricked me and I went into the muck. I’m coming back with tools.
	Mar 16, 2025 @ 12:20pm Mar 16, 2025	Rode the east side and some of the west. Mostly just fine. There’s some mud and puddles to negotiate but not terrible. Be careful on the middle...
	Mar 8, 2025 @ 12:45pm Mar 8, 2025	Rode the west side. Mostly ideal except for occasional wet spots. Should be dry soon. Bridges were fine.

Lower Otay Lake Trail

Details

Local Trail Association

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

More Stats for Lower Otay Lake Trail multi-use trail trail

Lower Otay Lake... Trail Reports

Recent Ridelog Activity on Trail

Technical Trail Features (TTF)

Photos

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Nearby Trails

Otay Reservoir