Guide to the Torrey Pines Hiking Trails in San Diego (I've Hiked All)

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The Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve in San Diego is an incredible place to hike, offering a unique combination of cacti, pine trees, wildflowers, and ocean views.

However, there are six trails here, so it can be hard to know where to start or which Torrey Pines trail to hike.

I’ve hiked all six Torrey Pines hiking trails (over three visits), so let me break down the trails for you in this guide.

I’ll let you know which trails have access to the beach as well as which ones offer an explosion of wildflowers in the spring to help you decide what to do.

view from the torrey pines trail of the ocean and cliffs — Guy Fleming Trail

wild flowers on the torrey pines beach trail — Guy Fleming Trail

Table of Contents Show

Is Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Worth Visiting?

Yes, if you want to hike with ocean views. Most of the hiking trails at Torrey Pines feature overlooks that give you incredible views of the Pacific Ocean as well as the sandstone cliffs lining the coast.

Yes, if you want to hike with wildflowers. Springtime brings thousands of wildflowers to Torrey Pines, an explosion of California poppies, morning glories, bush sunflowers, black sage, sand verbena, among many others.

Yes, if you want to see the rarest pine trees. Torrey Pines gets its name from one of the rare pine trees that grows in the state reserve. The Pinus torreyana pine tree only grows in two places, the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and the Santa Rosa Island off the coast of Santa Barbara.

List of Torrey Pines Hiking Trails

Guy Fleming Trail
Parry Grove Trail and EB Scribbs Overlook
High Point Trail
Razor Point Trail
Torrey Pines Beach Trail
Broken Hill Trail via North Fork or South Fork

author, a young woman, on the guy fleming trail surrounded by wildflowers — Guy Fleming Trail

Map of Torrey Pines Hiking Trails

map of trails at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve — Map courtesy of Torrey Pines SNR

Description of Torrey Pines Hiking Trails

Guy Fleming Trail

Length: 0.7 miles loop (from trailhead, not including walk from parking lot)
Elevation gain: 45 feet
Difficulty: Easy

Don’t miss the Guy Fleming Trail; it’s the easiest trail in the park and also the first trail you’ll probably pass. It’s also an incredibly beautiful and impressive trail with views you have to see to believe.

Features on the Guy Fleming Trail

Two overlooks. On this trail, you’ll find two overlooks with incredible views of the ocean and the cliffs at Torrey Pines.

Tons of wildflowers. In terms of habitat and nature, the Guy Fleming Trail has the MOST variety of wildflowers, ferns, and cacti in the reserve. I can confirm that this trail is FILLED with flowers and flora in the spring, such as:

Thousands of wildflowers, blooming in spring, including California poppies, morning glories, bush sunflowers, toyon, milkmaids, black sage, sand verbena, among many others
Cacti, including the prickly pear cactus
Coastal sage scrub
Chaparral
Maritime succulent scrub

The Guy Fleming Trail is an easy trail that’s incredibly rewarding. It’s also not as crowded as the super popular Beach Trail, so it feels more peaceful.

Who is Guy Fleming? The Guy Fleming Trail is named after Guy Fleming, who developed the trail system at Torrey Pines and also founded the Torrey Pines Association.

two people walking on the guy fleming trail with wildflowers nearby — Guy Fleming Trail

three people on the guy fleming trail, surrounded by wildflowers — Guy Fleming Trail

three people at the south overlook on the guy fleming trail — South Overlook, Guy Fleming Trail

Parry Grove Trail and EB Scribbs Overlook

Length: 0.6 miles loop (from trailhead, not including walk from parking lot)
Elevation gain: 111 feet, with 118 stairs
Difficulty: Easy

This short trail includes an overlook with views of the reserve and ocean before it descends down 118 steps into the canyon below.

There aren’t any wildflowers and there are only a few trees on this trail but there is a native plant garden near the trailhead.

Who is EB Scribbs? Ellen Browning Scribbs was a philanthropist who had purchased some of the Torrey Pines land and donated it to the city in 1911.

sign that says "Parry Grove trail: 118 steep stone steps ahead proceed with caution" — Parry Grove Trail

a boardwalk on the trail to EB Scribbs overlook — EB Scribbs Overlook

High Point Trail

Length: 100 yards with steps, out and back
Difficulty: Easy

The High Point Trail is a very short ascent up a flight of stairs to reach one of the highest points in Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. From the top, you’ll be able to see panoramic views of the reserve and the ocean.

