Torrey Pines State Reserve

Best ever. You can do the Muir which is mellow fairy flat or go all the way down to the beach and often see whales and dolphins!

LOVED THIS HIKE!!! There were so many great trails to choose from and it is such a beautiful site to see. Got out here with my hubby at about 11:00 AM and it was a perfect day for a hike. Definitely going to be back to this location soon!

Gorgeous view with an easy hike! This is actually the second time I have visited here, and I have enjoyed this trail both times. Torrey pines is the perfect place to go for a refreshing morning hike. The trail is stroller friendly for any parents looking for a good work out. Great view from the top of the whole beach; perfect for pictures! Plenty of rocks, shells and living organisms to check out by the cliffs. Clean bathrooms at the bottom. You do need to pay for parking if you enter the state reserve, so bring cash! Those who are lucky enough to find a spot outside do not.

Easy hike about two hours at an easy pace, amazing ocean view, start the hike going up the hill and come back by the ocean so you can reward yourself with a swim in the ocean. With a little bit of luck you can spot dolphins or whales if the right season and the right eyes.

Love love the walking trails here. The views are amazing and like always the weather is always perfect. Parking can be tricky but well worth it. The trails are maintained very well and little to no signs of litter.
You will find all sort of fun things to view through out the trails: people flying their quadcopters, interesting bark beatle traps, beautiful horticulture, and the gorgeous San Diego coast.
After you’re done, you are a short distance from great restaurants in DelMar, one of my favs is prep kitchen.

The hike is impeccable. There are different trails that you can choose from. Tons of photo op places throughout the trail. The only thing I didn’t like was that you have to pay $ 15 to park if you’re driving into the lot located directly at the bottom of the mountain. Also, the restrooms were filthy and the water was not working. So pretty irritated and wondering what my $ 15 was for exactly? I’d still go again and take advantage of the beautiful views and variety of landscapes. Just will not be parking in that lot and paying $ 15

Best hiking spot in San Diego if you ask me… and I’m a local! I love that it’s by the water and there’s a number of trails to walk. Parking can be a little tricky but it always works out that I park near the trail and don’t pay. A trip to board and brew after is a must!
Whether you live in SD or are a tourist… don’t pass up this gem.

Such a great hike and/​or beach spot. Numerous options for longer or shorter trails, and the best views in town!

I’d characterize the trails on this reserve more of a walk than a hike, especially if you drive to the top and park like we did. There are some really scenic trails (and a few that are of an uphill grade, especially if you take the beach trail down to the rocky shoreline and then come back up), but nothing a decently-​fit person couldn’t handle with ease. If you’re looking for a really easy walk, simply don’t head downhill and stick to the upper trails which are mostly flat.
The views: gorgeous. The water, the rocks, the foliage. Just stunning.
For families with children, I would strongly recommend paying the $ 15 for parking and driving to the top of the reserve where there are lots right off the trailheads. Yes, it was expensive (holiday weekend) but it was a lot safer. We saw tons of people walking up the hill, but it was dangerous! The dirt trail to the side of the road was crowded, it crosses the road several times and people were simply walking on the road anyway.
There were porta-​potties to use at the top.
After we were done with the top part of the reserve, we drove back down to the bottom part and parked in the reserve’s beach parking area, right near the collection booth. It was nice to have front-​row parking for that part of the reserve, too.
Highly recommended.

This is a great place to go for a walk! Plenty of views, plenty of flats or hills — whatever you enjoy. There is also a variety of plant life that should keep you from being bored — and if you are a geologist then you will enjoy inspecting the layers on the cliffs or the multitude of stones on the beach.
Check out
to see trail map, tides times.
You may park for free in the limited spaces before getting into the park and walk in — or park on the Del Mar Heights road and do a bit more walking (about 20 minutes); otherwise I believe the cost is $ 5 for parking.
There is a great botanic display at the visitor center if you want to know the names of the plants indigenous to the area.
I did a loop from Del Mar Heights road, down the beach, up the hill to the top and back to Del Mar road. It was about 4.8 miles.
I recommend you bring some water, a banana and a bag to carry out the peel. When you are done, to to Green Flash Brewery and have a trippel ale and then take a nap.

