Marian Bear Memorial Park

So after reading the Unilocal reviews, I see everyone else also heard about men meeting here for sex. I have avoided this place for years as it looked nice, but who knew what could be lurking.
But then we got a dog, and dogs like new places to walk and we get sick of the going to all same places too.
We saw nothing remotely weird or creepy in the parking lot, just a few parked cars, and we usually avoid public restrooms, so no report on what those are like.
This place is so nice. Dogs are on-​leash only.
As with any trail-​like place, I would go with a buddy or two and/​or a dog in the daylight. Biking around/​through here would be fun too.
We took the dog a few times over the holidays. He absolutely loved it. After the first visit, he now sees the trees and hears the gravel and up he jumps up in his seat completely thrilled.
The first time we went on the east side of Regents. There are several trails here, one goes through a grassy flat with hills to the right area and then to a darker wooded area with a stream (it was getting muddy so we turned around here), another you go in the woody area just north of the lot and it says trail on a sign, then there is a wood slab to cross a creek.
The second time we went under Regents (one lane was flooded under the bridge so we drove in the dry one.) This got us to the west lot. This was nice too. More of a walk in a open forest then there is a stream you cross on a wooden plank.
The walks are short distance for us as we usually are there about 30 — 45 minutes but only get so far with mister sniffs-​a-​lot who slows down the walk considerably. You could probably make it much further without a dog sniffing every single blade of grass. But we do come here specifically for him to sniff new things.
In both lots, you barely know that you are right next to the 52. Both sides have ample parking, restroom facilities and seem to be well marked. The parking is gravel and maybe a few dips in it, so drive slowly. There are some benches and tables for sitting/​eating.
We encountered many people with dogs (on-​leash), many serious mountain biker types and families just biking along. There were also many couples and families just walking. It’s not necessarily a hike, more of a nature trail, though there might be some areas you might need to navigate.
The only problem I had with it: although most people apparently collect their dogs waste, there are no trashcans on the trail, only by the restroom facilities and spaces throughout the parking lot, so at times you see abandoned doggie bags on the trail.
I also worry about the dog getting into poison oak, so we are extra vigilant. There are postings on the boards of what all the plants look like so that is helpful.
There were not a lot of cars in either lot (maybe 5 or so), but the place was not lonely as people seem bike through here regularly. There was a park ranger hanging out and driving around in the parking lot on one Sunday afternoon that we went.
Just noticed that another parking lot in Marian Bear Park is over off Genesee. We actually went there too. The parking is right south of the 52 at Genesee. It was nice there too. There was a stream there, but as we plodded along with the dog, we didn’t see an obvious wood slab to cross the stream as we rounded the curve part, so we turned back (we were also there at 4:30pm and it was starting to get dark.) This parking area was populated with about 5 or so cars and there was a restroom building. It was a bit louder at this part of the park than the Regents location as it was directly beside the highway and you walked under the 52 off-​ramp.
We will definitely go again to check out all of the parts of this park.

I checked out this trail over the Thanksgiving weekend and it was very pleasant. There’s about 1 – 1.5 mile loop that is perfect for a hike with little kids. Half the loop is open and parallel to the highway but the other half is in the woods, small paths, full of trees, definitely feels like an escape into nature. At one point you can take another route that crosses under the highway into Rose Canyon. I ran into several groups of mountain bikers, couple single hikers with dogs and couple families but was not crowded at all.
As for the shady business, I think this place has an unnecessarily huge parking lot that is causing this. There were several cars parked at the entrance of the parking lot and with people just hanging out in their cars. Not sure what’s going on there but once you drive in further into the parking lot it’s hikers and families enjoying the park. I didn’t feel threatened during my hike but similar to the other canyons I would not hike solo early on the morning or late in the evenings when noone is around.

This is not a hike, FYI! It’s just a trail that runs along the freeway where homeless people sleep and dudes have anonymous sex in the parking lot. Save your time and skip it, and DEFINITELY don’t go alone

Great hike.

I went on a hike this trail twice so far.
It is loud but it has good scenery. Not crowded.
The first time I went on a hike alone during the weekday. I didn’t know anything about weird activities have been going on at this place. I did see a white car slowly following to my direction while I was walking across the parking lot near Regents, but I started walking faster and the car drove away.
The second time, I was with my boyfriend on the late Saturday morning to afternoon. At the same parking lot and near by roads, we saw many suspicious cars driving around and parked. A very creepy big old guy parked his van at the corner of the lot. He was standing next to his van and staring at us while we were hiking. After an hour later, when we passed the lot again, he was still same spot but this time, he was sitting inside of his van, in the back seat but the doors are wide open like welcoming someone, again staring at us as we were walking passed. Many other suspicious cars were just driving around the parking lot and they were talking on the phone.
After I came home I read reviews here, it all made senses! I never go on this trail alone again. There should be a warning sign for new people like me.