There are benches at the top to rest and take in the views. It’s a great way to get your bearings and see all the trails in Torrey Pines. It could help you decide where to hike next.

three people sitting on a bench at High Point looking at the views — High Point Trail

Razor Point Trail

Length: 0.7 miles to the viewpoint (from the Beach Trail trailhead)
Elevation gain: 177 feet
Difficulty: Easy

The Razor Point Trail splits off from the Beach Trail and then reunites with the Beach Trail a bit later. It’s a great choice for getting away from the crowds on the Beach Trail while still not missing anything the Beach Trail has to offer.

The Razor Point Trail features lots of spring wildflowers and a few trees. It takes you to Red Butte and a viewpoint of the gorge before heading down to the main viewpoint on the Razor Point bluffs.

Features on the Razor Point Trail

Razor Point bluffs with a panoramic view of the ocean
Red Butte, a small red rock you can climb
Wildflowers
Several other ocean and gorge viewpoints

Don’t Miss the Red Butte

The Red Butte is an interesting feature; it’s a rock that was once underwater a million years ago, but has risen over 300 feet along with the land. It’s red due to rusting (iron oxide).

Red Butte is pretty flat and easy to climb as well.

people standing atop red butte at torrey pines — Red Butte

woman standing atop Red Butte — Red Butte

the razor point bluffs with wildflowers framing the image — Razor Point, as seen from Yucca Point

Torrey Pines Beach Trail

Length: 0.75 miles to Flat Rock (from the Beach Trail trailhead)
Elevation gain: 357 feet
Difficulty: Moderate

The Torrey Pines Beach Trail is one of the most popular trails in Torrey Pines. The trail can get busy during peak times with lots of people rushing by.

It’s so popular because the trail winds down the cliffs to the beach and features so many incredible viewpoints and wildflowers along the way. It also has short trails that veer off to see Red Butte and Yucca Point, two things you can’t miss while hiking the Beach Trail.

When you finally reach the sandstone staircase that leads down to the beach, be sure to watch your step and stop every now and then to admire the beautiful sandstone cliffs and colorful wildflowers and scrub.

When is the best time to hike the Beach Trail?

I’d highly recommend hiking the Beach Trail during low tide, so that when you reach the beach, you can simply walk down the beach to return to the parking lot without having to climb back up to the trailhead.

If you follow this plan, be sure to park in the south beach parking lot and not at the Beach Trail trailhead.

Check tide levels using this resource before you head out for the day.

Features on the Torrey Pines Beach Trail

Yucca Point, a short trail that leads onto the bluffs for a panoramic view of the ocean
Red Butte, a small red rock you can climb
Wildflowers
Several other ocean viewpoints

sign that says BEACH with an arrow — Beach Trail

young woman walking along the Torrey Pines beach trail with wildflowers nearby — Beach Trail

young woman on sandstone steps on the Torrey Pines beach trail — Stairs to Flat Rock from Beach Trail

Don’t Miss Yucca Point

Yucca Point is a short trail that leads onto the bluffs for a panoramic view of the ocean. There are yucca trees on the trail, thus its name. Though it’s a short trail, the views are more than worth the brief detour from the Beach Trail.

You can see Flat Rock down below, and if you stay awhile, looking out to the ocean, you might even spot a few spouting whales like we did.

young woman standing near yucca plants on the yucca point trail — Yucca Point

Broken Hill Trail

via North Fork Trail or South Fork Trail

Length: 1.2 or 1.3 miles to Flat Rock (from trailhead)
Elevation gain: 360 feet
Difficulty: Moderate

The beautiful Broken Hill Trail is the longest trail in the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. It’s also one of two trails that will give you access to the beach.

The Broken Hill Trail will lead down to Flat Rock, converging with the Beach Trail at the staircase in the sandstone cliffs.

There are way less people on this trail compared to the Beach Trail, so it’s a great option for those who want to avoid crowds and still land at the beach.

A canyon separates the Broken Hill Trail from the Beach Trail. While the Beach Trail is more sandy and rugged, the Broken Hill Trail is more green and well-kept with lots of brush and vegetation.

