Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
4.5
State ParksNature & Wildlife AreasHiking Trails
7:15 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
7:15 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
7:15 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
7:15 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
7:15 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
7:15 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
7:15 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
7:15 AM - 7:00 PM
About
Although this park is located within San Diego's city limits, it remains one of the wildest landscapes along the Southern California coast, with miles of unspoiled beaches, chaparral, elegant Torrey Pine trees and a lagoon vital to many species of migrating birds.
Duration: More than 3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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  • Curtis S
    Kingsport, Tennessee2,631 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    bit of a climb, but great views
    we took the scenic route from Oceanside back to San Diego, stopping at parks along the coast. Torrey Pines was the first. most folks try to park along the highway, with good reason, the fee to park in the park itself is stiff. the walk to the top of the cliff isn't particularly strenuous, but it's not easy either. however, you will be rewarded with scenic views of the coastline. plenty of beautiful native flora abounds along the trail. worth the effort. Recommended
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 12, 2023
  • Carness V
    Fayetteville, Arkansas66 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful Views, Difficult to Locate
    This was a beautiful hike. At the recommendation of the Park Ranger in the Visitor Center, we did the Guy Fleming Trail which was short but had amazing sunset views of the ocean. The only downside was finding it. If you have your own car, I’m guessing there’s no issue, but if you’re Ubering like us, the Uber App takes you to a golf cart garage area connected to Torrey Pines golf course, about two miles away from the entrance to the park. We pulled it up on our own maps app and after some convincing, we got our driver to take us to the correct spot. There’s a gat at the entrance and vehicles have to pay to go in, so he dropped us off at the entrance. From there it was about a mile uphill to the visitor center. At the end of the hike we went back out to the main road where there was a “Rideshare Pickup/Dropoff” designated spot, so that made the trip back much easier. Good luck!
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 8, 2023
  • VegEcoFriendly
    40 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great views of the sea. Great for short hikes.
    Wonderful place for short or long hikes with family. Spectacular views of the sea. Need to pay 20$ per car for parking. Parking is at 3 levels. The top most level fills up fast.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written November 23, 2023
  • Claire K
    Hove, United Kingdom1,290 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Day 10 of the American Adventure
    You do have to pay a few bucks to park the car near the State Beach, but the trails around Torrey Pines are completely worth it. You can walk as much as you fancy-a couple of hours or all day, & the views you are rewarded with are breathtaking. Orange rocks, cacti & the turquoise Pacific….heavenly.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 29, 2024
  • Michelle T
    New York City, New York673 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing views
    We visited Torrey Pines on the drive back from Anaheim to San Diego. It was such a lovely stop. I had done some research when I was trip planning, but after 2 days where we spent 14+ hours in the Disney parks, we were beat. I did not think our original trail was going to work. We asked some volunteers for the park for their recommendation and they sent us to the Guy Fleming Trail, which they said was probably the easiest one. It is a â…” mile loop with 2 scenic overlooks with panoramic views and the greatest variety of wildflowers, cacti, and ferns. It was perfect. The trail was easy, not too elevated, and gave us fantastic views. We were there in time for wildflower full bloom so we saw a lot of beautiful flowers. If you have more time - and more stamina, their other trails are fantastic as well. Pro tip: You do pay for parking in the park when you enter, so ignore all the signs that tell you that you need to pay to park again!
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 9, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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forshara
Cape Elizabeth, ME596 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
We visited between Christmas and New Years and I guess others had the same idea. Due to earlier rainy weather, several of the trails were closed. It was a beautiful hike, though, along the ocean. "The Lodge" was built in 1922 as a restaurant for tour buses and travelers. Today "The Lodge" offers a viewing room that shows videos on wildlife and the history of Torrey Pines. There are various examples of taxidermy wildlife on display to show what animals can be seen in the wild.
Written January 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

travelingbarnions
Dallas, TX166 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
When I visited San Diego for a weekend, I was most excited for a hike at Torrey Pines. The views look great, and going on a nice hike is always great to break up an otherwise indulgent vacation!

There is a small price to get into the reserve, keep that in mind. When I visited on a Sunday morning, it was pretty busy. But not so busy that I didn't enjoy my time.

When you arrive at the parking lot, you then need to hike up a hill to get to the start of the actual hike. I 100% recommend wearing proper footwear. We saw some people in sandals and they were struggling a bit. That being said, people of varying fitness levels could do it, as long as you're willing to take your time.

