Almanac note · Outdoors
La Mesa's Secret Stairs turn the hills into a public walk
La Mesa's Secret Stairs in the Mt. Nebo and Windsor Hills area give walkers a steep public stair route with city-posted urban trail options.
La Mesa’s hills are part of daily life, and the Secret Stairs make that easy to feel. These public stairways in the Mt. Nebo and Windsor Hills area turn a neighborhood walk into a small workout.
One route climbs 245 steps from Windsor Drive and Canterbury Drive up toward Summit Drive. The top reaches one of La Mesa’s higher knolls, around 830 feet. Another stairway drops 184 steps toward Beverly Drive. The city also posts urban walking routes called Stroll, Stride, and Challenge.
This is a nice local walk, but it is still close to people’s homes. Keep the visit quiet, stay on public routes, and use the city page to plan where you are going. The stairs are not a theme park attraction. They are a public path woven into a hillside neighborhood.
Where to see it
Secret Stairs around Windsor Drive, Canterbury Drive, Summit Drive, and Beverly Drive. Walk quietly near homes.
Official sources
Official source trail
Reviewed June 30, 2026
California Porch explains the path. The official source is still the place to confirm the current rule, fee, form, map, deadline, or office decision.
Use the official page before you spend money, file paperwork, rely on a deadline, or change a property.
Connected places
Where it fits on the map
Open a place page for the county layer, nearby places, and other California entries tied to that local page.
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