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4,088 ft
Distance
17 ft
Climb
-404 ft
Descent
00:06:03
Avg time
-386 ft
Altitude change
495 ft
Altitude min
882 ft
Altitude max
882 ft
Altitude start
495 ft
Altitude end
-9.5%
Grade
-36.3%
Grade max
9%
Grade min
230 ft
Distance climb
3,740 ft
Distance down
115 ft
Distance flat
00:06:03
Avg time
Mesa Trail Details
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Activities
- Mountain Bike
- Hike
- Trail Running
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Riding AreaCowles Mountain
Santee, California -
Difficulty Rating
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Voted DifficultyBlue (2 votes)
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Local Popularity50 in Mountain Biking [+]
- 95 in Trail Running
- 90 in Hiking
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Global Ranking
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Trail TypeSingletrack
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Bike TypeDH, AM
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DirectionBoth Directions
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Climb DifficultyBlack Diamond
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Physical RatingModerate
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Trail VisibilityAlways easy to follow
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SeasonIt's San Diego, you'll be fine.
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Dogs AllowedYes
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TTFs on TrailBerm
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Ride in RainYes
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Land OwnerMission Trails Regional Park Foundation
I parked on Mesa Road (right near Grossmont College) down at the end of the street where you will find the main gate. The trails have clearly marked signs telling you where to go for what trail. This is useful because some of the trail heads look like small clearings off the path. Lots of hikers on these trails so bring a bell if you can. There are a decent amount of bikers here so people are very kind and let you pass.
The climb up Mesa Trail can be challenging especially on a hot summer day. There is some shady parts but it is pretty dusty the whole way up. From the top of Mesa trail you can connect up to Cowles Mountain from the Fire Road, ride a technical chunky downhill (very fun but rough) to Big Rock Park, or you can go right back down Mesa Trail to enjoy all the features you saw on the way up and thought "man if i was only going the other way".
Mesa Trail down (or mesa trail DH as its known on strava) is a flowy. more mellow version of the ride down to Big Rock Park (sorry the name of the trail escapes me). There will be people on the way down like i mentioned earlier but this track isn't particularly fast so it is easy to spot people and vice versa.
About a 20 min walk up (not ride) and about a 5 min downhill for just Mesa Trail Up and Down. Connect with Cowles Mountain for a goodwork out, you can also link up to Mission Trails.
Access Info
Mesa Road Near Grossmont College. Park near the end of the street just past the apartments.
Local Trail Association
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Please consider joining or donating to the local trail association to supportDonate to earn trail karma!
trail development & maintenance.
Traditionally Indigenous Territory
Recent Activity on Trail
Past Week
- 0 rides
6 Months
- 15 rides
- 8 miles avg distance
All
- 154 rides
- Last: Jun 15, 2026
| c1 | c2 | c3 | c4 |
|---|---|---|---|
January | February | March | April |
May | June | July | August |
September | October | November | December |
Mesa Trail Trail Reports
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Trail Conditions
- Unknown
- Snow Groomed
- Snow Packed
- Snow Covered
- Snow Cover Partial
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- Icy
- Prevalent Mud
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Directions to mesa-trail trailhead
(32.820240, -117.021560)
Photos
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Videos
3 more »
3:45 |
217 |
Jan 19, 2022 , Santee
5:55 |
257 |
Mar 22, 2021 , Santee
11:05 |
259 |
Jan 9, 2020 , Santee
5 Reviews & Comments
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Nearby Trails
- Big Rock Trail 2,589 ft
- Cowles Peak Fire Road 1 mile
- Mesa Road 1 mile
- Pyles Peak 1 mile
- Campground Connector 3 miles
- By The-dirt-farmer
& contributors - #42802 - 2,751 views
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Frequently Asked Questions About Mesa Trail
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Where is Mesa Trail located?
Mesa Trail is located in Cowles Mountain, Santee, California, United States. It is part of the Cowles Mountain trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 32.82024, -117.02156.
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How hard is Mesa Trail?
Mesa Trail is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 9.5%. The climb difficulty is rated Black Diamond.
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What is the elevation gain for Mesa Trail?
Mesa Trail has 5 m of elevation gain. The trail has 123 m of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 151 m to 269 m.
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Is Mesa Trail a point to point trail?
Mesa Trail is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
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