Situated 1365' above San Diego and east of downtown, Mt. Helix Park is a hidden gem to most who live in or visit San Diego. It is well worth taking the scenic drive up Mt. Helix, starting in neighborhoods and stopping at or near the summit. Parking near the top is very limited, and the road is one way, so be prepared to take the first space you find as you approach the summit and walk to the top. At the summit, you'll enjoy spectacular views that stretch from the mountains to the east, south toward Mexico, and to the Pacific coastline to the west. Here you'll also find an open air amphitheater used for concerts, as well as lookout points and trail heads. Plan to spend time here absorbing the views, fresh air, peaceful surroundings ... and maybe a picnic. I highly recomend a visit. read more

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One of my favorite parks in La Mesa. Sd best kept secret. Best place to watch sunrise or sunset with extraordinary views of spring valley/ Rancho sd La Mesa. Also the incline is a great workout! Bonus tip. In October they host the Halloween candlelight for the best spookiest vibes under moonlight! read more

Mt Helix Park - Parks Near Me - La Mesa, California

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This was a beautiful spot! Went for a "hike" one morning and chose to see this place. There is a short trail around the park, but we opted to do some exercise on the stairs as well. Parking was enough, some street parking and a small lot toward the amphitheater. We spent a few hours up here. If you take Alto Dr, the houses there are also gorgeous and unique! Port-a-potties for bathrooms. I would definitely want to catch a sunset here sometime! read more

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This is a very beautiful and nice spot in local San Diego just to go on see the wonderful view or even walk around a little bit

We had a PICNIC on the TOP OF MT HELIX PARK, and it was amazing!!! We had never been before, and did not know what to expect. As we drove up the windy, windy road, we began to see cars lined up on the side of the road. We were expecting a crowded parking lot. IT WASN'T!!! As we turned the the corner, a car was pulling out. JUST IN TIME!!! We expected to eat on the cement steps, WRONG!!! To the side of the parking lot, there is a SINGLE PICNIC TABLE!!! I had a ROAST BEEF SANDWHICH and POTATO SALAD, and WATERMELON. AND DORITOS!!! As for my partner, he had a TUNA SANDWHICH and POTATO SALAD, and CANTALOUPE. AND DORITOS!!! We got 365 Degree VIEWS!!! I stayed at the table, GONZALO took off UP TO THE CROSS!!! read more

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It has been a really, really long time since I've been up here. Luckily the weather was great and Cako and I were in the area, so why not? Parking is a little tricky. There's a small lot with like 5 or 6 spots, one being a handicap one. As you enter the top, you can park along the road but space is limited. And if you do park there, please get into your car and leave because someone might be waiting. Which is what happened to us, and this car behind me, went around and parked in the space behind the car I was waiting for. Luckily, another spot opened up. There are some trails around the top that lead you to the amphitheater and cross. It would be great to see a concert here but probably a logistical nightmare! It's a great place to walk up to from below. If I lived nearby, I'd do it. Cako loved running around the amphitheater. On a clear day, you can see El Cajon, La Mesa, the ocean, even Tijuana. It's a great place to come and have a conversation, a solo tip to meditate, or even to smoke a doobie in your car...remember that car that parked in front of me? That's what they were doing! LOL! Cako Approves! read more

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The centennial anniversary of this historical park in La Mesa is coming up next year. I made a recent stop after learning there was a short trail that wrapped the perimeter of this 1,370 foot mountain peak. There were very limited parking spaces at the top so it surprised me that an outdoor amphitheatre had been built into the hillside in the shadow of a 35 foot high Christian cross. During my walk, I noticed a sign advertising various community events that were held at the amphitheatre if you were a member of Mt Helix Park. The Yawkey Trail, named after the lady whose mother enjoyed the panoramic views here, was a 0.3 mile path that circumnavigated the summit. In each of the four major directions was a sign board that identified the various mountains and points of interest in the distance. They were very helpful and showed why the scenery was so beautiful. It doesn't take long to explore this park, and I can see why it's a hangout for those who want to chill and soak in the sunrise or sunset. read more

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Mt Helix is a vibe when you get up there I chose to park at the bottom across the fire station to get my steps in its only .9 miles up. The amphitheater stairs made me want to do more cardio! There is also parking at the top if you dont want to do alla that haha read more

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We bought tickets to a Vivaldi 4 Seasons string quartet concert. We had to park at Grossmont HS. Trolley picked us up from there and drove us to the park. The trolley driver was very entertaining and made the experience memorable. We get dropped off at the venue. They offered wine and charcuterie box for purchase. The experience at the concert was incredible. Being outside with all those candles and the string quartet. Phenomenal! read more

