State Scenic Highway 52 52
State Scenic Highway 52 is a State Scenic Byway in California. Within California it covers roughly 35 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along State Scenic Highway 52 with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
State Scenic Highway 52 crosses the Tierrasanta neighborhood of San Diego. It was officially signed as a scenic highway in May 2016, after more than 25 years of advocacy from local environmentalists and community leaders. The designated stretch runs from near Santo Road to near Mast Boulevard in Santee, cutting through Mission Trails Regional Park, one of the largest urban parks in the country. Caltrans specifically cites Mission Trails Summit, which divides San Diego's coastal plain from its inland valleys, and Cowles Mountain, the highest point within San Diego city limits at 1,592 feet, as the corridor's defining scenic features. The freeway itself is a fairly ordinary commuter route; the surrounding open space is what earned it the designation.
- Santo Road to Mast Boulevard, San Diego/Santee
- officially designated May 2016
- Mission Trails Regional Park
- Cowles Mountain, San Diego's highest point
- 25-year community campaign for designation
Plan a drive on State Scenic Highway 52 →
What is a State Scenic Byway?
State Scenic Byways are roads a state has formally recognized for their scenic, natural, historic or cultural value — each state's own curated collection of drives worth taking slowly.
Where to Stay along State Scenic Highway 52
1 campground or RV park sits within about 5 miles of State Scenic Highway 52.
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