50 Best Short Hikes: San Diego. Jerry Schad

off at the north end of Del Mar Scenic Parkway, where a sign announces that you are entering the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Extension, an annex of the main Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, which lies south (Hike 19). Pets are strictly prohibited in the extension ahead and on Torrey Pines State Beach. Dogs are seasonally allowed on leash on Del Mar Beach, except for summer months, between Powerhouse Park and the Torrey Pines State Beach boundary near Sixth Street. Follow the bottom of the ravine on what is signed as TRAIL B.

      A number of large Torrey pines grace the reserve extension area, their long needles in bundles of five illustrating their identity. The natural range of the Torrey pine, one of the rarest pines in the world, is restricted to the coastal bluffs near Del Mar, Santa Rosa Island, and Lompoc. If you want to see more of these beautiful trees, consider a side excursion on the short Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Trail, branching to the left of Trail B. Another option is to take Trail A, a right fork near the starting point. This lesser-traveled route is the Margaret Fleming Nature Trail, a 1.3-mile out-and-back path named for the wife of Guy Fleming, the park’s first custodian, who began in that capacity back in 1921. Guy and Margaret raised their family near the historic lodge that now serves as park headquarters. Her husband’s contributions are commemorated with a plaque on the scenic Guy Fleming Trail, the northernmost of the paths described in Hike 19, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. How fitting to have trails named for this pioneering Torrey Pines couple.

      Sticking with the straight-and-narrow Trail B, you arrive after only 0.5 mile at the dead end of Mar Scenic Drive. Keep straight (north) for two blocks, turn left on busy Del Mar Heights Road, and go one short block to reach a traffic signal 0.7 mile into the hike. Use it to cross Del Mar Heights Road and pick up Crest Way, heading north. Crest Way (signed as Crest Road as you continue north) follows the rim of what is called Crest Canyon, a patch of open space on the right harboring picturesque sandstone formations and several large native Torrey pines. Watch for birds of prey wheeling overhead, taking advantage of the thermals.

      Crest Road ahead is narrow and without sidewalks. Despite its frequent speed bumps intended to calm traffic, you will need to be vigilant of cars. However, Crest Road traverses one of Del Mar’s most exclusive residential neighborhoods, so there’s plenty of architectural and floral eye candy to look at. The landscaping includes outsize Torrey pines, which owe their height and girth here to the modern-day miracle of irrigation.

      Alice Goodkind memorial

At 1.4 miles into the hike and just past Amphitheater Drive, you will pass a small area featuring stone benches that face eastward out over Crest Canyon. This attractive oasis is dedicated to Alice Goodkind, a Del Mar resident, musician, writer, and volunteer activist who supported protection for a number of natural spaces in the area. Just beyond the Goodkind memorial, continue north another 0.25 mile and make a sharp left from Crest Road onto 15th Street. You descend quickly to Camino Del Mar, which is the name of Pacific Coast Highway 101 as it traverses the city of Del Mar. Care for a cup of coffee or other refreshment here? There are lots of choices.

      After your break, continue downhill to the adjacent Seagrove and Powerhouse Parks (2.5 miles from the start), where you cross the railroad tracks and gain access to the beach. Now go south along the coastline. Low tides are perfect for the 1.6-mile-long straight stretch of sand-walking that lies ahead. If the beach is flooded by high tide or has unusually heavy surf, you may walk along Camino Del Mar as you continue south.

      Note: As another alternative, some walkers and runners follow the railroad tracks on the bluff overlooking the beach. However, every hour or so, passenger trains whoosh along the rail corridor, often with little warning. Therefore, this guidebook strongly recommends that under no circumstances should you consider this illegal and unsafe route.

      The stretch of beach below the bluffs is terrific, with the sounds of only a passing train or a happy, barking dog every now and again: this is a popular (and rare) instance of a San Diego–area beach being open to leashed dogs.

      At a bit over 4 miles into the hike, turn inland under the Camino Del Mar Bridge to reach a large parking lot for Torrey Pines State Beach. Walk out to the parking lot entrance on Carmel Valley Road, cross over to the other side, and keep going up the sidewalk of Del Mar Scenic Parkway. Walk all the way to the end of the street to your parked car.

      TO THE TRAILHEAD

      GPS Coordinates: N32º 56.299' W117º 15.164'

      Exit I-5 at Carmel Valley Road (Exit 33) in Del Mar. Drive 1.1 miles west to Del Mar Scenic Parkway on the right, directly across from the Torrey Pines State Beach entrance. Proceed to the end of that street, where curbside parking is available.

      INLAND NORTH COUNTY

      A wrinkled landscape of rock-ribbed hills, small mountains, and gently sloping valleys characterizes the inland North County region. From such quintessentially suburban communities as San Marcos, Escondido, Rancho Bernardo, and Poway in the west, the land steadily rises east toward the even more corrugated interior rural landscape forming the foothills of San Diego County’s major massifs—the Palomar, Cuyamaca, and Laguna Mountains.

      The inland suburban climate is not as benign as that along the coastline. Summer daytime temperatures often rise into the 90s, and wintertime frost occasionally dusts the valleys. Farther inland, in the rural zone around the community of Ramona, summer highs sometimes exceed 100°F. While these temperatures are not remarkably extreme for many parts of the country, it is worth noting that, around here in general, the coming of the sun-splashed summer does not equate to great hiking. It is simply too hot and too dry. Not until October or November do those conditions abate. If you must hike during these potentially scorching months, confine your explorations to early morning or late afternoon and early evening.

      When you do hike here, the highly topographical nature of inland North County’s landscape ensures that you will be treated to beautiful and often breathtaking vistas. Whether you are cradled in the bottom of a valley or have reached the crest of a peak, the view will almost never disappoint.

      Be forewarned that drinking water is scarce along trails that thread through inland North County. The same trails also gain and lose significant amounts of elevation, which only increases the effort of those who hike them. So for reasons of both safety and comfort, hikers are strongly encouraged to take along plenty of water, especially when the weather is warm.

      7 Double Peak

      Trailhead Location: San Marcos, near California State University

      Trail Use: Hiking, running, dog walking, mountain biking, horseback riding

      Distance & Configuration: 4.6-mile out-and-back

      Elevation Range: 670' at the start to 1,644' at the peak

      Facilities: Water and restrooms at the start and on the summit of Double Peak

      Highlights: Panoramic views of the entire inland North County area, along with an ocean vista from the top

      DESCRIPTION

      South of the spreading suburbs that cluster along CA 78, a scruffy ridgeline scrapes the southern sky. Topographic maps note the obscure names of its various high points: Cerro de las Posas, Double Peak, Franks Peak, and Mount Whitney (not that Whitney but still the highest of the group). Double Peak, our destination on this hike, is the most hiker-friendly. Its summit lies within a City of San Marcos regional/interpretive park that takes full advantage of the peak’s