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    Torrey Pines Extension

    4.1 (15 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    We went in October and the weather was in the lower 60s. This is a beginner hike, nothing strenuous, but a beautiful view.

    A really great spot. HOWEVER, it is currently closed until further notice due to a wildfire that swept through the park. Also, it is NOT dog friendly. Dogs are not allowed, and State Park Rangers will ticket you. I would also not recommend taking service dogs up here due to the rattlesnakes, and the fact that dogs of any kind disrupt the small animals that make their homes in one of the few natural places left for them to live. Be kind.

    Natalya S.

    i lived behind Torrey pines extension for years and enjoyed the sunsets and walks there. There are a few hidden trails and amazing views from different points. I actually like that so many few people walk on these trails and even know about this place, sort of a local hidden gem. Trails are good for kids as well.

    Marcus F.

    The Torrey Pines Extension is a great set of family friendly trails. Often ignored or missed completely, the extension trails make a great plan "B" when the parking at Torrey Pines state beach is unbearable. You'll be walking through Coastal Sage Scrub and while you don't get the amazing ocean cliff views of the Torrey Pines Park trails, you also don't get the hundred of people walking around. Tennis shoes should be okay and there are a few steps and some minor elevation. Tip - There's a barrier that tells you that the Gully trail is closed. The Gully trail is on Google Maps, but apparently its no longer on the official Torrey Pines Extension Map. I heard....that if you do use the Gully trail as a shortcut that the wooden bridge is partially washed out. The trails of the Extension include: Mar Scenic Trail (1/2 mile) follows the seasonal creek through the extension. Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Trail (1/2 mile) offers views across the marsh to the main reserve and to the ocean. Margaret Fleming Nature Trail (3/4 mile) leads through coastal sage scrub. Red Ridge Loop Trail (1/3 mile) offers views of the lagoon, the main reserve and spectacular geologic formations - No Dogs - Park in the cul-de-sac - Not all trails are marked very well. Be sure to use google maps and your GPS to guild you in the right direction.

    Oren P.

    When Torrey Pines Preserve and/or Beach is over crowded and you can't find a place to park, THIS is the closest and probably best "alternative" (backup plan). There should be plenty of free street parking available and a variety of (loop) trails to explore. If this is your first visit, start with the Mar Vista trail to the left at the first fork - and then take the first left again to go to the Overlook. From there, back track and follow the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) trail back to the Mar Vista trial and your car. It should take less than a hour total - so could next explore one of the other trails if you still have time, energy, and interest. It is possible to loop ALL the trails but doing so now requires traveling on the residential streets in between some sections and it would be better to become familiar with the area before attempting to do so (on your own).

    Mark H.

    Had always wanted to do This and it was pretty fun. Very nice views and similar backdrops as the regular Torrey pines trail. There's just barely any people on the extension trails and far less space to explore. Still would recommend this for convenience and how easy and cheap it is.

    Shot of the bird's nest inside the Maps box near the Mira Montana trailhead.  If you look closely, I think you can see a bird in there.

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    7 years ago

    Awesome walk/hike. Many different trails to take and great views. A great activity for a brisk morning or nice day.

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    Review Highlights - Torrey Pines Extension

    --Mar Scenic Trail-- Parts of this trail have a lot of soft sand so beware of that if you have porous shoes.

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    The River Trail

    The River Trail

    4.1(8 reviews)
    2.3 mi

    Wonderful small trail in Del Mar. Totally unknown to me, my friends call it the 'brewery trail' as…read morethe end point is the Viewpoint Brewery that was also new to me. What a beautiful area to just stroll, even better for the residents, it is so peaceful and you can see the balloons and fee people fishing (not sure if fish to take home to eat or just catch and release). The smells of the local vegetation is so soothing and you will see a few walkers here and there. Super pleasant but don't go with the expectations of a long extreneous hike because is mostly a 'lets get some fresh air and a view' kind of activity.

