Torry Pines Route
Long Hike North Route
Parking: Pay Lot
Path Description: Long Flat Hike
High Tide Concerns: Often Impassable at High Tide
1. Exit interstate 5 at Carmel Valley Road and head west.
2. Turn left at Camino Del Mar.
3. Enter through the gate and park where you can.
4. Walk to the beach and turn south, which is left.
5. Black's Beach is about 2 miles south.
6. At some point you will pass through a gap, called Flatrock.
7. On the seaside of that gap is a flat rock, usually in the surf.
8. Once you pass through that gap, you will see Mussel Rocks ahead of you.
9. Mussel Rocks is the northern boundary to the clothing optional
section of the beach.
Glider Port Route:
Steep Path Route
Parking: Dirt or Street
Slippery Path When Wet
1. Exit I-5 at Genesee and head west.
2. Turn left on North Torrey Pines Road.
3. The next turn is close, the second signal. Turn right on Torrey
Pines Scenic. It is also marked by a sign for the Salk institute and
the Glider Port.
4. Follow that road to the end.
5. At the end is a cul de sac and straight ahead is a driveway to a
dirt road with a gate. I think the gate is only locked at night.
6. Pass through the gate and bear left.
7. Park near the glider port, or wherever you feel comfortable. Mud
puddles linger for a few days after a storm.
8. There is a path to the south of parking set apart by railroad
ties. Follow that path, bearing left. 9. To your right is a small
mosaic. Straight ahead you will see a few signs ahead. One describing
beach access, another warning against night use, and a third listing
more regulations.
10. To the left of those, the rugged trail to the beach begins. Most
people wear hiking shoes on the steep winding path. Some regulars
maintain a few steps near the end, then you will find a staircase
leading to a narrow ravine with steps carved into the floor or the ravine.
11. The end of the trail changes periodically due to weather and
vandalism. Sometimes there are sandbags arranged into a zigzagging
ramp. Vandals and weather tear it apart, but the Black's Beach
Diggers rebuild it often. During winter months the sand is often
covered in mud from recent erosion.
12. Nudity is tolerated only a short distance to the left and far to
the right.
Black Gold Road:
Steep Path Route
Street Parking, Restricted Weekdays
1. Exit interstate 5 at La Jolla Village Drive and turn west.
2. Follow that street as it curves right and becomes North Torrey
Pines Road.
3. Turn left at La Jolla Shores Drive then right onto La Jolla Farms Road.
4. Where La Jolla Farms Road meets Black Gold Road is the access road
to Black's Beach.
5. Vehicle access is controlled by UC San Diego, but pedestrian
access is unrestricted.
6. Parking is restricted on weekdays.It's a two hour zone. Park where
ever you can find a space and walk back to the gate.
7. It's a one lane asphalt road that winds its way to the beach.
8. There is one place where you can take a steep shortcut. You will
eventually reach a place with an outhouse and enough space to park a
few cars. Continue down to the beach. 9. At this point you are on
Torrey Pines City beach, which used to be called Black's Beach.
Nudity is prohibited there by local ordinance. You want to reach the
southern edge of Torrey Pines State Beach. That is about 2/3 of a
mile to the north. You will know you are still on the city beach
because you will occasionally see signs against the cliff stating
that nudity is prohibited.
10. Lifeguards often set up orange traffic cones and a sign marking
the boundary between the city and state beach. Once you reach that
boundary, you are on a part of the beach that we still call Black's
Beach, despite the official name.
La Jolla Shores Route
Long Hike North
Parking: Always in High Demand
Path Description: Long Flat Hike
High Tide Concerns: Often Impassable at High Tide