This place is a real treasure! The view from the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean is absolutely breathtaking. We started our hike on Torrey Pines State Beach and walked up the stairs into the cliffs and onto the trails. There are several lookout points at various stages of your hike where you can really appreciate just how amazing the scenery is here.
It can get a little crowded but the people we came into contact with were nice. Everyone was enjoying this wonderful state park. There is a ranger station and visitor center near the top parking lot, which can help you get the most out of your experience. It’s really the best of both worlds: spectacular ocean views with great hiking trails that wind through rugged cliffside terrain.

Pretty scenic place. One of our first stops in San Diego on our drive from LA. We didn’t venture out to the trails. I’m not sure where they began, but where we parked was around the Torrey Pines golf course. I can’t imagine playing golf there because it was sooo windy!
You better have your sunglasses, because the wind was blowing up the sand and dirt into your face.

I can’t say enough about how gorgeous and protected La Jolla is! My mom and I took a drive down to SD for kayaking and stopped over to the Cliffs for a little hike after — it was breathtaking!
The CA Parks pass is accepted at a little parking lot right at the base of the trails so we drove over and got situated. Because it’s a state park the hours vary seasonally so check before you go! $ 15/​day otherwise
Down by the water there is a bathroom and sand shower but once you get on the trail there is only a few water fountains and benches so go before you start your hike!
We started ours by following others up a asphalt paved road — walking on the side of it — which was probably the most challenging park of the hike lol! It’s probably 200yrds long but you’re there for some exercise and it’s not THAT steep so enjoy the warm up! The Gorgeous views from the cliffs at the top are worth it!
Once up, there are more or less challenging options but all should circle up to the front of the cliff where the amazing views are found.
These cliffs are incredible and the paths are all so well marked and protected. It made me reflect on what California must have been like before man came in and dig it all up.
On a clear day you can see 100s of miles of ocean and the sun just makes the prettiest light show on the water.
If you’re looking for a place to propose to the naturalist ocean lover in your life — do it here!
We wandered around for an hour or maybe 2 and didn’t do more than 5 mi but we weren’t trying.
It’s just so beautiful! A must do hike!

Super scenic, easy hike in Torrey Pines. For cyclists and joggers also. I covered all the short trails (about 6 – 7?) in the morning 1.5−2hrs, but felt like I was sight seeing. I stopped and looked at the array of plants/​cacti, some having an educational info like you’d see in botanical gardens. The view from different parts of the hike were incredible! I managed to work up a sweat, climbing the well managed park with its dirt paths, different elevations, and well constructed stairs.
Bathrooms and drinking fountains available at the top (port-​o-​potties) and bottom of the hike.
Parking Is $ 6, but you can also find free parking right along the beach right before entering the park. Just drive slowly and be patient for spots to open up!
Good to take your out of town guests to show off the beauty of San Diego land & water while getting a workout… remind ‘em to bring tennis shoes! I’ll be back for sure.

Torrey Pines is a nice beginner’s hike with amazing ocean views — in fact, it’s such a non-​hike I consider it more of a nature walk. It’s perfect if you are new to the hiking scene, want a relaxed hike, or are visiting San Diego. It’s less than 2 miles.
If you start at the state reserve, the first stretch is uphill along the road (watch for cars) but once you’re at the top, it’s pretty much flat, then it’s downhill. There are a couple of trails like the Razor Point trail and other out and back trails, but I prefer the beach trail since you can’t beat hiking down to the beach. I’m not sure if Razor Point is an out and back trail. You can probably do all of the other trails and end with the beach trail in ~2 hours. I prefer to start at the state reserve side and hike down to the beach, but you could also do the reverse. If you hike down to the beach trail be aware that it gets a little slippery near the bottom so make sure to watch your step and wear good shoes (not flip flops).
The only downside to hiking here is parking. Since this area is a state park, it’ll cost you $ 12 to park on weekends, $ 10 on weekdays. Pro tip: get here early and park at the beach. If you’re extremely lucky or patient, you can park here for free. 8 am on the weekend is still packed due to surfers. If you can’t get beach parking, drive up to the first light, bust a «U-​ie» and pull up to park on the right side of that road. It’s basically dirt parking and there’s an hourly charge to park which is lame, but the price isn’t too bad. This is per hour parking but 3 hours is only $ 3 and if you only plan to just hike that’s more than enough time. People don’t tend to park here since it’s a longer walk and they either try to get lucky with beach parking or give up and park at the reserve. I prefer parking here since you get a nice long stretch to walk and the ocean breeze is refreshing.

