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Natural Monuments

Balboa Park

Natural Monuments

Balboa Park

Highlight • Structure

Balboa Park

Name: Balboa Park
Rating: 1.8

Recommended by 4 people out of 5

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Location: San Diego, San Diego County, California, United States

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Best routes to Balboa Park

135

runners

1. Bride Trail – Balboa Park loop from County Center/Little Italy

48.2km

05:05

380m

Hard run. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Hard

3.8

(4)

113

runners

2. Bride Trail – Marston/Luxor Canyon loop from City College

16.9km

01:47

170m

Hard run. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Hard

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3. Bride Trail loop from Hillcrest

11.7km

01:13

90m

Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

Tips

A🚶🏽‍♂️L🚴🏼‍♂️E🏃🏽‍♂️X

May 23, 2025

Balboa Park began as 1400 acres of land set aside in 1868 by San Diego civic leaders. Known then as “City Park”, the scrub-filled mesa that overlooked present-day Downtown San Diego sat without formal landscaping or development for more than 20 years. (Today the Park’s total land parcel has been reduced to 1,200 acres.)

The first steps in Park beautification were made in 1892, largely due to the contributions of Kate Sessions. Sessions offered to plant 100 trees a year within the Park as well as donate trees and shrubs around San Diego in exchange for 32 acres of land within the Park boundaries to be used for her commercial nursery. Several popular species, including the birds of paradise, queen palm, and poinsettia were introduced into the Park’s horticulture because of Sessions’ early efforts. In fact, many of her original trees are alive and visible today.

Just after the turn of the century, a master plan for Park improvements and beautification was formally introduced. Supported by a City tax levied in 1905, the process began in 1903 and continued through 1910. Water systems were installed, planting continued, roads were built, and the Park began to take on much of the familiar look of today.

As San Diego was set to play host to the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, and “City Park” was a less-than-memorable or distinctive name for such an internationally prestigious event. In 1910, Park Commissioners announced plans to re-name City Park and the public was eager to throw potential names into the hat, including San Diego Park, Silver Gate Park, Horton Park, and Miramar Park. After months of discussion and great public interest, the Park Commissioners decided on the name Balboa Park, chosen in honor of Spanish-born Vasco Nuñez de Balboa, the first European to spot the Pacific Ocean while on exploration in Panama.
balboapark.org/about-balboa-park

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Informations

Elevation 50 m

Weather

Today

Thursday 20 November

17°C

13°C

89 %

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Max wind speed: 9.0 km/h

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See runs here

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Location: San Diego, San Diego County, California, United States

Other Popular Places to Check Out

Plaza de Panama, Balboa Park

Embarcadero Marina Park North

Gate to historic downtown

Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden

Leisure Lagoon

Polar Bear and Arctic Exhibit, San Diego Zoo

Elephant Odyssey at San Diego Zoo

Silver Strand State Beach

Bayshore Bikeway

Coronado Ferry Terminal by Centennial Park

Glorietta Bay Park & Boat Launch

Luxor Canyon

Balboa Park

1. Bride Trail – Balboa Park loop from County Center/Little Italy

2. Bride Trail – Marston/Luxor Canyon loop from City College

3. Bride Trail loop from Hillcrest

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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