UPDATE You can follow San Diego Horse Trails on Twitter

The purpose of this site is to provide information to equestrians about horse and mule trails in San Diego County. I’ve compiled information on some of my favorite trails most of which I have ridden on my horse, Gizmo.

I’ve found there is little information out there on horseback riding trails. While hikers, cyclists and horseback riders can all share the same trails, horseback riders have special requirements and there is little available information on this. For example, horseback riders need a larger parking area to accommodate their trucks and trailers. We also want to know if there is water available for our horses and if trails are rocky, deeply rutted or very steep. Personally, I like loops, although I appreciate that a trail can look completely different when you turn around and tackle it from a different direction.

Trails are great! They are the perfect type of exercise for all the family, whether walking, cycling or horseback riding. Trails play an important role in conserving the environment. They promote understanding and love of nature. Thanks to the tireless work done by local politicians, county staff and many excellent riding, hiking and cycling organizations, there is now universal acceptance that a well developed and maintained trails system is a huge benefit to the community.

I have focused on the trails that I know. I welcome input from others and encourage you to add to this website so that one day it will be comprehensive and provide current information on our local trails.

When I started to research this project, I was delighted to discover that there is a lot of excellent information on the internet about equestrian trails, created by terrific groups such as Tijuana River Valley Equestrian Association and Bonita Valley Horsemen. As I was unaware of the extent of this information, I am going to assume that not all equestrians know of them either. Therefore, I have collected here a fair amount of information from the public domain for this project.

This website provides information for horseowners. If you do not have a horse, but you would like to try trail riding, here are some links to rental horse stables. I have not tried them personally, so check them out yourself - and enjoy!

Ride the Vines, Temecula area: http://ridethevines.com/
Big Schott Ranch, North County: http://www.bigschottranch.com/
Bright Valley Farms, Spring Valley: http://brightvalleyfarms.com/
Happy Trails, beach rides in Imperial Beach: http://www.happytrails-usa.com/

One last point, this website contains information about publicly owned recreation and wilderness areas. Trails and pathways are not necessarily marked. Conditions can change rapidly. Horseback riders should be properly equipped and have safety and navigational skills. This website and its contributors assume no responsibility for any adverse experience.

You can contact me at claremaudsley@cox.net. Also, please follow me on Twitter - sandiegohorsetrails @sandiegohorsetr if you would like to know of changes and updates to these trails.