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This place is awesome. We went to the candle light symphony and it was beautiful. They shuttle you up to the park because of parking which was great. The ambiance was great too. Be sure to bring something to sit on. The park has the most wonderful views! read more

Mt Helix Park - Night candles - Parks Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Love the park, great place scene and nature! Going up the heap everything and taking a breath makes me think how life is wonderful! Love taking my kids for a small hike around the hill and exploring flowers, butterfly and bees. Along with the signs on different animals and nature around Highly recommend for a change of scenery of city life. read more

360° View. Enough said lol. I come here almost exclusively for sunrise. It's so beautiful. Small. Chill. Quaint. I love this place. The view never gets old. Close to cute coffee and breakfast shops to go to after catching sunrise. Stairs for exercise. It's the perfect mix of exploration and simplicity. read more

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When I was younger, I would come up here and pray when I felt like I needed to be close to God. I was having a very hard time one day, and I was praying to God and looking at the majesty of the views. My aunt gave me an old Polaroid camera, and I stood at the cross to take a photo of it, and in the background appeared an image I've always thought it looked like a guardian angel with a sword strap to the side. Pretty powerful. This photo is circa1986. read more

Mt Helix Park - Guardian angel of Mount Helix. They are servants of God Almighty. - Parks Near Me - La Mesa, California

Always a gorgeous place to view sunsets on clear days! While the drive up doesn't seem like a drastic uphill climb, beautiful panoramic views await you once you reach the top. Clear, less smoggy days are simply the best times to go-although sometimes it's hard to tell/predict this before. It can be hazy at times. I have been coming here for more than 30 years, in my high school era having many fun times with friends back then. Underage partying of course, but not any trouble making that I can recall.. At the top there is an amphitheater type setup for private events, weddings, etc. It is very well maintained year round. Do you know about the rotating house? Yes, it is here. There are several small dirt trails surrounding the area for better viewing angles and photos of the entire area. Just take a little time to explore. We prefer to park actually on the road just before the entrance, which makes it really quick to exit down the hill. One of Southern California's simple pleasures that still remains free! read more

Mt Helix Park - Sunset at the top 7/12/19 - Parks Near Me - La Mesa, California

An incredible 360 view of the city! Great place for photos and a sunset view. There's a short hike around the mountain and a small concert venue. I came to read and enjoy the sunset on a Saturday night and parking was totally easy. But beware! It's mostly dusty....I made the mistake of wearing white sneakers (don't make the same mistake) read more

Mt Helix Park - Parks Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Wow!! What a BEAUTIFUL view of the city!!! Narrow roads up to the top passing by some cool private residents. Parking is scarce. Small parking lot or parking on the side of the street. They have an area that's a stage setting with bleachers. I heard sometimes there's a small concert/recital/weddings up here. You can take a small hike from here to see the cross and the view of the city. If I lived in town, this would be an AWESOME place to have a picnic lunch overlooking the city especially around sunset. A nice romantic spot on a dime!!! I saw people here chilling with a book. Overall, a very nice find while on vacation. read more

Best place to see the city, exercise & chill, a date. There's even yoga here and events as well. Parking can be sketchy either get lucky or park along side as many do where it says No Parking. One way on one way out. Great for photography! read more

Mt Helix Park - See the city and the smog. Rise above it all & inhale, exhale deeply. - Parks Near Me - La Mesa, California

Beautiful place. Love coming here and need to come more often. It's so peaceful and absolutely beautiful at night. Love the cross. Parking is spare but worth the wait to hike the steps to get to the cross at the top or walk the closed patch. Bring a flash light if desired or ones phone with the built in light. It's definitely dark at night. Stunning views at day or night. read more

This mountain top has amazing 360 views, it's peaceful, beautiful native plants, historic amphitheater and walking up to the cross was inspirational! My husband asked me to marry him up there years ago. It's still just as beautiful and inspiring . We volunteer up there as gardeners caring for the native plants. read more

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This place is a destination jewel of the East County. It was a cool place to go to in High School decades ago and now our grandkids love going there. The 360 degree view is just amazing. Morning sunrises and evening sunsets are pretty fantastic here. And if you want some time alone for dialing down your spirit, there are lots of places to sit and find rest. Or just enjoy the scenery! If you ever see an advertisement for a performance at this theatre, be sure to go. It's a venue like no other under the stars high above the city lights. Very romantic and inspiring. And a fun outing! I've taken so many pics up here. I'll have to dig thru my albums and post them here. My only drawback for Mt Helix is the lack of parking spaces. Way too few. ...but, I guess that's one way of keeping it from being overrun. I love the peace found at the top. read more

