San Diego among top hiking cities in US: study

SAN DIEGO — With landscapes ranging from the beaches and deserts to valleys and mountains, hiking is a popular outdoor activity in the San Diego area.

LawnStarter conducted a study to find the best hiking cities in the U.S. in honor of National Trails Day on June 3. It compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on hiking trail access and quality, climate, safety and other key indicators of hiker-friendliness.

The company ranked San Diego as No. 6 on its list, according to the report. Here is how America’s Finest City stacked up in some key metrics:

• Number of Hiking Routes – 12th
• Number of Top-Rated Hiking Trails (4.5+ Stars and 10+ Reviews) – 13th
• Number of Outdoor Gear Stores – 8th
• Historical Annual Average Number of Extremely Hot Days – 8th
• Natural/Environmental Death Rate – 44th

Other California cities that made the list include Los Angeles (3rd), Oakland (7th), San Francisco (11th), San Jose (12th), Pasadena (20th) and Huntington Beach (42nd).

The San Diego area has a combination of easy and difficult trails to hike.

For people who are not regular hikers but still want to get outside, they can hit up trails like the 1.2-mile Santa Margarita Preserve Trail in Fallbrook or the 1.9-mile Fiesta Island Southern Loop in Mission Bay Park.

If you feel more experienced and want a challenge, El Cajon Mountain Trail is 11 miles while Cowles Mountain to Pyles Peak Trail measures in at 8.1 miles.

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