Tecolote Canyon Reopened From the Tecolote Road End First

The parking lot at 5180 Tecolote Road is the best way into the canyon again. From the Tecolote Nature Center, the trail runs north past the University of San Diego access point toward the Tecolote Canyon Golf Course. In its October 26 project update, the City of San Diego lists both of those stretches as "now open." Past those two stretches, the trail inside the golf course and the stretch from Mount Acadia Boulevard to Balboa Avenue are still closed, each on its own schedule.

That split shapes the canyon this fall. The open trail starts at the southern end, closest to Morena Boulevard and Bay Park, and runs north through Phases 1a and 1b. The closed sections farther north will reopen separately.

Why the south end opened first

This is a sewer project before it's a park project. The City is rehabilitating and replacing 4.7 miles of trunk sewer pipe through the canyon. Crews are digging open trenches in some areas and using trenchless methods with jacking and receiving pits in the environmentally sensitive sections. The trail closures follow the heavy work. The City cites construction vehicle traffic, narrow trails, deep excavations and around-the-clock work as the reasons sections are off-limits.

The City's March 2026 fact sheet projected that Phases 1a and 1b would be finished in summer 2026. Both phases are now open, which puts the southern trail back in use for anyone coming from the Tecolote Road side.

Farther up the canyon, the Mount Acadia Boulevard detour is finished. The City says periodic traffic control will stay there "for the foreseeable future." The trail from Mount Acadia Boulevard to Balboa Avenue stays closed around the clock until summer 2027. That's the construction clock, and it has an end date.

The golf course trails depend on a lease

The trails inside the golf course follow a different process. Under the City's update, construction through the course is "nearing completion." But the course reopens only after three things happen: the project wraps, an operator is selected, and the City Council approves a new lease. The trails within the course stay closed until then.

Here's how it got there. Times of San Diego reported in February that the City decided in January to end its long relationship with American Golf Course Corporation. The City's 35-year lease with the company had ended in 2022 and had been renewed month to month since then. In a statement quoted in the same Times of San Diego story, Councilmember Jen Campbell said, "The golf course will remain a golf course." She added that the City was preparing a request for proposals for a new lease after the infrastructure repairs were finished.

The money helps explain the timing. Times of San Diego, citing the City's performance audit of its golf courses, reported that Tecolote Canyon brought in just under $3 million in lease revenue in the last fiscal year. Mission Trails brought in $4.96 million and Fairbanks Ranch $16.7 million. In the 2024 fiscal year, a quarter of Tecolote's lease revenue, $735,293, went to the City as rent. Campbell called ending the lease "the right time" and said the decision would "enhance long-term revenue and public benefit," according to the same report.

The City issued its request for proposals on February 20, 2026. Site visits were March 23 and 24, proposals were due April 14, and interviews were scheduled for the week of April 27. FOX 5 reported that the new operator will be responsible for real capital work as well as daily operations. That includes replacing the bridges over Tecolote Creek, finishing the irrigation system replacement, and upgrading the clubhouse pro shop and food and beverage service. Golf tournaments, instructional programs and coaching are also required to continue. Once the City picks a proposal, lease terms are negotiated and go to the City Council for approval.

The 71-acre course borders Clairemont, Bay Park and Linda Vista. It was designed by Sam Snead and Robert Trent Jones Sr. and is part of the Tecolote Canyon Natural Park Master Plan, which means any improvements have to meet the canyon's environmental guidelines.

Getting the most out of the open stretch

Since the open trail starts at the Nature Center, the building matters more than usual. Friends of Tecolote Canyon lists free parking, facilities, a native plant garden and exhibits at 5180 Tecolote Road. The City describes the exhibits as covering the canyon's animal and plant life, and notes that the building also hosts meetings, workshops, classes and special events.

A few details to plan around:

• Hours. The Nature Center is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed Sunday and Monday.
• Short-notice closures. Friends of Tecolote Canyon warns that the center can close on short notice when it's understaffed. If your visit depends on the building, call ahead.
• Dogs. Dogs must be on a leash in the canyon.
• Construction nearby. The City asks visitors to use caution and keep a safe distance from any construction activity.

The City puts the park's full trail network at about 6.5 miles. Right now, the walkable part starts at the Tecolote Road lot and heads north.

The City's work also includes a long tail after the digging stops. Revegetation plans call for a 120-day plant establishment period, 25 months of monitoring for vegetated areas, and 60 months of monitoring for all restoration areas. The reopened stretches will look different for a while as replanted areas fill back in.

On the calendar this month

The Nature Center has two free programs this month, one for adults and one for preschoolers.

Thursday, Nov. 5, at 5 p.m. Friends of Tecolote Canyon hosts "Nature Nights at Tecolote" at 5180 Tecolote Road. It's a free adult program on microplastics research, listed on the group's Meetup page.

Tuesday, Nov. 17, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. The City's free Little Owlets storytime for preschoolers includes a craft, activity or hike at the Nature Center. The City lists the Little Owlet Book Club as a monthly program on the third Tuesday of each month.

For lunch after a morning walk, Morena Boulevard has something new. Eater San Diego's October roundup reports that Modern Kabob, a family-run counter-service restaurant at 1118 Morena Blvd., opened in early September. An Iraqi-American mother and her four sons run it, and the menu includes house-made falafel, beef kabobs, chicken shawarma, dolma, lahmacun and baklava made from a family recipe.

If you want updates on the remaining closures as they come, the City runs an email list for the Tecolote Canyon Trunk Sewer Improvement and Golf Course Water Connection project, and its project page shows the latest trail status.

Being able to walk into the canyon from your own street is part of what a Bay Park home is worth, and the reopened south end brings that back. If you're curious how canyon access figures into your home's value, Kara Kay & Associates would be glad to walk you through it. Request a Home Valuation and we'll take it from there.