I usually don’t leave reviews but this page could use a few more.
I parked on the east side of the park and as one reviewer noted, there were several parked cars with guys in them just hanging out in the parking lot. I unfortunately had to use the facilities because I drank too much coffee prior to getting there. As I approached the bathroom I could hear a slapping, rhythmic sound (kinda like flesh on flesh). I remembered that I had read in a review about this place being some kind of homosexual hook up spot. All i gotta say to that is that it very well could be. Nobody bothered me and I didn’t physically see any butt sex going on so its all good.
I proceeded to take my two very small children to the other side of the park cause I was advised it was more scenic. I had them in a double off roading jogging stroller. We hiked about a mile west. There was only one spot where it was too steep for the jogging stroller and both there and back I was assisted by other park goers in carrying my double jogger up the stairs. It was a very scenic little hike with some magnificent old twisty oaks and intermittent carpets of bright red flowers. The canopy was nice as it was a sunny day. It was a good short hike for getting back out after having two kids and mostly stroller accessible. I’ll post some pics.

I was a little skeptical of this trail after reading some of the reviews… I decided to go anyway. I figured if anything looked sketchy I would just leave. When I got there, I saw a creepy guy just sitting in his truck. I kept driving further down the lot.
After I saw a couple hikers, mountain bikers and a family– I decided to go on my run.
Great running trail! You are away from all the traffic and people. The city could clean it up a bit better but good run.

I must say that I am a little shocked by all the negative comments that I have read here and, frankly, I’m glad that I didn’t read them beforehand or I likely would have not made it to this trail. This is a new find for me and I love it! :)
I volunteer for a pit bull rescue and took one of the boarded pit mixes for a trail run twice this week, late afternoon. I can count on one hand how many people we encountered, all runners like us. I not once saw any «gay sexual activity» taking place, nor drug deals nor shady looking people loitering in the parking lot. Not once did I feel unsafe. And sure, there is some freeway noise, but it’s right off the freeway. What did you expect? I’m thinking most people here are just «trolling». Don’t believe the negativity and give this trail a try. :)

I didn’t see anything «shady» going on like I read in a lot of the other reviews but didn’t think this was a great hike, not scenic or pretty in any way. It looked decent for easy mountain biking though. I wouldn’t go back. There are much better places. It’s «ok.»

Easily accessible from Hwy 52 exits and both directions of several major streets, this park features one main canyon trail (broken by streets into several sections) and several off-​shoots to various residential areas. Most people only visit the middle sections, but you can also walk under 805 toward the northeast or in the opposite direction and follow the railroad tracks and trails paralleling them northeast.

STAY AWAY FROM THIS PARK! CREEPY CREEPY CREEPY! I was looking for a new place to train for a trail run and I made the unfortunate mistake of running west from San Clemente Park and experienced what so many others have found as well, that this is some kind of gay hookup spot and or drug deal location. Because I hadn’t read the reviews I didn’t actually realize what was going on and felt literally threatened to the point I picked up the nearest rock to defend myself when one of these creeps came walking in my direction. I quickly got back on the path and headed back east and will never go there again. I feel bad for people who have brought their kids there and discovered this seedy aspect and shame on the local police department for allowing this to happen to a public park. It’s such a pretty park for the most part but I left feeling completely grossed out! On the flip side I did not see anything weird while running the eastern trails in the adjacent San Clemente Park. but I’m not sure if that was just timing
or not. Won’t be going back!

I came here alone, on a whim, in silly shoes, and had an absolute blast. (To be fair, my gauge of a good time is the number of awesome pictures I’m able to take.)
This is one of those rare places in San Diego where you’re NOT bumping into people on a weekend. On my two-​hour hike I saw exactly 5 people, and at no point was I concerned for my personal safety. (This would indeed be a great place for the homeless to camp out, but a.) I didn’t see any, and b.) the wealthy scare me much more than do the homeless.)
The only reason I don’t give this gem 5 stars is because of traffic noise. The park hugs a highway though — no one should be surprised that they can HEAR the highway.

I can definitely see why this particular park has some poor reviews and honestly the fact that so many people claim to have seen this gay hook up spot, I believe it exists. Luckily my boyfriend and I chose the right parking lot without reading the reviews because we avoided all of the action.
I am very excited about this find anyway. It is a beautiful hideaway from the San Diego desert and beach scenes. When we walked in I felt like I walked right into some path winding through the middle of Arkansas or some other midwestern state. It is so green and lush. There is a river that runs through the canyon so I’m sure that’s the reason all of the greenery is able to stay alive.
We usually mountain bike, but his bike was in the shop so we decided to go on a short hike to check this trail out before bringing the bikes, just to see what it was all about. It seems like the PERFECT place for an easier, more chill bike ride and we will definitely be taking the bikes out this weekend.
I take a star off because what everyone is saying is true though… there is just something about this place that irks me. It definitely gave me the heeby jeebeys. There is not a lot of foot traffic and although we didn’t see any, the perfect place for someone to commit a crime or a bum to live. I would never go alone and we are bringing the swiss army knife next time! Plus being on a bike just gives you a false sense of security as well!

