San Diego Hikes: Torrey Pines South Fork and Broken Hill Trail
With all kinds of trails, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is one of San Diego’s best places for hiking. One of our favorite hikes was to the beach along Broken Hill Trail. This trail had been closed for several years but as of October 2020 has reopened fully restored. This is our guide to hiking South Fork Trail, to Broken Hill Overlook and down Broken Hill Trail to the beach. We come back up along Beach Trail to complete a 3-mile loop.
- Starting Point: Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Visitor Center, 12600 North Torrey Pines Rd. Upper parking lot by visitor’s center, 0.8 miles walk or drive from reserve entrance
- Length: 3-miles
- Elevation: 350 gain and loss
- Type: loop
For many years, one of our favorite hikes in Torrey Pines was from the upper Torrey Pines Parking lot down Beach Trail and back up Broken Hill Trail to either South Fork Trail or North Fork Trail. However, for several years these trails had been closed for restoration.
In 2018 South Fork Trail reopened as a wheelchair accessible ADA trail. This trail connected up with Broken Hill Overlook, but North Fork and Broken Hill Trail down to the beach remained closed.
North Fork Trail and Broken Hill Trail finally reopened in 2020. However, all of Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve was closed for 6 months when COVID-19 hit in March 2020. We were not able to check out the new trails until October 2020 when the park reopened.
Broken Hill Trail is a switchback trail that goes about 300 feet down to the beach. It can be accessed from either the North Fork Trail or the South Fork Trail. The South Fork Trail is slightly longer but they are both flat connector trails.
We have now done both the Broken Hill Trail via North Fork and South Fork. This hike is the South Fork Trail loop that takes a detour to Broken Hill Overlook and heads up via Beach Trail to complete the loop. You can see the North Fork option here.
The main issue with this hike is parking. Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve has paid parking. The parking fee varies by year but ranges from $10 to $20 per vehicle (more in summer and on weekends). There is upper-level parking lot by the visitor’s center. Access to South Fork Trail starts right from the visitor’s center. On busy days the upper lots can fill up and the only option is the lower parking lot that provides access to the beach. From this parking lot, you can hike up a fairly steep trail along the road to the visitor’s center (about 0.8 miles each way with 300-foot elevation gain).
One option is to do a variation of our 4-mile loop from the lower parking lot, up the hill to the upper parking lot and down via Broken Hill Trail and heading back along the beach to the lower parking lot.
From the visitor center, getting to South Fork Trail requires a half-mile walk south along the flat, paved road. The road is actually a historic site. In the early 20th century, this road was the main highway from San Diego to Los Angeles. n 1933 the current Torrey Pines Road was built because the curves around Guy Fleming Trail proved too dangerous.
You will pass the newly restored North Fork Trail which also goes to Broken Hill Trail. The South Fork Trail starts at the end of the park right by the famous Torrey Pines golf course.
South Fork Trail is now ADA accessible for about half a mile. This is a flat walk to a bench area that overlooks the bluffs and Broken Hill. The short hike out to Broken Hill is not ADA accessible, but it is an easy, level walk.
The actual Broken Hill Overlook is a nice, short detour. Broken Hill Overlook provides a great view of eroded bluffs. Simply turn left at the intersection and walk the short distance out to the overlook. After taking in the views head back to the trail and walk the short distance to the intersection with North Fork Trail. Turning left will put you on the official start of Broken Hill Trail to the beach.
The walk down to the beach has wonderful views of coastal San Diego. The new trail is gently looping with new stairs. It is about 300 feet down to the beach.
Right before the final stairs to the beach, Broken Hill Trail meets up with Beach Trail. Beach Trail is the way back to the parking lot. There is a nice overlook right before heading to the beach.
The final section to the beach is down a metal staircase. When you get to the beach, conditions will vary based on tide levels. It is best to do this trail at low tide. During low tide it is possible to climb on Flat Rock and see some cool tide pool action.
If you parked at the lower parking lot, this is the point where you can walk back along the beach and avoid having to do more uphill hiking.
To get to the upper parking lot, head up the staircase to the intersection of Broken Hill and Beach Trail. Turn left up Beach Trail. NOTE for more detail on the Beach Trail go here.
After a short uphill walk you will come to a turnoff to Yucca Point and Razor Point. These are short out-and-back walks to cliffside beach overlook. This area can be prone to rock slides which will sometimes close off parts of the trail. This was the case in October 2020 where the trails to both Yucca Point and Razor Point were closed due to erosion.
Continuing to head up hill the trail reaches a turn off to Red Butte. Red Butte clearly sticks out as one of the highest points in Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. We always stop here for the short climb to the top. You can get great views and this is a favorite place to take pictures. Kids love climbing on the rocks.
If you want to climb the 30 feet or so up Red Butte head to the left. You can also go to the right around Red Butte. Either way will take you back to the main Beach Trail and visitor center parking lot.
For our full guide to hiking Torrey Pines go here.
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