    Note - There is the River Path trail ( West of Jimmy Durante Blvd), and the newly expended trail…read moreacross the street (East of Jimmy Durante Blvd). Some reviews erroneously included other trails as this trail and those pictures they posted are incorrect. If Del Mar has a crappy part of town this is probably it. This is a path along the inlet for the lagoon on the back side of the Del Mar fairgrounds. There are some close interactions with the water but there's also riff-raff around here fishing in the bushes. It's not a place I'd feel totally comfortable with the kids as this trail dumps right onto the train tracks. It's a short hike, and there are so many other places to walk around and explore that I wouldn't go out of my way to walk here. The Coast to Crest trail begins not too far from here. Recently the River Path was extended across Jimmy Durante Blvd and down San Dieguito Drive to the Old Grand Ave bridge. This section is worth your time. - if you're looking for real hikes check out the various sections of the Coast to Crest trail which is close by. https://www.yelp.com/biz/coast-to-crest-trail-escondido - There is also a cool partial bridge ( Old Grand Avenue Bridge - San Dieguito Drive) where you see a ton of fish and stingray right below you. https://www.yelp.com/biz/grand-avenue-bridge-del-mar

    Photos
    The River Trail - Two ospreys in their newly formed nest at the partial bridge

    Two ospreys in their newly formed nest at the partial bridge

    The River Trail
    The River Trail

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    San Dieguito County Park - Fungus

    San Dieguito County Park

    4.4(91 reviews)
    4.2 mi

    I've been coming here for 20 plus years, because it's walking distance from my in-laws house. We…read morehave many happy memories of walking here with the daughters when they were little, playing with them at the playground up top, swinging on the swings down low, playing frisbee on the grass. Today we walked a whole loop (my daughter, her college friend, and I to get some exercise before going out to brunch. We admired the view from the Osuna Overlook, walked past workers weeding and trimming the new garden area between the upper and lower parks up top with river rock bordered paths. Looks super nice! My daughter commented that they ought to let local youth paint the rocks--that'd be a cool community event! We proceeded down the paved street that passes by the Scout House, crossed over by the pollinator garden where a kind person pointed out the bat house they placed there (I learned bats are good pollinators and that they need to be protected from raccoons!) Onward to the butterfly garden where I saw a monarch butterfly! We continued to the duck pond at the lowest part of the park where there are picnic areas to be reserved for birthday parties and picnics. We saw a pair of mallard ducks and a solo heron. Spring has sprung! Everything is blooming and the wild creatures are atwitter. Truly a marvelous community park. They even host an annual half marathon here. My brother-in-law and I ran it together in 2012 and it was challenging! Perhaps the biggest challenge being the walk uphill after the race to get to the beer garden lol. I think we ended up not going there and just walking home. Anyway, if you're in the area, check it out! There are several different hiking trails and lots of flora and fauna to admire.

    San Dieguito County Park is truly one of San Diego's gems. Not only does it have five different…read moreplaygrounds (yes, five!), but it also offers easy walking trails for all levels and abilities-- perfect for little legs, visiting friends, and even energetic doodles. It's rare to find a park that feels this expansive yet so welcoming and well cared for. What made our visit especially memorable was Ranger Alejandro. He took the time to introduce himself to our group during a park day with our kids and dogs, offered to lead a ranger-guided doodle-and-toddler hike, and even shared his contact information. That level of kindness and community care says so much. This park is a beautiful example of our tax dollars at work, and it makes me incredibly proud to call this city home. We absolutely can't wait to go back.

    Photos
    San Dieguito County Park - A relaxing afternoon in the park

    A relaxing afternoon in the park

    San Dieguito County Park - One of many flowers species

    One of many flowers species

    San Dieguito County Park

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    Marsh trail at Torry Pones Reseve

    Marsh trail at Torry Pones Reseve

    5.0(2 reviews)
    0.6 mi

    Aside from this place being misspelled I'd like to say the trail is worth the trek and the risk of…read morebeing arrested lol. Not too many people know about it but it's obvious when you get here that the trail is very close to all the other things in the eco environment. If you want to experience something different other than the beach or a hike, this is where you'll want to be. After a rainy day you'll want to wait a day or two for the marsh to dry up so that you can maneuver your way through otherwise you'll get stuck and won't be able to see anything.

