more stats
3,320 ft
Distance
215 ft
Climb
00:07:38
Avg time
215 ft
Altitude change
209 ft
Altitude min
424 ft
Altitude max
209 ft
Altitude start
423 ft
Altitude end
6.5%
Grade
29.1%
Grade min
3,261 ft
Distance climb
59 ft
Distance flat
00:07:38
Avg time

Switchbacks Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Gravel Bike
    • Adaptive Bike
    • Winter Fat Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Los Peñasquitos Canyon
    San Diego, California
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (1 vote)
  • Local Popularity
    100 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 100 in E-Biking
    • 55 in Trail Running
    • 80 in Hiking
    • 5 in Winter Fat Biking
    • 5 in Adaptive Biking
    • 85 in Gravel Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #27274 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #2239 in E-Biking
    • #61553 in Trail Running
    • #22852 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC, Fat, Adaptive MTB, CX, Gravel
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • Land Owner
    City of San Diego

Used for connecting Deer Canyon to Del Mar Mesa. This trail is bi-directional. Always anticipate other trail users.

Adaptive Bike Info
aMTB Black Rating: Advanced obstacles exist, some trail obstructions.

Bridge at bottom is too narrow. Most of trail is pretty narrow too. Lots of bush wacking

Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 13 rides
  • 15 miles average
6 Months
  • 256 rides
  • 17 miles avg distance
All
  • 2,088 rides
  • Last: Sep 20, 2026
c1c2c3c4
January
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Status:
on Sep 12, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 4.49 (10 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (13,214)
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      Directions to switchbacks-48310 trailhead (32.950530, -117.179080)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      6 more »
      mtb
      114 |
      Jan 23, 2026 @ 11:37am
      Jan 23, 2026
      mtb
      168 |
      Apr 29, 2021 @ 5:54pm
      Apr 29, 2021
      mtb
      321 |
      Mar 12, 2020 @ 6:46am
      Mar 12, 2020
      mtb
      328 |
      Mar 12, 2020 @ 6:43am
      Mar 12, 2020

      Videos

      7 more »
      San Diego Mountain Bike Trail Review for...
      mtb
      15:53 | 63 | Oct 3, 2025 , San Diego
      MTB San Diego Jam Session, Switchbacks. Trail...
      mtb
      4:51 | 117 | Nov 4, 2024 , San Diego
      Bobbing and Weaving Through San Diegos Tunnel...
      mtb
      24:45 | 185 | Jul 7, 2024 , San Diego
      San Diego beginner and advanced mountain...
      mtb
      10:15 | 114 | May 17, 2024 , San Diego

      Technical Trail Features (TTF)

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      Links

      4.8 ★★★★★
      10 Ratings
      5 ★ 90%
      4 ★
      3 ★ 10%
      2 ★
      1 ★

      15 Reviews & Comments

      delawyf
      True to its name with some tight switchbacks.
      infi infi
      does anyone know why eucalyptus isnt on the map anymore?
      mixedem0tions mixedem0tions
      Fun but very hard as a climb. Not sure if there is a better option up from "Big Tony's" trailhead off of the 56

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      Nearby Trails

      Los Peñasquitos Canyon

      • By The-dirt-farmerTF Pro & contributors
      • #48310 - 4,941 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Switchbacks located?
      Switchbacks is located in Los Peñasquitos Canyon, San Diego, California, United States. It is part of the Los Peñasquitos Canyon trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 32.95053, -117.17908.
      ▼ How hard is Switchbacks?
      Switchbacks is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 6.5%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Switchbacks?
      Switchbacks has 215 ft of elevation gain. The elevation ranges from 209 ft to 424 ft.
      ▼ Is Switchbacks a point to point trail?
      Switchbacks is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Switchbacks?
      Switchbacks is 3,320 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Switchbacks?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Switchbacks. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Switchbacks?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Switchbacks are:
      • April (136 activities)
      • May (132 activities)
      • August (96 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Switchbacks? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Switchbacks are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Switchbacks?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 8 minutes to ride Switchbacks. The trail is 3,320 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Switchbacks?
      Switchbacks is a very popular trail. There have been 13,012 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 13,214 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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