Torrey Pines Extension - Del Mar Hike

Its a sunny Summer Blue-Sky type day, a perfect day for a hike at the Beach. Coney and I went for a hike at Torrey Pines Extension Park and Crest Canyon, into a Del Mar neighbourhood and back to where we started passing through Del Mar Beach and Torrey Pines Beach. All in all it was a five mile hike into protected Torrey Pines habitat and on soft sand by the beach.

Distance: 5 miles
Time: 2.5 hours at moderate to fast pace
Terrain: mostly flat

Getting to the Trailhead

Take the Ted Williams, Highway 56 or Interstate 5 and exit on Carmel Valley Road and head West towards the Pacific coast. As you reach Torrey Pines State Beach, instead make a right turn to Del Mar Scenic Parkway to reach the Trailhead and park by the street. Take note though that you can't park there between 7 AM - 3: 30 PM on weekdays. You might be forced to park along Carmel Mountain Road or find a spot inside the paid Torrey Pines State Beach parking lot for $8.



Hike up the Del Mar Scenic Parkway road to reach the Trailhead.



First venue is Torrey Pines State Park Extension, a protected habitat for the endangered Torrey Pines tree. Take note that dogs, food, bicycle and smoking are not allowed inside the Park. As you hike through the gravel pathway and finish your first venue, you'll briefly walk through a posh Del Mar neighbourhood and hop into the Crest Canyon Park. More gravel trail through Canyons, vegetation, protected plants and wild habitat.

The tricky part is finding the trail to catch Crest Road while you're still inside Crest Canyon Park as you find your way down to Del Mar Beach. There are no signs to remind you of the trail going back to Crest Road. A quaint foot trail which is only marked by a rock with two pines cones on top of it reminds you to take that barely unused foot trail to climb up the canyon so you can catch Crest Road.


A rock with two cones, a marker to remind you of a quaint foot trail to Crest Road

As you hike down the mild sloping roads to Via Alta, 15th Street in a Del Mar neighbourhood, you'll cross Camino Del Norte into Del Mar Village, Seagrove Park , and catch the Del Mar Beach and Torrey Pines Beach for your homeward stretch. As you reach Torrey Pines Beach, hike till you reach the Lagoon which prevents you from hiking further, left turn up to the public Restrooms , into the Torrey Pines Beach parking lot and back to where you parked.

Click on the image below to view our Hiking pictures.


A Torrey Pine Cone.