    This is one of San Diego's hidden secrets. The trail is not promoted by the Torrey Pines park nor…read moreis it maintained, but if you are looking to get up close to some of the only remaining wetlands in San Diego county then this is the place to go. Finding the trailhead is tricky as it is not marked. Park at the South parking lot at the Torrey Pines Reserve then carefully cross the PCH. Head south along the road for a good 200ft and there will be a marker just over the embankment stating no bikes or dogs allowed. This is the Northern trail head from here the complete hike is an out and back type trail approx. 4.75 miles long. Please note that this trail is not maintained and the lower portion along the estuary will be covered in water at high tide. Please stay on the trail as all of the habitat in this area is sensitive and is some of the only remaining coastal sage scrub in the county. Come early and you will see lots of birds and even some mammals if you are lucky. Raccoon tracks, coyote, and bobcat are all along the mudflats, but I have yet to see any. This is not a good hike for little kids or folks with mobility concerns as there are lots of trip hazards and places where erosion has left holes and puddles on the trail. The southern end is at the end of a narrow trail that is paved and used by the Rangers to access the wetlands. You will know your at the Southern terminus when you will come to a large closed metal gate - turn around and head back at that this point as the road beyond the gate goes down into the industrial are of Sorrento valley. Be safe and enjoy the hike!

    Photos
    Marsh trail at Torry Pones Reseve

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    Carmel Mountain Preserve

    Carmel Mountain Preserve

    3.5(2 reviews)
    2.3 mi

    Carmel Mountain Preserve is an extension of the Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve located in the…read moreneighborhoods of Carmel Country and Torrey Hills. The area that I hiked was further south than the trailhead off Carmel Country Rd just south of Hwy 56. My starting point was the southwest corner of Ocean Air Community Park and Recreation Center. There was plenty of available parking because of this local recreational facility. According to a hiking app, the circuit was a loop of about 2.75 miles that took a little over an hour to complete. I noticed that by going counterclockwise, the trail started very wide with plenty of space for bicyclists and horses. There was a couple that was horseback riding during my stroll. Most of the path was clean although occasional land mines of horse dung were present. As the trek extended west and south, the walk became narrow to the point in which I was following a gully down a slope. Except for one hill in the southwest section, this trail was quite flat. Houses on the edges of the bluffs were visible and lined the perimeter of this preserve. The number of trail markers/signs was minimal, and none of them indicated a distance from the trailheads. If you live nearby, then it's a nice escape to take the kids and/or pets on a walk of minimal difficulty.

    Nice relatively easy evening walk. Dog friendly. Dust path with a few scenic views overlooking…read moreCarmel Valley neighborhoods. Walking paths get a bit narrow and steep in some places (children would need help).

    Photos
    Carmel Mountain Preserve
    Carmel Mountain Preserve
    Carmel Mountain Preserve

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    Enjoy the Mountain San Diego

    Enjoy the Mountain San Diego

    4.3(10 reviews)
    43.1 mi

    We had a great time with Emil on a 1 hr ride through rain and snow flurries. The ride was safe,…read morewell paced and super fun. I would recommend wearing some waterproof pants/jacket if you are going during such weather. This is my new favorite activity! Can't wait to do it again.

    I booked this adventure for 2 reasons: (1) to FINALLY get out of the house during this pandemic…read moreespecially since all we have been doing is working and we have been working more than ever since our job is considered 'essential', and (2) celebrate my boyfriends 30th birthday. This was my first time on a quad/ATV and my boyfriend has been riding dirt bikes since he was like 6yrs old. I love being outdoors & going on new adventures, and he loves riding ... so the mixture of those things i came upon this place. For birthdays I love and prefer creating memories instead of giving materialistic gifts. Example: For his 28th birthday I booked us a little personal speed boat in San Diego. Upon arrival check-in was easy, quick, and they gave us hand sanitizer so we felt assured. They had helmets and other PPE lined up and available for us to use, however we had brought our own (riding gloves, riding jerseys, riding DOT certified helmets, and googles) which they allow. Our guide Jorge was funny and very easy going. The ride overall was really fun!! During our ride our guide also took pictures of us and he took some awesome ones with amazing backdrops! The only complaint I have was that I only booked us the 1 hour ride. Next time we are doing the 2 hour ride for sure! And maybe the Big Bear location as well.

    Photos
    Enjoy the Mountain San Diego
    Enjoy the Mountain San Diego - Through the rocks

    Through the rocks

    Enjoy the Mountain San Diego - Let's take a break

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    Let's take a break

    Torrey Pines Extension - hiking - Updated May 2026

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