60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: San Diego: Including North, South, and East Counties

by Sheri McGregor

Overview

The natural open spaces in and around San Diego are a prized natural resource for area hikers, and author Sheri McGregor shows you where and how to enjoy 60 of the best trails that the city of San Diego, nearby state parks, and private ventures have to offer. Bounded by San Diego Bay and the Pacific coastline to the west, the Santa Rosa Mountains to the east, Mexico to the south, and the lower reaches of the Los Angeles metro area to the north, the 60-mile radius beyond San Diego creates a small, but rich wedge of scenic, natural wealth. Whether you're an experienced hiker or a casual day-hiker, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: San Diego is the perfect tool to explore it all.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781634040242
Publisher:	Menasha Ridge Press
Publication date:	02/09/2016
Series:	60 Hikes Within 60 Miles
Edition description:	Third Edition
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	296,807
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 6.00(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

A prolific writer of outdoor narrative, travel, fitness, and fiction, author Sheri McGregor knows San Diego hiking. Author of Day and Overnight Hikes Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, McGregor appreciates the tranquility of a coastal walk but is just as at home trekking along a stark desert trail. Over 1,000 of her articles have appeared in print, including in The Washington Post, Salon.com, and Reader's Digest publications. An active promoter of her books, Sheri appears frequently on local TV, is featured in local publications, and maintains two websites, one of which is devoted to 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: San Diego.

Read an Excerpt

LA JOLLA SHORES: TIDE POOLS WALK

• LENGTH & CONFIGURATION: 2-mile out-and-back
• DIFFICULTY: Easy
• SCENERY: Ocean waves, tide-pool creatures
• EXPOSURE: Exposed
• TRAFFIC: Moderate–heavy
• TRAIL SURFACE: Sand and surf, rocks
• HIKING TIME: 1 hour
• ACCESS: Free
• MAPS: None needed
• WHEELCHAIR-ACCESSIBLE? No, due to soft sand and rocks on the beach
• FACILITIES: In the parking area near the lifeguard tower
• INFO: No official contacts
• SPECIAL COMMENTS: Wear sturdy rubber-soled shoes that will cling to wet rock surfaces. You’ll need protection to climb among the tide pools. Be sure to visit around low tide; find tide schedules online at weather and forecast sites.

IN BRIEF

The ocean breeze, rolling waves, and sand beneath your feet. Who could ask for more? But that’s only the beginning—low tides mean plenty of sea creatures to marvel at.

DESCRIPTION

From the grassy area at the north end of Kellogg Park, where free parking is plentiful in the off-season or early on weekday mornings, head north up the beach toward the pier. You might as well kick off your shoes on this wide, sandy beach and let the surf roll in around your feet.

It’s about 0.5 mile to the pier that extends from UCSD’s Scripps Institute of Oceanography on the cliff above the beach (the cliff and the institute are closed to the public). Standing beneath the pier between the wide, mussel-encrusted supports, one can only wonder at man’s ability to build structures strong enough to withstand the ocean’s power. A short distance ahead, though, tiny creatures thrive in the ocean’s ebb and flow—proving worthy design on a small scale.

As you continue north, you’ll see more and more large rocks, pitted by the sea and sand, strewn along the beach. Stuff your feet back into shoes to cross a strip of piled, rounded rocks that form a hobbling path near the base of the cliffs. The larger rocks, roughened into various shapes by wind, water, and sand, clump together, leaving little sand between them.

As you hop from rock to rock, startled crabs scurry sideways into crevices. Schools of fish trapped in pools left by the receding tide swim to safety among fluttery pink and mauve sea plants. Take the time to stoop and get a closer look at what may seem at first just an empty pool. Often, you’ll discover the collected water teems with life.

Squabbling over territory, hermit crabs scuttle about in temporary shell houses that are sometimes smaller than a pea. The bigger crabs carry larger shells. Notice the variety of shapes and sizes they select. Even a broken shell may be chosen by a less discerning hermit crab. As he haltingly makes his way across the waterscape, the shell’s uneven edge catches on everything he passes. A rusty-colored sea plant suddenly moves away, and you realize it’s a sea slug. Watch for a moment and see several more that have been camouflaged in plain sight advance into view. Clumps of elongated oval mussels adhere to the rocks. Sea anemones contract when touched. Gently touching the animals is permitted, but you may not collect or remove anything from the area.

From the rocky tide-pool area, you could hike about 3.5 more miles to Flat Rock, named for its shape, and access a climbing route (signed beach trail) up into Torrey Pines State Reserve. You may spot nude sunbathers along the way: Past the rocky tide pools is the area called Black’s Beach, well known as a clothing-optional zone—although public nudity is officially illegal.

