With trails aplenty, Mission Trails Regional Park is a great place to visit as you enjoy your weekend in San Diego.
Local councilmembers Scott Sherman and Jen Campbell – who are members of the Mission Trails Regional Park (MTRP) Taskforce and MTRP Committee, respectively – opened a new, 5,000-square-foot ranger station at the park Wednesday.
The building will provide rangers with improved resources and facilities to better protect the park and improve the experience for visitors, according to a press release from Sherman’s office.
Also new to the park this week: eye-catching public artwork created by local artist Roman de Salvo. The piece is called “Fountain Mountain,” and features a large boulder with details carved into its surface. A flowing drinking fountain fixtures rises out of the highest point of the boulder.
According to Sherman’s office, the artwork was inspired by the many trails at MTRP.
The ranger station is part of the development of the park, in the works for more than two decades. Dorothy Leonard, Chair of the MTRP Citizens Advisory Committee, said this addition “completes the vision” for the East Fortuna Staging Area at the park.
The station was funded by the City of San Diego and the MTRP Foundation.
Sherman and Campbell both hope the additions to the park help keep MTRP a favorite attraction among locals and visitors.
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“Mission Trails Regional Park has been inspiring visitors since before it opened in 1974,” Campbell said.
Sherman, who’s a native San Diegan, said the park holds a special place in his heart.
“Mission Trails was basically my backyard and playground even before it became an official park,” he said. “I am glad we have invested in improving public safety for this important regional treasure.”
MTRP is one of the largest urban parks in the country. It’s made up of 8,000 acres spanning 11 square miles. Visitors frequent the park for hiking, biking, equestrian trails, rock climbing and its Visitor Center, which hosts educational exhibits and events. MTRP is also home to the Kumeyaay Lake Campground.