I love running here… but I would never come alone.
The park itself is nice and you can head west from here to Rose Canyon. There’s some trash around (including a shopping cart halfway down the dry waterfall… how?), but it’s mostly off the trails. If you just want a leisurely stroll you can stick to the level parts, but there are a couple of tricky climbs and descents if you’re up for more of a challenge. There’s also plenty of parking and several decent bathrooms. Poison oak is a problem, but if you watch where you’re going and stick to the paths you should be okay. If that were the whole story I would give this place five stars.
Unfortunately, it’s not. Even if they’re not interested in me, men hanging out in their cars in the parking lot still feels threatening. You can find city reports going back 20+ years complaining about Marion Bear as a place for anonymous gay sex. I think there’s more than just that though. Several times I’ve pulled in for an early morning run and there have been people milling around windowless vans, or there have been cars that raced off as soon as people arrived. By 7 there’s usually a police officer parked in the west lot.
This place is definitely worth visiting. Just come with friends. Plural.

I don’t understand why a park has such a low rating, Mother Nature is a beautiful woman. Nonetheless…
Marian Bear Memorial Park was one of my favorite spots to run through while I was training for my marathon. I would enter the park on Clairemont Mesa and exit on Genesee. In a city full of pavement, it is nice to have a green space anywhere close to your home. I agree that the park should be given more attention than it receives, but I think the same can be said about almost every park in California. My home state just seems to not care about its green spaces, it truly is a shame.

Nice trail, could use some work on clearing out some of the rocks but has a great parking area.

First and foremost I need to point out the facilities.
Most public parks have disgusting facilities and it makes it hard (even in necessity) to use them. I made the mistake of not using my own before I left for this hike but I was pleasantly surprised at the cleanliness of the facilities as well as its stock on T.P. and soap (very rare for most parks.)
Now as far as the trail goes, you have a few options for paths to travel. The scenery is beautiful and worth the amount of time it takes to get through it. My bf and I found a path up the side of a small mountain and the view was absolutely breathtaking. It really makes you appreciate living in San Diego… being so enveloped by the city yet hidden treasures are sprinkled throughout.
The path is littered with some slippery rocks so make sure you tie your shoes tight to avoid a rolled ankle. Also, this trail is PERFECT for mountain bikes so I suggest that as an option as well.
The biggest annoyance I had was still being able to hear the traffic nearby and the lack of clear path labeling.
Overall, it was a great experience for me and I wouldn’t mind going back. I know the other Unilocal reviews state that this is a pick up spot, but I didn’t notice anything of the sort… in fact, on my hike, several girl scout troops were on the trail and had no complaints either. I think your experience here is what you make of it… so, I’d say give it a shot. The worst that can happen is you decide not to come back.

DO NOT GO HERE WITH CHILDREN, BY YOURSELF, OR AT ALL. Went here over the weekend to take some family photos and came across some crazy stuff. Apparently this is a spot for CREEPY gay men to pick up and even hook up behind the bushes. Also, our daughter was also hit in the parking lot because these guys drive back and forth VERY FAST (30 MPH) scouting the scene. After yelling at one guy to slow down, he got out of the car and started yelling dirty profanities at us. I seriously thought we might get shot by this guy by things he was saying. What is wrong with people? I’m disgusted!!! Such a shame cause it looked like a nice place to hike and take pictures. And if you’re a photographer… not a good spot. Especially for kids since there’s poison oak everywhere:(
By the way, it was 5 pm and light outside.
Speechless.

Located by the 52, Marian Bear can provide a nice short hike for a quick getaway from the everyday hustle of your busy life. The trails are super easy and just when you think you’re in a lush area of tree coverage enjoying nature, you’ll see a bunch of cars or construction people that will quickly remind you, «Hey, you’re still relatively close to an urban population, don’t get too excited». There are some areas that are quite gorgeous but overall nothing to make a day out of. I like it as a nice morning stroll to start your day off on the right foot.

I decided to go for a hike somewhere not too far from me and picked Marian Bear. It seemed like a good location and had plenty of geocaches on the trail, but one thing I should have done beforehand is read the Unilocal reviews…
The trails themselves are so-​so. Some are shaded with trees and go over creeks, but for the majority of the hike you’re just out in the open. The proximity of the freeway and cars everywhere you look deters from the nature-​like atmosphere and just doesn’t feel right. It’s a good place for a quick hike or a bike ride, but not somewhere you would go to enjoy nature. Plus, the constant sudden sounds of birds, rattlesnakes, rabbits, and very possibly humans lurking in the bushes is pretty disturbing at times. Which brings me to my next point…
This is one shady ass place! My encounter started as I was walking along one of the trails and I spotted a guy in sunglasses (it was a cloudy day) standing by the creek as if he was waiting for a drug deal to go down. As I continued walking, his eyes were locked on me and he even began following me for a while. If that wasn’t enough to freak me out, the same guy slowly followed me in his car as I was crossing under the Regent St. bridge. I signaled for him to pass me, thinking I was just blocking the road for him, but he insisted I keep walking. After he finally passed me, he did so very slowly and just kept staring at me. No wonder this place has «Phone Patrol» signs everywhere that tell you to report suspicious activity. Only once I got home did I read the reviews and figure out how this place is notorious for illegal activity. Definitely not coming back here ever again…