NEARBY ACTIVITIES

If the tide pools have whetted your appetite for knowledge about the ocean and its wildlife, the nearby Birch Aquarium, at 2300 Expedition Way in La Jolla, is worth a visit. Consult aquarium.ucsd.edu or call 858-534-3474 for more information.

GPS INFORMATION AND DIRECTIONS

N32° 51.514' W117° 15.374'

From CA 52 West, merge onto La Jolla Parkway, drive 1.4 miles, and turn right on Calle de la Plata. Continue 0.2 mile to Avenida de la Playa and turn left. Drive 0.1 mile to Camino del Oro and spot the park. Drive to the north end of the parking area and park near the lifeguard tower and restrooms.

Table of Contents

Overview Map

Overview Map Key i

Acknowledgments vii

Foreword viii

About the Author ix

Preface x

60 Hikes by Category xi

Introduction 1

The Coast 16

1 Batiquitos Lagoon Trail 18

2 Bayside Trail 21

3 Beach Walk and Torrey Pines State Reserve Loop 25

4 Crest Canyon Open Space Preserve Loop 30

5 La Jolla: Coast Walk Trail 33

6 La Jolla Shores: Tide Pools Walk 36

7 Lake Calavera Preserve Loops 39

8 San Elijo Lagoon: La Orilla to Rios Avenue 43

9 Tijuana Estuary Trail 46

10 Torrey Pines State Reserve: Guy Fleming Trail 50

The Mountains 54

11 Agua Caliente Creek Trail 56

12 Cuyamaca Rancho State Park; Stonewall Peak Trail 60

13 Laguna Mountains: Penny Pines Trail 64

14 Laguna Mountains: Sunset Trail 68

15 Palomar Mountain: Fry Creek Campground Trail 72

16 Palomar Mountain: Observatory Trail 76

17 Palomar Mountain: Overview Loop 80

18 Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve East: Kanaka Loop Trail 84

19 Three Sisters Waterfalls Trail 87

20 Volcan Mountain Preserve Trail 91

21 William Heise County Park: Combined Trails Loop 94

22 William Heise County Park: Kelly Ditch Trail 98

The Desert 102

23 Anza-Borrego Desert State Park: California Riding and Hiking Trail 104

Inland North 108

24 Blue Sky Trail to Lake Ramona 110

25 Clevenger Canyon North: East Trail 114

26 Clevenger Canyon South: East Trail 118

27 Clevenger Canyon South: West Trail 122

28 Daley Ranch: Combined Trails Loop 126

29 Daley Ranch: Engelmann Oak Loop 131

30 Del Dios Gorge, Dam, and Lake Hodges Trek 135

31 Del Dios Highlands Preserve Trail 140

32 Discovery Lake and Double Peak Trails 143

33 Discovery Lake and Hills Loop 147

34 Dixon Lake: Shore View Trail 151

35 Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve: Botanical Loop 155

36 Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve: Way Up and Equine Incline Trails 158

37 Heller's Bend Preserve Trail 162

38 Hellhole Canyon Open Space Preserve Trail 165

39 Iron Mountain Peak Trail 169

40 Iron Mountain to Lake Ramona Overlook and Pond 172

41 Lake Hodges: North Shore Trail 175

42 Lake Poway Loop 179

43 Lake Poway to Mount Woodson Peak Trait 183

44 Lake Wohlford North: Kumeyaay Trail 187

45 Lake Wohlford: South Trails 190

46 Los Jilgueros Preserve Trail 193

47 Monserate Mountain Trail 197

48 Mount Gower Open Space Preserve Trail 201

49 Mount Woodson: East Trail 205

50 Santa Margarita River Trail 209

51 Sycamore Canyon: Goodan Ranch Open Space Preserve Loop 213

52 Wilderness Gardens Preserve: Combined Trails Loop 217

Inland South 222

53 Lake Morena Trail 224

54 Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve: East End to Waterfall Loop 228

55 Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve: West End to Waterfall Loop 233

56 Miramar Reservoir Loop 237

57 Mission Trails Regional Park: Combined Trails Loop 240

58 Mission Trails Regional Park: Cowles Mountain Loop 244

59 Santee Lakes Loop 247

60 Stelzer Park Loop 251

Appendixes 254

Appendix A Outdoor Shops 254

Appendix B Sources for Trail Maps 256

Appendix C Hiking Clubs and Public-Land Organizations 257

Index 258

Map Legend