Tip: Since the Broken Hill Trail is the farthest trail from the parking lot, I highly recommend parking by the visitor center. There is usually parking up there since most park down at the large South Lot.

girl walking along a trail by the ocean — Broken Hill Trail

girl walking down stairs on a trail to the ocean — Broken Hill Trail

girl walking along a trail surrounded by green brush — Broken Hill Trail

girl wearing a green shirt standing on a trail by a cliff and the ocean — Broken Hill Trail

Don’t Miss the Broken Hill Overlook

The Broken Hill Overlook is a short little detour off of the South Fork Trail. It might seem out of the way, but it’s totally worth it once you arrive at the view point. From atop the cliff, you can see the other sandstone cliffs below in all their glory.

an overlook of sandstone cliffs by the ocean — Broken Hill Overlook

Should You Take North Fork or South Fork?

You can reach the Broken Hill Trail by using either the North Fork Trail or the South Fork Trail.

What’s the difference? I’ve hiked both trails and can give you some insights.

Features of the North Fork Trail:

Closer to the parking lot, so less of a walk
A dirt trail with brush on either side
Not many views
There are some stairs
More people take this trail than the South Fork Trail

Features of the South Fork Trail:

Farther away from the parking lot, so a little longer of a hike
A dirt trail
Views of the golf course and ocean
No stairs
Noticeably less people on this trail than the North Fork Trail
Includes a detour that leads to the stunning Broken Hill Overlook

a girl walking down a dirt trail surrounded by brush — North Fork Trail

a bench next to a cliff with views of trees and the ocean and sandstone cliffs in the distance — South Fork Trail

Best Torrey Pines Hiking Trails

For Beach Access:

Torrey Pines Beach Trail
Broken Hill Trail

For Spring Wildflowers:

Guy Fleming Trail (lots of flowers)
Razor Point Trail (some flowers)
Torrey Pines Beach Trail (some flowers)

Beach Access: Visiting the Torrey Pines State Beach

You can access the Torrey Pines State Beach near the south beach parking lot (where you most likely entered the park).

You can also access the beach via two hiking trails in the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve — the Torrey Pines Beach Trail and the Broken Hill Trail.

Both of these trails converge at Flat Rock, where there are steps that ascend from the cliffs down to the beach.

pebbles on the beach at Torrey Pines State Beach

a lifeguard tower at Torrey Pines State Beach

See Flat Rock

When it is low tide, you can climb atop Flat Rock and explore the tide pools. We explored a bit of the area and found a lot of seaweed and a dead squid. You could probably also find hermit crabs and more, depending on the tide.

Check tide levels using this resource before you head out for the day.

flat rock from a viewpoint above — Flat Rock, as seen from Yucca Point

Tip: Bring a Plastic Bag to Pack Out Trash

Why? Unfortunately, people leave trash behind on the beach and on the trails at Torrey Pines. I’ve picked up straws and water bottles here that I didn’t want the ocean to carry away. There are no trash cans on the trails, so you’ll need something to stash the litter until you can return to your car.

Consider bringing a plastic bag so that you can not only pack away your trash but also do the Earth a favor and clean up any litter you may find on the way. Torrey Pines is a beautiful place, so let’s work together to keep it clean for the wildlife who call it home.

Stop By the Visitor Center

The visitor center is near the Beach Trail trailhead, right across from it actually. The historic adobe building was built in 1922 and intended as a restaurant and possibly once a lodge. It now houses a museum, shop, and the ranger office.

You can learn a lot of information about the park in the visitor center. There are taxidermy of local animals inside as well as photos of all the wildflowers that grow at Torrey Pines.

adobe building which serves as visitor center in Torrey Pines — Visitor Center

Where to Park at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

The main parking lot is near the entrance to Torrey Pines State Beach at the south beach lot. There are also a few smaller parking lots deeper inside the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, such as by the visitor center and the Beach Trail trailhead.

Parking costs $10-$25 per vehicle and is based on demand.

Don’t be dismayed if you arrive and see a line of cars waiting to enter Torrey Pines. Parking is probably still available. Sometimes traffic gets backed up as each car has to pay the attendant at the booth.

There are kiosks in the parking lot to pay for parking when an attendant is not in the booth.

Try to arrive early as parking typically fills up by late morning.

two teenagers at the parking lot in torrey pines — Parking lot, Torrey Pines State Beach

parking lot at torrey pines state natural reserve — Torrey Pines parking lot at 10:40 a.m. on a Saturday

Save Money on Parking with a Library Pass

California residents or any California library card holders, did you know you can check out a California state park pass to park for free at most CA state parks?

Torrey Pines Natural State Reserve is a participating park in this program.

At the library, you’ll be given a rearview mirror hang tag, so simply show it to the attendant at the booth and then hang it on your rearview mirror once parked at the state park.

