Home › California › Poway › Lake Poway Park
Lake Poway Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 421 Google reviews · Running trail in Poway, California · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Paved
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Lake Poway Park'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.
Park offering boating, hiking and playgrounds, plus a store selling food, snacks and fishing supplies, and boat rentals.
What runners say about Lake Poway Park
“Beautiful place to have a picnic, walk around, nice bathrooms but there's a fee to park inside”
Beautiful lake and park in Poway! Really amazing playground for kids. Dog friendly in most places. Lots of hiking trails and wildlife to observe. You can rent boats to go on the lake and fish. Nice cafe that sells food and drinks. $10 to park inside as a non-Poway resident and non-military.
Nice recreational spot. Great for picnics and hiking. There are picnic tables and public restrooms. There are a couple gazebos but there are enough large trees to provide shade. There is a playground for younger children. There is a walk around the lake that takes about an hour or less to complete.
First time here just so you're aware they do charge for parking just to enter. I came early on Saturday morning and the weather Was great and not Too hot. There is plenty for families to do, Lots of trails and options. Be mindful one trail says possible mountain lions to beware. We rented a little boat..
Super nice park. Really worth to stay. Even better than potato chip hiking. Stay for a hour and enjoy the best views of san Diego!!!
Trail conditions & character
“Beautiful place to have a picnic, walk around, nice bathrooms but there's a fee to park inside”
“Beautiful place to have a picnic, walk around, nice bathrooms but there's a fee to park inside”
“Heads up, if you park in the lot there’s a $10 fee on weekends but parking is free on weekdays.”
“The park has tons of benefits and bbq concrete areas.”
Plan your run at Lake Poway Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
- 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.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- Websitepoway.org
- Phone(858) 668-4778
Hours
| Monday | 6 AM–7 PM |
| Tuesday | 6 AM–7 PM |
| Wednesday | 6 AM–7 PM |
| Thursday | 6 AM–7 PM |
| Friday | 6 AM–7 PM |
| Saturday | 6 AM–7 PM |
| Sunday | 6 AM–7 PM |
Running trails near Poway
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Mount Woodson Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 831 reviews
Challenging 6.4-mile roundtrip hike offers unusual rock formations & views of downtown & the ocean.
Blue Sky Ecological Reserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 868 reviews
Wild 700-acre canyon habitat for myriad flora & fauna, with hiking trails & guided tours.
Twin Peaks Trail Summit
4.8 ★★★★★ 46 reviews
Popular hiking area with well-maintained trails leading to a summit with panoramic views.
Potato Chip Rock
4.7 ★★★★★ 3,081 reviews
Hikers flock to this unique, thin rock at the peak of the Mount Woodson for dramatic photographs.