I felt like having a coastal adventure this afternoon, so I decided to hike through Torrey Pines State Park. I found parking along the coast and headed into the park. It was another perfect fall day in San Diego—the sun was shining, and the temperatures were pleasant. I cruised up the trail next to the road until I reached the Guy Fleming Trail, which I had not done in quite a while. I forgot that some of the best views in the park are actually from this trail. I sent a happy birthday message to my niece in Arkansas from one of the side viewpoints before rejoining the main road.
From there, I headed onto Red Butte to summit one of the “peaks” of the park. I had checked the tides on the way in, and high tide was not for several more hours, so I opted to hike down to the beach and take it back to the car. I actually had never done that before. I took the side trail to Yucca Point, double-checking the beach below before fully committing to the route.
I cruised along the firm sand northward back toward my car. Evidence from some rockfalls still sits next to the bluffs—a reminder not to stray too close to them. The entire hike was 3.8 miles in 1:20 and had 354 feet of gain.
I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I am the co-author of Urban Trails:San Diego, coming in Spring 2026!
In 2019, I became the third person to complete the San Diego 100 Peak Challenge. Not stopping with that accomplishment, I set my sights on the harder San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list, which I completed in 2021. In addition, I have conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and both the Arizona-Winter and Arizona-Summer). I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.