PAVED PATH · ALONGSIDE THE TRACKS
Coastal Rail Trail
1.7 mi (Solana Beach segment) · Easy — flat, paved · Free
About the Coastal Rail Trail
The town's flattest, most useful piece of infrastructure for anyone on foot or two wheels — a paved multi-use path running alongside the rail line, connecting the Cedros Design District to the neighborhoods north. It's part of a much longer planned regional corridor eventually linking Oceanside to downtown San Diego; the Solana Beach segment is already built and in daily use for commuting, dog walks, and training rides.
No hazards worth a permit here — just a shared path. Keep right, watch for cross traffic at street and rail crossings, and it's the easiest few miles in town.
Facts
- Distance
- 1.7 mi (Solana Beach segment)
- Difficulty
- Easy — flat, paved
- Hours
- Sunrise–sunset, daily
- Parking
- Street parking in the Cedros Design District
- Dogs
- Leashed dogs welcome
- Restrooms
- None directly on the path — nearest at Fletcher Cove
- Cost
- Free
Know before you go
Shared path
Runners, cruiser bikes, and e-bikes share the same paved lane — keep right, call out when passing.
Rail crossings
The path runs alongside active train tracks — mind posted crossing signs near the station.
Field notes — coming soon
Nobody on this desk has hiked the slot yet, so we’re not going to fake it. This space is reserved for Kendall’s own first-hand account once he’s made the trip — the ladders, the squeeze, what it’s actually like up there.
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