Whether walking with your dog or enjoying an outdoor meal in Del Cerro, you will enjoy beautifully sunny, dry weather with little need to worry about rain gear or warm jackets. Rain and overcast weather is more common in the spring, but is usually short-lived. Winters rarely see temperatures below the freezing mark, so you don't need to layer up or worry about icy sidewalks! Hot summer days can be uncomfortable for long hikes, so consider taking your dog out earlier or later in the day to avoid extreme heat.
Del Cerro is Spanish for "hill," and this neighborhood has plenty of elevation changes. When walking with your dog, you will need to do some trekking up and down steep grades. If you or your dog has mobility issues, this can be problematic.
This is an upscale residential neighborhood with about 2,300 residents and a small commercial area. The neighborhood is surrounded by natural topography and is subject to wildfires. When walking in natural areas, watch for smoke that might indicate an incident.
Del Cerro was developed from 1950 to 1970 and has many mid-century modern homes. Private properties are well landscaped with colorful flowering plants and palm trees. Lake Murray is located on the east side and the Mission Trail Regional Park extends southeast. The Mission Valley Freeway is on the south side and forms an impediment to on foot travel and the Navajo Canyon is situated to the northwest, providing more natural terrain in the area.
There are plenty of natural areas with hiking trails and some developed parks in Del Cerro. The Princess Del Cerro Park has a playground and splash pad, large shade trees, benches, and picnic tables providing seating with a paved walking path around the park. This path makes a great, easy place for dogs and people with mobility issues to walk in this hilly neighborhood.
The Del Cerro Park is another developed greenway with a pool and tennis courts, grassy areas and trees, and its own paved walking trail where you can take your leashed dog. Alternatively, the Mission Trails Regional Park extends around the southeast side of Del Cerro adjacent to Lake Murray.
The Lake Murray Bike Path follows the lakeshore and you can walk with your leashed pup in the area. The trail is 5.9 miles and you can take in the views of the lake and the natural beauty of the area which includes wildflowers and natural flora and fauna.