Nestled between La Jolla to the south, San Diego to the east, Del Mar to the north, and the blue Pacific Ocean to the west is Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, one of the most popular California state parks in Southern California. The Reserve encompasses a marshland and bird habitat, several miles of some of the best beaches around, and sandstone bluffs with two main stands of Torrey Pines:
Follow me below for a photographic tour of part of the Reserve, the Beach trail from the beach to the top of the south bluff, and the Guy Fleming Trail on top of the bluff.
The hike begins south along the beach from the parking area just inside the Reserve boundary along Highway 101 (in the boxed area in the map below).
It's a cool $10 to park inside the Reserve, but I figure it's a worth donation to help fund park maintenance and education, particularly since Governor Brown is contemplating an additional $22 million in State Parks cutbacks to help reduce California's $25-$28 billion dollar budget shortfall. You can, however, park outside the Park along the beach and walk in for free.
The beach at medium tide is flat and wide and bounded by 200-400 foot heavily-weathered sandstone cliffs to the east.
On a sunny day, the combination of sand, water and clouds makes for the perfect juncture of earth and sky.
The beach is covered with small sand-and-water polished stones:
The walk along the beach continues for about 3/4 of a mile.
Finally, you get to a set of metal stairs that takes you up the Beach trail:
After climbing the stairs, you reach a plateau about 40 feet above the beach that gives you an initial nice view of the surf:
The trail takes you ever upward along the bluff, past weathered cliffs and thick stands of coastal sage scrub and chaparral:
Getting to the top, you reach a small "forest" of Torrey pines:
It's one of the few stands of Torrey pines left in existence (thus the "Reserve" designation for the park). A short paved road takes you down the other side of the bluff to the Guy Fleming trailhead. Along the short loop, you can see from the bluff across the marsh to Del Mar:
The Reserve is technically a desert, though being so close to the ocean, so occasionally you find stands of prickly pear cactus:
After breaking through a thick weathered stand of pines, huddled together against the wind:
you reach one of the best viewpoints of the entire park, facing north - a very worthy goal for the entire hike:
So come down to San Diego and visit Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve to enjoy the beauty and serenity, and get a workout at the same time. And feel free to contribute that $10 parking fee to help the park out.
All photos taken with an iPhone. Natural color photos taken with TrueHDR application. All other photos taken with Hipstamatic using a Jimmy S lens and loaded with Claunch 72 film (B+W) or Kodot film (color). All photos copyright 2011.
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