Our Mission The mission of the California Department of isit Torrey Pines...painted Torrey Pines Parks and Recreation is to provide for the “ V State Reserve health, inspiration and education of the cliffs and rugged canyons... people of California by helping to preserve green groves and flowered and State Beach the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and hillside...the wonderful cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. panorama of mountains... the sweeping shoreline and the blue sea...will continue in its primitive beauty to California State Parks does not discriminate be admired and loved by against individuals with disabilities. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need all who visit it. assistance should contact the park at the phone ” number below. To receive this publication in an —Guy Fleming alternate format, write to the Communications Office at the following address. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P. O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 For information call: 800-777-0369 916-653-6995, outside the U.S. 711, TTY relay service www.parks.ca.gov Torrey Pines SR and SB 12600 N. Torrey Pines Rd. San Diego, CA 92037 (858) 755-2063 (Reserve and mailing address) Cover and intro panel photos by David Rightmer © 2003 California State Parks (rev. 5/2006) Printed on Recycled Paper T orrey Pines State Reserve is a majes- beach invites swimming, surfing and and shade ramadas, which were made of tic wilderness in the middle of an increas- fishing. Low tide—when the red-tinged willow, oak, manzanita, deerweed, tule, ingly urban area. Its fragile environment of bluff is reflected in wet sand—is a good chamise and other local plants. high, broken cliffs and deep ravines over- time to stroll the beach. Across the high- The Kumeyaay were seasonal hunters looking the sea is home to one of the way from the beach, the Los Peñasquitos and gatherers. They gathered roots, world’s rarest pine trees—Pinus torreyana. Marsh Natural Preserve provides a berries, nuts and seeds—some The Torrey pines are believed to be the protected breeding ground for of which were used for remnants of an ancient woodland that once many species of birds and fish. medicinal purposes—and flourished along the southern California PARK HISTORY practiced limited coast, but now they grow naturally only on horticulture. Using Human History this small strip of San Diego coastline and fishhooks and nets, they The Kumeyaay that lived at on Santa Rosa Island. Here, the tree clings caught a variety of sea Torrey Pines traveled in to the face of the crumbling sandstone or animals, and picked up bands of extended families stands tall in sheltered canyons. grunion, shellfish and throughout the coast, Torrey Pines State Beach, adjacent to the mollusks from the mountains and desert foothills. reserve, stretches four and one-half miles beaches. The Kumeyaay Their lands extended from the from Del Mar past Los Peñasquitos Marsh hunted such game as rabbits, Pacific Ocean, south to Enseñada, Natural Preserve to the base of the sand- quail and deer with bows and Mexico, east to the dunes of the Kumeyaay olla (pot) stone cliff at Torrey Pines Mesa. The sandy arrows, throwing sticks and Colorado River, and north through the snares. Today, descendents of the Warner Springs Valley to what is now Kumeyaay still reside in many of the Oceanside. They lived in small dwellings same areas, including San Diego County. Kumeyaay dwelling Sketch by J.W. Audubon, 1849 NATURAL HISTORY THE TORREY PINES Concerned newspaperwoman and The landscape of the reserve is still Early Spanish explorers named the grove philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps changing. Nearly a million years of rising of trees in the area Punto de Los Arboles, or donated the North and Parry Groves to and falling seas, heavy rains, and erosion “Point of Trees.” The the people of San Diego in by streams and creeks gradually formed trees served as a the hope of protecting the the sandstone terraces that make up the landmark for sailors Torrey pines. In 1916 Guy present reserve. Some geological navigating off the Fleming, a botanist working formations are more than 45 million years coast. In 1850—the for the San Diego Society of old, and some rocks have traveled from as year of California’s Natural History reported far away as central Mexico. The continuous statehood—botanist damage to the trees by motion of the surf creates a changing Charles C. Parry heavy public use. seascape, challenging artists and identified this pine as Miss Scripps got the public photographers to record its latest look. a unique species and interested in protecting the Varying elevations have produced habitats named it after his trees, and in 1921 she and the that range from salt to fresh water, from friend John Torrey, a City Park Commission coastal strand to sage scrub, from salt marsh