Hike: Balboa Park east grand tour

So where is the largest urban park in the country? If you guessed Central Park in NYC or Griffith Park in LA then guess again.

Balboa Park lies in the heart of San Diego, and is not only the largest urban park in the US, but also home to the San Diego Zoo. While most folks just visit the zoo or museums, the best part of Balboa is the hundreds of acres of undeveloped land and the many miles of trails. I often forget that a 15 minute walk from my house is the start of several fantastic and well-maintained hikes.

This 7.7 mile trip is basically a grand tour of the eastern half of Balboa. Its a good mix of unspoilt San Diego nature with some historic neighborhoods and a golf course thrown in. The elevation is mostly level and the trail gentle, but there are are a few hills and canyons, including a particularity steep climb at the end of the trip (folks not used to such terrain may want to map around the return stretch between Florida St and Park Blvd).

Overall, a great hike. And check out the cute house on 3406 Texas Street. Anyone want to buy it for a friend of mine? Anyone?