City Walks & Urban TRAILS

Please note we have cancelled the walks until further notice.


Stroll through downtown La Mesa and enjoy its quaint shops, eateries, and public art.

The La Mesa Arts Alliance is partnering with the community to create a Walking Art Trail through the downtown village. Inside the Walking Art Trail Brochure is a walking map showing the locations of the painted utility boxes and the artist who painted the individual box. Additional public art and local attractions are also highlighted on the walking map.

Art box      

La Mesa Walks!

On Tuesdays enjoy a fun walk with friends and neighbors. 

  • The first and third Tuesday meet at various locations around La Mesa in the evening. (Fast-paced walk)
  • The second Tuesday meet at 9:00 am at the La Mesa Library. On the fourth Tuesday meet at 9:00 am at Porter Park Gazebo. (Slower-paced walk)

[Walk Schedule]

Call 619.667.1300 or email for more information.

Tennis shoes walk


Urban Walking Trails - Get Up, Get Out, Get Movin’!

Take a walk along our Urban Trails. There are three different routes, each marked with colored markers based on level.               Blue - Beginner, Green - Intermediate and Red - Advanced.

La Mesa Urban Trails Map

  • The "Stroll" - 1 mile - A beginner route, flat - start at the La Mesa Railroad Depot
  • The "Stride" - 5 miles - An intermediate route with slight hills - start at Jackson Park
  • The "Challenge" - 3.5 miles - An advanced route with hills and steps - start at Highwood Park

Additional Urban Trails will be added in the future as a result of the award winning Urban Trails Mobility Action Plan. The plan identifies 19 new trails throughout La Mesa connecting La Mesa residents with key community destinations, including parks and recreation, medical facilities, retail, restaurants and more in an effort to increase walking, biking and transit use.

Secret Stairs

The stairs are now open. Please comply to help ensue the stairs can remain open.

secret stairs signs 

Looking for a challenge? The City of La Mesa has several sets of public stairways in the Mt. Nebo / Windsor Hills area. Discover La Mesa’s "Secret Stairs." 

Where to find them view Map

Please be aware the trails and stairs are in very close proximity to private homes. Please be respectful of these properties and do not engage in loud conversations or make noise during early morning and late evening workouts.