5 easy coastal hikes in San Diego while Torrey Pines is closed

With Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve closed until March 2027, you need somewhere else for an easy walk with water views. These five are short, mostly flat and open now. Four are free. We left out Annie's Canyon because the slot section isn't easy, and Cowles Mountain and Mission Trails because they're inland.

1. San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center loop

Start at the Nature Center, 2710 Manchester Avenue in Cardiff. The loop is 0.5 miles, ADA-accessible, with a boardwalk through salt marsh and riparian woodland. The Nature Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and has a paved lot with only 19 spaces, so come early on weekends. Leashed dogs are allowed on most San Elijo trails. Want more distance? The Santa Inez Trail from the Dike trailhead on Manchester is 2.42 miles round trip, but Encinitas rates it moderate. Skip Annie's Canyon if you want easy: it's about 1.6 miles with roughly 540 feet of climbing, the slot is one-way, and dogs aren't allowed in it.

2. Tijuana Estuary River Mouth loop, Imperial Beach

Park free at the visitor center, 301 Caspian Way. The River Mouth loop is 1 mile, flat and good for birding, and leashed dogs are allowed. For a wheelchair or stroller, the North McCoy Trail is 0.3 miles. Trails are open dawn to dusk every day. The visitor center is open Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and lends binoculars for free. The catch: the Tijuana River carries cross-border sewage. Stay on the trail and out of the water. See Is the water safe in Imperial Beach?.

3. Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, Point Loma

The city's 68-acre park runs along the bluffs west of Sunset Cliffs Boulevard between Adair and Ladera streets. The clifftop path is about 1.8 miles and nearly flat. Park in the free dirt lots at Ladera Street or Lomaland Drive. Both fill up fast on weekends and at sunset. There are no restrooms. Honest warning: the bluffs are unstable and people have died in falls here. Stay back from the edge, stay off undercut ledges and follow the signs. Dogs must be leashed and are only allowed in early morning and evening hours, so read the posted signs.

4. Bayside Trail, Cabrillo National Monument

This 2-mile trail starts just northeast of the Old Point Loma Lighthouse and winds through coastal sage scrub, with views over the harbor entrance and downtown. It starts near the top of the point, so expect the uphill on the way back. Entry is $20 per car or $10 per person on foot or bike, good for 7 days. Kids 15 and under get in free. The park is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but the Bayside Trail closes at 4 p.m. Dogs aren't allowed on the Bayside Trail. They're only allowed on the Coastal Trail, on a leash.

5. Batiquitos Lagoon Trail, Carlsbad

Start at the end of Gabbiano Lane, just east of I-5, by the Nature Center. The trail follows the north shore of the lagoon east toward El Camino Real. The full out-and-back is about 3.25 miles with about 250 feet of gain, mostly on one gentle hill. It's wide and family-friendly, and you can turn around any time. Leashed dogs are allowed. The Nature Center is open 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends. After rain, expect mud on the dirt sections.