Torrey Pines State Beach

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San Diego, CA
Torrey Pines State Beach
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Torrey Pines State Beach is a great place to go to soak up some nature. It is not to be confused with Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, which is a little further south. On weekends it can be very busy so come early. The beach, which is right beside the road, has interesting sand of many dark colors with sparkles. It's quite fascinating to look at it as you walk along. The sand is a blend of magnetite and hornblende. There are also large round pebbles of various pretty shades of brown. As you walk away from the road, the golden-red cliffs beside you become incredibly high. They are barren, with no vegetation. You must stay near the shore in order to avoid the danger of falling rocks.

You can drive or walk to the top of the cliffs. Here you can take several short hikes through dry, scrubby bush to views over the coast. The views of red rock with blue ocean behind are impressive on the West Overlook Trail.
After, have a coffee at Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, or a burrito at Roberto's Taco, in the cool breeze across the street from the Los Penasquitos Lagoon
For a narrow strip of beach popular with families, go to Torrey Pines North Beach, which has its own parking lot. 
A more cozy beach is Fletcher Cove Beach Park, 15 minutes north. Or for a glorious beach with a big, bowl-shaped lawn, go to Seagrove Park and Powerhouse Beach, seven minutes north.

Continue to directions...

The mineral-rich sand.

Large pile of kelp.

A surfer walks along the beach.

The lifeguard shack.

A mother watches her children as they play.

Looking up at the high cliffs.

Watch out for falling rocks!

Notice the tiny lifeguard shack to understand how high the cliffs are!

Runners enjoy a Saturday morning at the beach.

Multi-colored shoreline.

Dark sand and slate blue water.

A toddler climbs to his heart's content.

Sisters watching the waves come in.

Prickly pear cactus on the road that leads to the top.

These lagoons are a familiar sight in San Diego.

Walking up the road that leads from the beach to the hiking trails.

Hikers enjoying the view at the end of the West Overlook Trail.

View along the way on the West Overlook Trail.

Looking toward the rock that is the end of the West Overlook Trail.

View from the South Broken Hill Trail.

The road that leads from the beach to the hiking area.

Directions

Torrey Pines State Beach is located at 12600 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla CA 92037. Google maps labels it incorrectly.
Entrance into the park is $10 per car and allows access to the lower beach parking and the upper hike parking.

map

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Last Updated: Tue, 25 Jul 2023 13:45:14 GMT

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