The Colorful Graffiti Strokes of San Diego River Walk

A favorite activity of mine to take photographs of the colorful Strokes of San Diego River Walk in Mission Valley, California. The trail stretches from east of SDCCU Stadium all the way west to the Pacific Ocean. It is an over 7-mile paved trail for bicyclists, skaters, runners, and walkers and has a path on each side of the San Diego River.

Street Art along the San Diego River Walk

If you are a photographer of nature, this is a perfect trail – there are seasonal wildflowers, lots of trees, wildlife, birds, waterfowl, butterflies and maybe even see some fish. For some of the birds and waterfowl you may need a high-powered zoom lens to get the best photos, but even with a normal range lens you can get some great pictures.

If you like to take photographs of people exercising and doing other leisure activities, this is also a good trail for that. As I mentioned previously, the trail is used by people in different ways, and you can take photographs of them either unobtrusively or with their permission. Also, as you get to the beach you have whole other themes you can photograph – swimwear, volleyball, seabirds, picnics, the ocean and more.

You can take the same route along the river walk at different times and in different weather and create a whole series of photographs; perhaps a set at dawn, a set at the bright sunlight of high noon, a set at twilight, a set in inclement weather or with different cloud formations – the list is almost endless!

An unexpected difference on the trails recently was with around 3 inches of rain falling in a 24-hour period; the river swelled into flood stages and there was a whole new series of photographs you could take. You could get photographs of high-water levels, rushing waters, debris in the trees and on the banks, water running under (and over) bridges or roads; and maybe even a stalled automobile in an unsuccessful attempt and crossing a flooded road!

Colorful Strokes of San Diego River Walk

Another bonus you can see and capture with photographs is the migratory wildlife – there are songbirds, waterfowl, other birds, and butterflies that migrate back and forth from their winter home in different areas of Mexico, Central and South America. Many of these birds or butterflies will stop and rest for a day or two along their way on their venture, and you can get some great photographs from afar.

As I mentioned, the San Diego River Walk is a great place to walk and to take photographs. You can traverse any distance that you have time for – perhaps only a half-mile if you are pressed for time; or an all-day 14-mile round-trip hike with lots of stops for photographs. This is certainly a win-win scenario – you get in some good exercise, and you can take some great photographs along the way!