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Great neighborhood gem. During day light hours take a drive up to see the incredible 360° views of San Diego. I recommend after rain or during Santa Anas for the best views. Heads up: there is only one porta potty, so prepare accordingly. And to get the best views, head up the steap hill or up the amphitheatre stairs. read more

Beautiful and serene park. It is a place where you want to go for mediation or just for calmness and relaxing. read more

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I drove up the the top of mount Helix and just park right on the side where it say no parking for 10mins to take some sun set pictures haha. This is what most people do because there is really no other place to park. Overall, a nice little area to catch a quick sunset because of the parking issue. read more

Mt Helix Park - Beautiful sunset! - Parks Near Me - La Mesa, California

A gem in La Mesa :) Came to watch the sunset a few times, and here are some of my notes for you Yelpers! - There is a pseudo parking lot that fits about 9-12 cars - Be careful when parking along the hill, cops actually come around sunset time to give tickets - It starts getting busy about 15-20 minutes before sunset - stairs are a great way to burn calories and tone up your bum - Dogs are allowed - There is a porta potty at the bottom of the stairs - Clean, relatively speaking - There's a mini trail - super easy! Would definitely recommend this to many :) Always a great go-to for sunset views! read more

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Beautiful spot for a hike, picnic, or hangout and enjoy the view. So peaceful and beautiful!!

This place is awesome from the drive up, to the views and the fresh air. I always wanted to come here but was always busy doing something else so one day I said today I'm going to Mt. Helix. I read a few reviews so I knew that parking was going to be an issue and yes it was. I didn't think San Diego had that many trees until I came to the area of Mt. Helix. It was so relaxing and about 15 degrees cooler which I'm a fan of. The drive up was nice because you could see El Cajon and La Mesa. I went around sunset and there were a lot of people there who were parking on the side of the street which I did as well. Good luck finding a spot in the parking lot because there's only about six or so. There's rocks everywhere and watch where you step and put your hands at. You also have to go to the top next to the cross for the best views. I will for sure be back and make sure you make a donation to keep this park going. There's a brown donation box next to the parking lot. read more

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Man, I use to visit this place when I was in high school. Been a while, but the place is still the same as I remember. I my would be awesome if they had a liken snack shop or something up here and more tables. They do have a portly potty up here guys, just Incase. This place would be a really awesome spot for leg day!!!! The stares are not as elevated, but still great for that cardio ;) read more

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I have been going here since I was a child. There are amazing views and a fun walking trail! They recently have been putting on really fun events! I went to Christmas on Mt Helix and Pups and Pizza and they were both a blast! I met Mary and she was super, super friendly and knowledgeable! I highly recommend checking out this park and attending some of their events! read more

Love this spot for working out & peaceful views. I went around noon on a weekday, so I had no issues with parking. There's a portable toilet available on site. read more

Mt Helix Park - Parks Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Did you know that in the year 2013, this year, Mt. Helix Park earned a gold star award for Best of East County? No really it did, look: (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mt-helix-park-la-mesa?select=DQ-fGDzyCnVEr9QorkgIew#DQ-fGDzyCnVEr9QorkgIew) It is not a surprise, given its inspiring panoramic views, its natural landscaped amphitheater, and its historical intrigue. The park has a small but very pleasant and eye pleasing trail named after Mary Carpenter Yawkey, which was originally built as her memorial. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mt-helix-park-la-mesa?select=DQ-fGDzyCnVEr9QorkgIew#uASm48BWz3xQulP9raYLxg) Scattered around the park, are strategically placed picnic tables for families or individuals to enjoy under the sun or shade. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mt-helix-park-la-mesa?select=DQ-fGDzyCnVEr9QorkgIew#DgaMKzL25Uh4OuKn6Sey7w) I like to go and do the stairs. You start at the bottom and go up and back down, and back up and down until you get to the other side. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mt-helix-park-la-mesa?select=DQ-fGDzyCnVEr9QorkgIew#nhwePkXjR_SMG-BEp52axw) Talk about some serious cardio, and if you forget your bottled water, they have a drinking fountain waiting for you half way down the opposite end. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mt-helix-park-la-mesa?select=DQ-fGDzyCnVEr9QorkgIew#mWt5dp5aF46JqBHxKVNZnw) I've been coming to this park since I was a child, not to many years ago I may say. My fond memories are coming with friends and girl friends to watch the sunset, hang out and shoot the breeze, and sometimes just come to clear the mind. It is that inspirational. read more

