Mount Soledad - Cycling On Mount Soledad

Cycling On Mount Soledad

Because of the variety of long steady climbs, light traffic on most routes, and great views, Mount Soledad is a popular cycling destination and area. There are numerous routes ranging from the relatively gradual, 3.5-mile (5.6 km) mile climb up Soledad Mountain Road on the southern slopes to the very steep and short, 1.25-mile (2.0 km), Hidden Valley Road to Via Capri route on the north side.

The routes up to the top of Mount Soledad going clockwise starting in Pacific Beach, are (note: the footnotes are links to Google maps showing the routes):

  1. Soledad Mountain Road - From Garnet Ave up Soledad Mountain Road to La Jolla Scenic Drive South.
    • Variation (Pacifica) - From Pico Street at Garnet Ave: Pico Street, Pacifica Drive (steep), Amity Street, Middleton Road, Middleton Way, Soledad Rancho Road, Soledad Mountain Road, La Jolla Scenic Drive South.
    • Variation (Beryl Way and Pendleton St.) - Soon after starting up Soledad Mountain Rd, take Beryl Way, left on Beryl St., right on Quincy, right on Wilbur, left on Loring, right on Pendleton, left on Amity to join the Pacifica variation route.
  2. Soledad Road - Lamont Street, which becomes Soledad Road, to Soledad Mountain Road and La Jolla Scenic Drive South.
    • Variation (Alta La Jolla Drive) - While going up Soledad Road, turn left at Alta La Jolla Drive, then right on Cardeno Drive and up to the top via La Jolla Scenic Drive.
  3. Cardeno Drive - Fanuel Street, which becomes Cardeno Drive, to La Jolla Scenic Drive South.
    • Variation (Castle Hills Drive) - From Foothill Blvd. at Vickie Drive head up Vickie Drive, then left on Castle Hills Drive, and Calle Vaquero to Cardeno Drive.
  4. Rutgers - From Turquoise St at Cass St, take Cass St up, left on Van Nuys, right on Candlelight Dr, Vista Claridad, Rutgers Rd, to La Jolla Scenic Drive South.
  5. La Jolla Mesa - Mission Boulevard, which becomes La Jolla Mesa Drive, to La Jolla Scenic Drive South.
  6. La Jolla Rancho - Forward Street, Linda Rosa Ave, La Jolla Corona Drive, La Jolla Rancho Road, La Jolla Scenic Drive.
  7. Muirlands Vista - Nautilus Street, Muirlands Vista Way, Muirlands Drive, La Cumbre Drive, El Camino Teatro, La Jolla Scenic Drive South.
  8. Muirlands - West Muirlands Drive, briefly left on Nautilus, then Muirlands Drive, El Camino Teatro and La Jolla Scenic Drive South.
  9. Nautilus - Nautilus Street at Neptune Place to La Jolla Scenic Drive South.
  10. Valverde - Nautilus Street, Via Valverde, Caminito Valverde, Caminito Bassano West, Upper Hillside Drive, Via Casa Alta (steep grade), La Jolla Scenic Drive South.
  11. Upper Hillside - Exchange Place, Country Club Drive, Romero Drive, Brodieaa Way, Encilia Drive, Upper Hillside Drive (requires walk through side pedestrian gates to get around a short section of private road with locked gates across the road at each end), Via Casa Alta, La Jolla Scenic Drive South.
  12. Hillside - Hillside Drive at Torrey Pines Road to Via Siena and up Via Capri (very steep).
    • Variation (paved path): Where Hillside becomes Via Siena, turn right to continue along the remaining short dead-end section of Hillside, where it becomes a paved path. At the end of the path it is easy to connect to Via Capri near the top.
    • Variation (Soledad Ave) - Exchange Place, Soledad Ave, to Hillside Drive....
    • Variation (historic bridge detour) - Exchange Place, Soledad Ave, Al Bahr Drive, Crespo Street, Castellana Road to Hillside Drive...
  13. Via Capri - Hidden Valley Road to Via Capri - very steep in sections.

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