I went with 4 people in our 30s, and we were able to hike many of the different routes. Most of the route is uncovered, so wear sunscreen. You take the routes out to different views jutting out over the ocean. All around you is shrubbery and red dirt, and the hiking trails are very clearly marked.

The hike is fun an relaxing, and the views are really wonderful. We saw many people out there with families (though I definitely don't recommend bringing a stroller).

This was one of my favorite activities of my weekend in San Diego!
Written January 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mary G
Ashland, WI13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
Torrey Pines has beautiful trails and is very cool. We just had too little time to explore. San Diego area has so much to offer it is hard to get enough time at any one place if you want to see everything. We went on a Saturday and we had plenty of space--it did not feel crowded. If you want views, space, and hiking, this is a good place to go.
Written August 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TheExplorerFamily
Somerset, NJ6,451 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
This was a wonderful place to spend a few relaxing hours. There were easy to moderate hiking paths up the hill with fabulous views, beautiful scenery everywhere we looked, and a very rocky beach where we sat to enjoy the fabulous sunset.

We drove all the way up to the last parking lot and paid $20 to park. There were plenty of spaces when we visited, and we were just a few steps away from the start of the trails.

If you are in the area, check out this highly recommended Park. Wear sunscreen and carry water. Most of all, wear comfortable walking shoes because the trails and paths are uneven, sandy and rocky.
Written January 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mynonnie
New Jersey308 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021 • Couples
The trails are easy and the views are amazing. We loved this place and were fortunate enough to have easy access from our hotel as we were staying at the Lodge at Torrey Pines. We did the trails on 2 different days during our stay. Our first time was on Labor Day in the late morning and it was pretty busy. We avoided one of the lookouts because it was too crowded, but it was still a great time. The second time we hiked the trails was on a Thursday in the late afternoon and it was a lot less crowded and really fantastic to have some of the trails to yourself. Probably the most opportune time to hike there would be early morning on a weekday. The trails are nicely maintained and certainly easy enough for beginner hikers.
Written September 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GNGator
Sarasota, FL156 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Couples
Torrey Pines has trails and beach access for the rugged North County beach in San Diego. We wanted to go to Blacks Beach and chose the Torrey Pines trails as best option. There is some free parking along the highway near entrance, but it is always full. It’s worth the $15 parking fee to drive in and park at the upper parking lot, near the beach trail. Lower lot near entrance is too far from trail! We enjoyed the hike down to the beach—-amazing scenery and relatively easy trail with steps and rope rails. Much safer than the dangerous climb down the cliffs near the Gliderport. Once down on beach level it’s a beautiful, unspoiled Pacific beach scene. You can walk south to Blacks Beach, which is clothing optional, but really has few people around. A peaceful, wonderful place to relax!
Written August 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Patty M
Colorado Springs, CO96 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023
All the trails are well marked and fairly easy. Be sure to go at low tide so you can walk down from the cliffs and have lots of time to walk along the shore. There was a very proud sea lion entertaining us with his little lion shark catch (see photo) on the day we were there. It was just lovely!
Written April 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Atn619
San Diego, CA3 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
Beware of their paid parking to enter the park. They charged my credit card twice for a total amount of $50 and will not refund me. I tried disputing it with my credit card company. Their response was they "assumed" I paid for the person behind me, but they have NO PROOF! I was by myself in the car! Wouldn't it make sense for me to carpool to avoid the additional $25 fee?! This experience has really made this spot a sour one.

Beware of their parking scam!
Written September 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Behrcat
Vancouver, Canada56 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022
If someone had not recommended me this hike as a memorable experience while visiting San Diego, I’d never have looked for it. It was a far longer hike than expected, but once there, totally worth the effort. The views from the different vistas were amazing. The Torrey Pines Lodge Museum (nearly at the top) was small but just right in its offerings. They had an educational video playing in a small room that was very interesting and the people working there were friendly and kind. You could tell they enjoy their jobs and that makes the visit even better. There were real washrooms at the base, I’d recommend making good use of them before making the climb. Once up at the top there are portable potties only. There are also two spots along the way where you can drink from a fountain and/or top up your water bottle. That was a blessing!
Written January 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rick D
Jupiter, FL508 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021 • Family
$10 entry if you park in the lot, well worth the price for what you get in return. Rather than hike up the hill, we drove to the top and walked the very manageable trails. All were easily done but would recommend sneakers rather than sandals or Birkenstock’s. Saw some people with both and I imagine their dogs were barking after all that walking. We walked down to a flatter trail that led to another fantastic view of the beach.
When the skies are clear like today, you can see all the way down to LaJolla. The exercise is a bonus.
Written June 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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