Black Mountain Gliderport Trail
Black Mountain Glider Port Trail in San Diego’s Black Mountain Open Space Park is a short, steep hike that brings you to a paraglider launch zone. Continue past the glider port and you can climb the northwest side of Black Mountain to the summit.
This is a nice hike to get in some quick cardio and, if you are lucky, take in the paragliders taking off from Litte Black, the name they use for the glider port on Black Mountain. This trail is officially named the Black Mountain Glider Point Trail according to the official city trail maps for the park. However, the welcome sign to the parking area calls it the Glider Port – so it’s a bit confusing.
Trail Details
Trail Type | Out and Back |
Difficulty | Moderate (steep) |
Length | ~1/2 mile to glider port only; 2 miles to Black Mountain summit |
Elevation Gain/Loss | 800 feet (Black Mountain Summit) |
Trailhead Coordinates | 32.990122, -117.125194 |
Location | Black Mountain Open Space Park, San Diego |
Best Season | All Year |
Getting to Black Mountain Glider Point Trail
From Interstate 15 (I-15): If you’re starting from Interstate 5 (I-5) in San Diego, California, first make your way to the exit for Carmel Valley Road (State Route 56). Start by heading west on Bernardo Center Drive for approximately 1.7 miles. Continue onto Carmel Valley Road, driving for approximately 1.9 miles. Afterward, make a U-turn at Black Mountain Road and drive back the way you came for about 0.3 miles. The entrance to the parking area is on the right and is marked by a sign that says Welcome to Black Mountain Open Space Park and Glider Port. It’s easy to miss so go slow as you approach it. Follow the dirt road to the parking area.
From State Route 56 (SR-56): Take the Camino Del Sur exit from State Route 56 (SR-56). Head north on Camino Del Sur, and continue driving for approximately 1.4 miles until you reach Highlands Village Place. At this point, make a right turn onto Carmel Valley Road. Continue along Carmel Valley Road for about 1.4 miles. As you proceed, you’ll pass Black Mountain Road and in 0.3 miles come to the entrance to the parking area on the right, marked by a sign that says Welcome to Black Mountain Open Space Park and Glider Port. It’s easy to miss so go slow as you approach it. Follow the dirt road to the parking area/
Gliderport Trail Overview
The Gliderport Trail begins near the parking lot next to the landing zone for the paragliders flying down from the gliderport. You’ll know you are in the right place when you see a kiosk with an orange windsock attached to it – or perhaps paragliders floating over the closest summit or touching down in the landing area.
The trail starts just to the east of the landing area and begins climbing steeply up the slope of the mountain. The single-track dirt trail brings you through coastal sage scrub habitat found in Southern California. This unique ecosystem is characterized by a variety of drought-resistant and adapted plant species that thrive in the region’s Mediterranean climate.
Along the way you’ll see coastal sagebrush (Artemisia californica), California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), and black sage (Salvia mellifera). Other common species include chaparral plants like toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) and manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.), adding to the park’s ecological diversity.
As you climb to the glideport, the hike offers panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, including the Pacific Ocean to the west and the mountains of San Diego’s Peninsular Ranges in the distance to the east. It’s a little over a quarter mile to get to the Little Black gliderport, which has been a popular glider and paraglider aviation destination since the 1930s when local school kids built homemade wooden gliders and took to the air. Different times…
From the gliderport, the trail heads up to a secondary peak of Black Mountain before dropping into a saddle, and then climbing a steep face up to the Black Mountain summit. From the glideport to the summit, it’s a little over half a mile, but keep in mind that the last section up to the summit is very steep and a bit of a scramble.
If you don’t fancy the straight shot up to the summit, you can also connect with Miner’s Loop Trail by taking a junction about 1000 feet up from the gliderport. Check out the park’s trail map for more detail on that route.