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We took a quick cruise through here about 1 hour before sunset upon recommendation of a friend. The biggest drawback is there is very limited parking, like maybe 10-12 spots in the actual lot. After getting an expensive ticket at Cabrillo Monument (on Memorial Day) for parking on the side of the road (where there were no signs preventing it), we wouldn't risk parking on the side of the road here. We did see signs on the side of the road indicating no stopping, but it didn't really specify which side you could not stop on. I tried to ask people parking on the road if it was ok to park there, one helpful gentleman said he sometimes sees a cop cruise through telling people to move their cars. Views look nice, but I suggest trying Mt Soledad instead, there seems to be more parking available. Knocking off stars for the limited amount of parking. I would hate to see someone else's vacation ruined by an expensive parking ticket, so just trying to give a heads up. read more

super pretty place ... great place for photos! parking very little, good place for a run, yet parking is still an issue. residential area. good amount of Pot smell read more

This little park is cute and quaint... A great area to live in and have picnics here. For those who do not have the ability to climb one of the many little mountains in San Diego, this place gives people the opportunity to check out the elevated 360 degree views of the San Diego area they may otherwise be unable to see. There is the white cross at the top, which makes for great pictures if clouds are in the sky. Parking is very limited with 30 minutes to visit. FYI. I wouldn't go out of the way to visit this place unless you can't hike a mountain and see the pretty views of San Diego. Then, you should visit here. :) read more

Mt Helix Park - The cool stone amphitheater. It's a great place to do stair exercises (equates to 4 floors based on my Fitbit) - Parks Near Me - La Mesa, California

I love Mt. Helix. The drive through the residential area is just a short drive and the views are amazing. Great place to just sit and enjoy the views, a picnic, the sunrise, or sunset or the city iights. YouTube Video of Mt. Helix: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXQifCS6_NE read more

Mt Helix Park - Enjoying the view from Mount Helix Park - Parks Near Me - La Mesa, California

Mt Helix is a treasure! This is the best place for sunrise - the light is magical! Fantastic views in every direction. The trails have beautiful native plants and sitting benches. Drinking bowl for visiting dogs is nice, too. read more

Stunning 360 degree views all the way to the ocean, and all around. Really unique. Beautiful during the day, sunset, or even in the dark w/ the stars, moon and twinkling city lights. Very cool amphitheater w/ great Christian Community Theater (CCT) musical performances, and various other events, including morning yoga, throughout the year. It is a beautiful place for a picnic, in that the view is amazing, but unfortunately no grass, so you're basically sitting in the asphalt. Virtually no parking up top, but you can park at the fire station lot and walk up - it's a steep climb, but great views. And for shows, they generally have free shuttles from firehouse lot, Russell lot and Grossmont lot. Overall, a really beautiful and unique view of San Diego! read more

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We had such a special evening atop Mt. Helix to see CYT's production of Mary Poppins. I took all my kids and their people (ages 16 - 22) and it was quite lovely. We live on the mountain, so we took an uber to the top...then we walked home. It's only about a 1/2 mile. The show was terrific, great sound, sets, and effects...including a "flying" Mary Poppins. Classic. Thanks, CYT! read more

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The view from the top of the mountain was the best I saw in san diego. My friend and I took a one day trip from Orange County and wanted to see beautiful views and beaches. Mount Helix did not disappoint. We saw several people working out in the amphitheater and it looked like a great place to workout. It was also very quiet and peaceful! I will certainly come back next time I'm in the area to look at the beautiful views read more

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One of the best parks in San Diego County. The views are incredible, the walking paths are adventurous & the events on the stage are always impressive. The only detractor, and it's a big one, is the limited parking. And I mean VERY limited. Probably six MAYBE seven parking spots. Make sure to check out the sunset! -Jay & Chels read more

Mt Helix Park - Deep in thought.. - Parks Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Great view from the top. You can see all of San Diego from this wonderful viewpoint. There's an area for parking as well as spots along the road leading to the top. If you like sunset or sunrise photography, this is a great spot to check out! read more

Mt Helix Park - Cuddle for warmth, it's gets a little chili around sunset - Parks Near Me - La Mesa, California