The first time that I ever walked on the Bridle Trail, starting on the south end right behind Nate’s Dog Park, was with a photographers’ meetup five years ago one summer evening. We opened the gate to the dog park and with dogs running up to us, hoping to make new friends, we walked straight across and opened two more gates. It was like stepping into a secret passageway through a tangle of trees, with the iconic California Tower in the background.
A few weeks ago, that same trailhead looked like a scene from a children’s fantasy, with garland daisies growing as tall as me and my husband as we stepped onto the trail. Slowly curving down and around, the path makes its way right alongside Highway 163. Though the hustle and bustle of traffic was just yards away, critters of all kinds, from squirrels to lizards to birds, were busily finding food and shelter among the trees. Sour Grass flowers beamed bright yellow among the lush green grass.
When we found ourselves directly below the arches of the Cabrillo Bridge, we had to stop and gaze at the architectural marvel. I remembered the first time I drove beneath the bridge on the highway at night when I first moved to San Diego. The lights on the bridge as I drove under the arches were like a kingly welcome.
Walking on the Bridle Trail, named for the paths that once attracted equestrian enthusiasts, is a surreal experience. The cars and trucks zoomed by us while squirrels zig-zagged among the grasses. On the trail, we found several wooly bear caterpillars. At the top of trees, Anna’s hummingbirds gleamed like miniature rainbows in the sunlight.
A small redwood forest, from trees planted during the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in San Diego, was long part of the attraction to the trail. However, the grove was cut down in 2018 after dying from a lack of water. As a result, there are some holes in the view towards the sky from the loss of trees, yet the trail still holds much charm.
We did have to plot our steps carefully along much of the trail because of all the recent rains. I likened it to trudging through thick lava mud cake. Much of the trail is up and down, providing a good cardio workout for those who want it. Yet this time of year, it’s hard not to take a break and gaze at the sun sparkling through groves of trees. There are plenty of detour paths off the main trail leading up to lots of places to explore the nooks and crannies in back of the park.
An abandoned exit ramp from one of the streets in Hillcrest provides an unobstructed view of the traffic going both ways right under us. I was reminded of scenes from modern sci-fi thriller movies as rabbits and squirrels high-tailed it out of our way as fast as possible while the cacophony of traffic rushed below us. We soon left the abandoned ramp and tiptoed through the mud back to the trail.
The final steep incline led us to the enormous lawn and yard of the Marston House. We were greeted by a black phoebe darting among the trees for insects and a fox squirrel, basking in the sun, perched on the fence. Tall pine, eucalyptus and oak trees reached to the skies, providing refreshing shade for us. We breathed deep the good air, thankful for a nice hike with lots of surprises.
The entire trail, which is about two miles and can begin at either end — Nate’s Dog Park or the Marston House — took us about an hour, including stops to admire the bridge and views, the trees and wildlife. It’s a walk on the wild side of Highway 163, not to be missed.