I came here yesterday for the first time, and it was gorgeous! I came around 8:00am on a Sunday, and I was able to find free parking right in front of the beach (woohoo!). There’s a parking lot a little closer to the start of the hike, but it’s a $ 15 fee on weekends. Come early, and you should be able to find street parking. When I was leaving around 10:45am, it was packed.
The hikes here are beautiful. This place is full of trails, and even the short ones give you an awesome view. I believe the first trail you’ll come across is the Guy Fleming trail, which will take you no longer than 5 – 10 minutes to finish. My friend and I went a little further down and did about 4 different trails because we just couldn’t get enough the view (and needed the exercise haha). The hikes are all relatively short, so it’s a great place to go to get a decent workout in… definitely not too strenuous and good for all ages! There’s also a visitor center (past Guy Fleming) with maps if you’re stuck on which trail to take. Portable restrooms are up ahead as well. As for the trails, they’re pretty sandy so be prepared to get some sand in your shoes. Overall, I would love to come back! Definitely worth a visit.

I loved this hike! Well, it’s more of a walk, depending on where you park!
Parking was pretty expensive (I think $ 15), but I think it was worth it for this location. If you park immediately in the parking lot to the left, this will be more of a hike for you. However, you can drive up the steep hill, and there is a parking lot right near the trail head. We did not know this, so we parked at the bottom and hiked up the steep hill.
I’m kind of glad we parked at the bottom, because it was way more rewarding when we reached the trail head. By this point, we got a pretty good workout in, and we could now relax on this easy trail and enjoy the view.
THIS VIEW! Amazing. I love ocean views, and this walk seriously took it to the next level. I probably could have done that walk several times just to keep experiencing the view. Definitely worth the money we spent on parking. If I’m every back in the SD area, I want to come back!

Love this place!
I’ve been hiking here since my first year in college 27 years ago!
They’ve improved the trails.
The views are spectacular!
And, if you’re willing to brave the crowds on the weekend,…the people watching is almost as spectacular as the views, while you get your sweat on!!!

Parking gates doesn’t open until 7:40am so if you are expecting parking, good luck! Either you will have to fight for the free parking which is taken by 6am, or park up on the hill which cost $ 6 – 7 for 3 hours? Which is not bad at all.
Once you park, get your sunblock on, stretch out a bit because you hit that hill right at the start, and your water… prepare to walk a steep hill for a good 10 minutes. From the looks of it, it seems steep but at a good and steady pace you’re calves won’t go out on you and cramp up.
Once you get to the leveled part of the hike there are several trails you can venture off too. There are so many trails and so many people that you don’t need to worry about getting lost. Just don’t go over the railing or try to be brave and look over the cliffs unless you want to make the evening news.
But it is a beautiful sight to trek Torrey pines. You get the view of the caverns and such and then you can walk all the way down to the beach and take a nice dive into the cool water to relax and ease your muscles and walk all the way back in the sand to your car.
Its good to get there early during the summer days since it does warm up pretty quickly by 9am. After that, refuel yourself and go get some grub after a fun hike!

All the times I’ve been to the beach Ive never taken advantage of the hiking trails.
There simply gorgeous. There are a few different trails to choose from. I would say there all fairly easy to hike and you can make them longer or shorter depending on the routes you take. Even though the trails can be short, you can build a good sweat depending on the time of day you go.
There’s a small visitor center to checkout if you pay for parking and go to the top of the reserve. Its about 12 dollars right now. Beach hiking has become my favorite kind of hiking. Not to mention it’s a great way to get to a more secluded spot on the beach to lay out.

Très jolie balade. De nombreux sentiers qui se laissent facilement explorer en famille. Une nature aride et sauvage. Préférez le matin ou le soir pour la faune. Une vue, que dis-​je! Des vues imprenables sur l’océan. Des falaises ravinées de toute beauté. Bref, nous n’avons pas déçu du voyage (malgré avis passables sur Trip Advisor qui me laissaient perplexe…)
Seul hic: le tarif du parking: 20 $ !!! Heureusement qu’il offre un point d’eau gratuit à ce prix là!