I checked out the state park pass at my local library and gave it a try while visiting Torrey Pines Natural State Reserve. It was very nice to save $25 and be able to skip the hassle of paying for parking.

hand holding up the the California state library parks pass — California State Parks Library Pass

BONUS: Visit the Sunset Seat Train View in Del Mar

While you’re at Torrey Pines Natural State Reserve, consider walking over to a viewpoint just across the bridge.

This viewpoint is called the Sunset Seat, and from here, you can see the trains chugging along under the bridge as well as pretty wildflowers from March to May.

I visited in late March when only a few of the flowers had started blooming, but it was still a pretty view.

It’s a quick stop, so a great thing to add on to your trip to Torrey Pines.

How far away is it? From the Torrey Pines South Parking Lot, it’s a 1-mile walk, one way. From the Torrey Pines North Parking Lot, it’s a half-mile walk, one way.

I have a state parks pass (borrowed from the library), so I first parked at the North Lot in order to walk to the Sunset Seat, and then I drove over to the South Lot to hike at Torrey Pines. If you don’t have a pass, to do this, you’d have to pay the parking fees twice.

a girl standing on a small trail leading to a view of the bridge and train tracks — Sunset Seat, Del Mar

purple wildflowers by the beach — Sunset Seat, Del Mar

white wildflowers in front of a bridge — Sunset Seat, Del Mar

Tips for Visiting Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

Stay away from the base of the cliffs. The cliffs are known to break off randomly, so there is a risk of being hit by rocks if this were to happen.

Stay on the trails. Walking off the trails will trample plants and possibly cause erosion.

Keep an eye out for rattlesnakes. You may run into a Southern Pacific Rattlesnake or a Red Diamond Rattlesnake on the trails. Stop and wait until the snake leaves or turn around and notify a park employee or volunteer.

Don’t smoke or light fires. The Torrey Pines area is dry and flammable. Help prevent wildfires.

Don’t bring your pets. Dogs and any other pets are not allowed in the reserve or in the state beach as they can frighten wildlife.

Follow the rules of Torrey Pines:

Don’t eat food or drink alcohol in the reserve.
Leave no trace and pack out any litter.
Don’t pick the flowers or take home any nature.
Don’t fly drones.
Don’t play music.

close up of the cliffs at torrey pines with flowers growing out of the side of the cliffs — Cliffs at Torrey Pines

Interesting Facts and History of Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

About 65 years ago: In 1959, Torrey Pines became a state park.

About 100 years ago: The Torrey Pines area came to be preserved because of one person, Guy Fleming. Guy led a city-wide campaign in 1916 to protect the Torrey Pines area, eventually becoming the area’s resident caretaker. He developed the trail system at Torrey Pines and also founded the Torrey Pines Association.

Thousands of years ago: But long before then, perhaps hundreds or even thousands of years ago, the Torrey Pines area was inhabited by an indigenous tribe, the Kumeyaay.

Millions of years ago: And then millions of years ago, the Torrey Pines area was underwater, but the land has risen over 300 feet since then. Much of the Torrey Pines cliffs and bluffs are made of sandstone, so it was once loose sand millions of years ago. The sand formed into rock due to minerals that flowed through the water. Eventually the water receded, the land rose, and the sandstone cliffs remained.

Frequently Asked Questions about Visiting Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

How long is the Torrey Pines beach hike?

The Torrey Pines Beach Trail is about 2.3 miles long, round trip.

However, you can easily walk much farther than this depending on where you park and if you also decide to walk to Yucca Point and/or Red Butte on the Beach Trail.

Do you have to pay to go to Torrey Pines Beach?

You do have to pay for parking at Torrey Pines State Beach. However, you can try to find limited street parking or you can use a California state park pass from the library to park for free inside the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve parking lot.

What is the best trail at Torrey Pines Reserve?

The best trails for spring wildflower viewing are the Guy Fleming Trail, the Torrey Pines Beach Trail, and the Razor Point Trail.

The best trails for beach access are the Torrey Pines Beach Trail and Broken Hill Trail.

All Torrey Pines hiking trails have incredible views.

How hard is the Torrey Pines hike?

The Torrey Pines hiking trails are not difficult; they are between easy and moderate. The longest trail is less than 3 miles. And the elevation gain on the steepest trail is not even 400 feet.

When is the best time to visit Torrey Pines?

Spring is the best time to visit Torrey Pines to see the incredible wildflowers. However, any time of year at Torrey Pines will offer incredible beach views.