leading botanist of appointed Mr. Fleming to chaparral to riparian. The area’s mild the time. custodian of Torrey Pines temperatures range from a January low of When Dr. Parry Reserve. By the time of her about 45 degrees to a typical August high of returned to the area Photo courtesy of the Scripps College Archives, Denison Library death in 1932, Ms. Scripps had between 75 and 80 degrees. In June and in 1883, he was Ellen Browning Scripps contributed significantly to the July it is not uncommon for coastal fog to distressed over the establishment of the reserve. last all day, enabling the Torrey pines lack of protection for the trees, and he THE RESERVE to survive in this unlikely urged the San Diego Society of Natural The 2,000-acre reserve’s setting today environment. History to save them from extinction. By contains approximately 300 1885 there was a $100 bounty on anyone endangered and protected species of caught vandalizing a Torrey pine tree. native plants. The plant communities Possible later threats included clear- of the reserve and lagoon areas include cutting the trees so the land could be coastal strand, coastal sage scrub, Torrey pine on used for cattle grazing. In 1899 the chaparral, and Torrey woodlands. These coastal bluff San Diego City Council passed vanishing habitats are home to sand an ordinance that set aside verbena and beach primrose in the 369 acres to be used as a coastal strand areas, as well as public park. California sagebrush, California buckwheat, black sage, and coastal barrel cacti in the coastal California. The California quail, brown towhees, sparrows, sage scrub community. The mesas area is home to Nutall’s woodpeckers, Anna’s and other high elevations are host several rare and hummingbirds, ravens and mockingbirds to the chaparral community of endangered are often found. Here brush rabbits and plants, including chamise, species of birds other small rodents are common, with manzanita, ceanothus, California and provides a occasional gray foxes, bobcats, coyotes, scrub oak, toyon and mountain vital stopping or and mule deer. Reptile residents include mahogany. The Torrey woodlands nesting place for rattlesnakes and a variety of other snakes, are defined by the generally poor many migratory and several species of lizards, including soil and arid climate that cause the waterfowl. the endangered horned lizard. trees to have extensive root Portions of the RECREATION systems. The trees take on a reserve may be Trails variety of shapes as dictated by closed at times to • 0.6-mile Guy Fleming Trail in the the elements—dwarfed and allow the natural North Grove offers two scenic gnarled where most exposed to features to overlooks with panoramic views. wind and salty air, or taller and recuperate from Wildflowers brighten the trails. This trail has the greatest variety of more upright in sheltered areas. abuse, overuse or wildflowers, ferns, cacti and pine NATURAL PRESERVES natural disasters. trees in the reserve. Two outstanding areas have been WILDLIFE • 0.4-mile Parry Grove Trail has dramatic designated as Natural Preserves by the The intertidal zones are rich in sea life: ocean views, but most of the mature State Park and limpets, shore crabs and hermit crabs, Torrey pines fell victim to a bark beetle Recreation mussels, barnacles, sea anemones and infestation in the mid-1990s. A con- Commission. Ellen various species of snails and shells. High trolled burn has allowed natural reveg- Browning Scripps above the sea, the bluffs offer excellent etation and spectacular seasonal Natural Preserve is vantage points to watch the annual migra- wildflowers. Steep the area around tion of gray whales. Dolphins, seals, sea stairs form the head Parry Grove and lions and several species of porpoises may of this trail. Guy Fleming trails. be seen year round. • 0.1-mile High Point Los Peñasquitos About two hundred species of birds are Trail offers a 360- Marsh Natural protected at the reserve. Shore birds degree pan- Preserve is one of include brown and American white pelicans, oramic view of the last remaining black-bellied and snowy plovers, several the reserve and ocean. salt marsh areas species of gulls and terns, American avocets, and waterfowl western sandpipers, willets, whimbrels, refuges in sanderlings, great egrets and longbilled Sandstone cliffs southern curlews. Farther inland western scrub jays, Brown pelican • 1.3-mile Broken Hill Trail offers a beautiful view of eroding sandstone, and its north fork leads through Elfin Forest before connecting to Beach Trail near Flat Rock. • 1.5-mile Marsh Trail goes along the southern edge of Los Penasquitos Marsh Natural Preserve. The trailhead is on the east side of North Torrey Pines Road Coastal horned lizard opposite the South Beach parking lot. Trails in the Extension • 0.5-mile Mar Scenic Trail follows the • Information on park programs is available seasonal creek through the extension.