At The Backroads

La Jolla Shores

Distance: 5 miles one way, 10 miles round trip

Elevation Loss/Gain: None if you just walk along the beach, 300-350 ft if you take the trail up to Torrey Pines State Reserve

Parking: to be safe that the strong surf of high tide won’t be sending you to the side of the cliffs on your return trip, arrange for 2-cars parking for only a one way walk to avoid the high tide on your way back. At La Jolla Shores, free parking is at the parking lot at La Jolla Shores Beach. At Torrey Pines State Reserve, free parking on the shoulder of North Torrey Pines Road or Old Coast Highway 101, North of Torrey Pines State Reserve Entrance, or along Carmel Valley Road.

Best Times: All Year, but time your walk at low tide to avoid walking right next to the base of the cliff (cliff erosion can happen anytime without warning, so it is always best to walk safe). Also, at high tide, there would be some portion where you may have to wade in the surf. However, at negative low tide, the low tide window is usually long, if you start 1.5 hours before the low tide, you can do a round trip hike for 10 miles safe enough. To check for tide conditions, please visit http://ocean.peterbrueggeman.com/piertide.html

Probably one of the longest if not the longest walk in San Diego for 5 miles one way along the beach side without catching a sight of a highway, tracks or railroad. Starting from La Jolla Shores, you walk North towards Scripps Pier.

In more than a mile, the wide sandy beach gives way to rocky shore.

From this point, for about three miles, you would be walking alongside sharp sandstone cliffs. The rocks would soon disappear to give way to another long stretch of wide sandy beach and strong surf.

On your lucky day, aside from seeing surfers on the water, you may get to glimpse pods of dolphins too,

a lot of sea birds fishing in the water or simply relaxing on the shore,

and sometimes, sea lions on shore.

In about 3 miles from La Jolla Shores, you will pass a nudist section in Black’s Beach, though nudity is unlawful in San Diego beaches, but old traditions in this short section of beach had been kept. This beach however can only be accessed either with a hike down and an steep ascent back to Gliderport, or a long walk, 3 miles from La Jolla Shores, or 2 miles from Torrey Pines State Reserve. In after another mile, the wide sandy beaches would turn into rocky zone again. Tidepool life can be observed from these short section of rocky zones.

As you look up the cliffs, you would see paragliders enjoying their free flight, and notice some birds also resting on the cliffs.

In about 4 miles, you reach Flat Rock, and if you wish to climb up the cliffs, you can take the trail up after Flat Rock which starts with a steel staircase. When the cliffs disappear, you arrive at the entrance of Torrey Pines State Reserve along North Torrey Pines Road.

Torrey Pines State Beach