Mission Valley YMCA Skatepark
Mission Valley YMCA skatepark, formally named the Mission Valley YMCA Krause Family Bike and Skate Park, is a 60,000-square-foot skatepark in San Diego’s Clairemont neighborhood. This sprawling skatepark includes a concrete combi bowl and a range of composite surfaced ramps, including a skatercross course and a large, professional-grade vert ramp. The park is sometimes called the “Clairemont skatepark” by locals.
Betsy Head Skatepark Details
| Location | San Diego, California |
| Address | 3401 Clairemont Drive San Diego, CA 92117 |
| Coordinates | 32.804952, -117.199232 |
| Features | Vert ramp, combine bowl, skatercross, street plaza, mini-ramps |
| Size | 60,000 square feet |
| Riding Allowed | Skateboards, in-line skates, rollerskates, BMX bikes, and scooters. |
| Construction | Concrete & Composite-Covered Ramps |
| Hours | Varies |
| Lights | No |
| Fence | Yes |
| Fee | Yes |
| Phone | (858) 246-6731 |
| Opened | 2012 (or so) |
Mission Valley YMCA Skatepark Overview
The Clairemont skatepark first opened around 2012, and was the first park in the United States to feature a skatercross course, which was designed by pro skater, Andy MacDonald. This is one of two YMCA skateparks in San Diego, which between the two of them offer the only publically accessible vert halfpipes.
In my humble opinion, there are three stand-out features at the skatepark. The vert ramp is massive and build for modern X-Games level skate competitions. Some vert pros train here and if you are at the park at the right time, you’ll seen some amazing aerial trickery.
The boarder cross is also really impressive and a lot of fun to skate. The course starts at a mega-ramp style roll in and proceeds over a series of table-tops and bumps around two interconnected loops.
It’s actually not as difficult to ride as it looks, though dropping in from the top of the roll-in is pretty intense. You don’t have to do that though, and can start at one of the lower ledges or from any of the larger table tops.
The concrete combi bowl is well designed and has pool coping all the way around. One section is a large round bowl with a small lobe off it, and the other is a square pool.
Another fun aspect of this park are the mini-ramps. San Diego doesn’t have very many publically accessible mini-ramps, so the ramps at the Clairemont skatepark fill a nice gap for those of us looking to skate a classic little back and fourth ramp.
There are two mini ramps, one about four and a half feet tall, with a spine on one side, and another that’s tiny (maybe two feet tall?).
There’s also a large composite-surfaced street plaza that has quarter pipes and various street features, including an A-frame, hubbas, ledges, and rails.
In one corner of the park is a wooden and composite bowl section that’s in rough shape. From the looks of it, not many people are riding it nowadays. Maybe BMXers? The surfaces are too rough for skaters at this point.
Operating Hours and Sessions
Depending on the season, the park has varying operating hours divided into sessions. The summer has the most open times, while winter hours are modified to accommodate shorter daylight hours.
One frustrating thing about the Mission Valley Y park is that it doesn’t open for early morning skate sessions. On the weekdays it doesn’t open until 1 pm and during the weekends it opens at 11 am.
Pricing Details
The Krause Family Skate & Bike Park has a range of pricing options. Single-session passes are available at $15 each. Monthly memberships begin at $30 for members who opt for auto-payment, while those without auto-payment are charged $40 per month. Six-month and annual memberships are offered at discounted rates. YMCA members can avail of special pricing for skate park add-ons, with a monthly pass at $25 and annual pass options.
The hours and prices will likely change over time, so check the park’s website for the latest info and hours
