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Big Rock Road Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 153 Google reviews · Running trail in Santee, California · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Big Rock Road Trail's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Kid-friendly hiking area with challenging trails, scenic views, and a variety of plants.
What runners say about Big Rock Road Trail
“It's a beautiful hike, a little more difficult once you get to the service road then going up the front way.”
“I find that there is a good breeze, and a fair amount of shade.”
The trail is 4.5 miles round trip with a 1.2k ft elevation gain. It is rated difficult, but anyone with average health (even without hiking experience) should be able to finish the roundtrip in under 2.5 hours, especially with good shoes and hiking poles.
This is a really great trail. You get a good amount of exercise but it's not overwhelming. I find that there is a good breeze, and a fair amount of shade. Parking doesn't really seem to be a problem either.
Definitely worth the effort. You can make it up in less than an hour and your efforts will be rewarded with great views all around. Two great photo signs show you what you are looking at in both directions. This is a much quieter route up than the one most people take.
Our favorite local hike. The service road has some decent incline but the main trail is all age friendly as you will see once you get out there...Enjoy! PSA...please clean up after yourselves and your pets. Thank you
Trail conditions & character
“It's a beautiful hike, a little more difficult once you get to the service road then going up the front way.”
“Only the last less than half mile right before the summit is a bit steep and would need shoes with better gripping (especially the downhill part).”
“I find that there is a good breeze, and a fair amount of shade.”
Plan your run at Big Rock Road Trail
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near Santee
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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