By Mark Goodkin
See Photo Gallery
Torrey Pines State Reserve View
Torrey Pines State Reserve is a very special place in North San Diego County, between La Jolla and Del Mar. The park is part of the California State Park System. I love going up to the reserve to get away from the bustle of the city.
The park has about half a dozen hiking trails that emanate from the Torrey Pines Visitor’s Lodge (download trail map). Round trip distance ranges from half a mile to over two miles. One trail leads to Torrey Pines State Beach.
When I go to Torrey Pines State Reserve, I like to park in the parking lots at the top of the hill, near the visitor center. The two parking lots are small and can fill up fast during the summer. Below, at the base of the reserve is a larger parking lot and an entry outpost where you pay to enter. Many people like to park here and walk up the windy road to the visitor center and trails.
Northern View from Trail
When I was at the reserve last, I hiked along a series of trails in the southern part of the reserve. This part of the reserve has fewer trees and is less scenic than the northern hiking area, but the trails are longer, more rigorous, and lead to the cliff edge and beach. I took Beach Trail to the cliffs, making two detours along the way. Razor Point Trail leads to a scenic lookout area called Razor Point, near the cliffs. From this point, I was able to see much of the park and ocean. The other trail, Yucca Point Trail, leads to another scenic point, closer to the cliffs than Razor Point. These trails loop back to Beach Trail.
Once I got to the cliff edge, I stopped to rest and admire the view. Looking straight out is the Pacific Ocean with sail boats off in the distance on the glistening water patiently making progress. Below are the narrow sands of Torrey Pines State Beach, where beachcombers hike from the main part of the beach southward to Bath Tub Rock.
Southern View from Trail
To the south is Black’s Beach, San Diego’s only nudist beach, secluded and accessible by a few steep, windy trails through the tall, irregular cliffs. Over the cliffs of Black’s Beach, hang gliders and paragliders from Torrey Pines GliderPort ride the air currents and upsurges created by the ocean winds hitting the cliffs. Beyond Black’s Beach are Scripps Pier, La Jolla Shores and the La Jolla peninsula.
To the north is Torrey Pines State Beach, at first secluded by the tall, steep cliffs, then opening up to the Los Peñasquitos Marsh wetlands, where the beach becomes accessible to Coast Hwy 101 and the throngs of summer beachgoers. Beyond that, the cliffs reappear, though shorter and less formidable than those below the state reserve. It was a clear day and I could see the Encina Power Plant in Carlsbad and the mountains of Camp Pendleton.
I now started back to the visitor center, but instead of backtracking along Beach Trail, I took Broken Hill Trail, an alternative route, with terrain similar to Beach Trail’s. The trail offers scenic views, particularly looking south, where Torrey Pine Trees, shrub and rocky, hilly terrain seem to go on forever. This trail is less traveled than the other trails.
Eventually, I made it back to the familiar surroundings of the parking lot and Torrey Pines Visitors Lodge. The trees are taller and more plentiful around the lodge and to the north, where two other hiking trails begin.
I ventured into the lodge where I was greeted by a Torrey Pines Docent member. The Docents maintain the park trails and lodge, and give guided nature tours to the public. They also offer tours and educational programs for children from local schools and organizations.
The lodge had a nice, rustic feeling with several animal and plant exhibits. The lodge is older than the other nature centers along the San Diego Coast, built in 1922. The Torrey Pines Lodge was originally a restaurant for travelers along the old coast hwy. Today the visitor center shares the lodge with a small ranger station, which patrols the reserve.
If you go to the Torrey Pines State Reserve, bring your own food and bottled water. There is a drinking fountain and restrooms nearby. And give yourself plenty of time while there. The trails close at sundown. During Summer and parts of Spring and Autumm, the park can get crowded, with hikers teaming along the trails. If you’re into less crowds, come early in the day or during other times of the year.