Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve closed to all visitors on Tuesday, September 22. California State Parks says it should reopen in March 2027. The closure covers every trail in the main reserve, the Beach Trail Staircase, the Lodge and both upper parking lots. The reserve road closed to cars a day earlier. Most coverage stopped there. The State Parks conditions page has one more line that matters to Carmel Valley: main trails are listed as CLOSED, and the Torrey Pines Extension is listed as OPEN.
That line is the story for anyone living between Carmel Valley Road and Del Mar Heights Road. The Extension isn't a stopgap set up for the construction. It is the part of the reserve you reach from residential streets on this side of the lagoon, and it has now stayed open through both phases of the work.
Two construction phases, and the Extension stayed open in both
The current closure is the second phase of a multiyear project. The first phase ran from November 2025 to February 2026. It closed the main access road, the upper lots, the visitor center and the main trails. The Union-Tribune reported that the beach lots, Torrey Pines State Beach and the Extension trails stayed open the whole time. That phase was mostly underground utility work. It also tore down the old restroom building.
Phase two covers the rest of the work:
- New gas, water, wastewater and communication lines
- Updated accessible parking stalls, plus an accessible path from the upper parking lot to the new restroom and the Lodge
- Replacement of the existing park road from the west parking lot to the park's south boundary
The schedule follows the wildlife. A staff report quoted by the Union-Tribune says construction is timed to "avoid overlapping with the breeding season of the California gnatcatcher." The Torrey Pines Conservancy said doing the work in planned stages "allows the most disruptive elements to be completed methodically, rather than through reactive closures later." The park information page gives the closure as September 22 through February 2027 and expects full access by March 1, 2027. If you hold a state parks pass, State Parks doesn't refund passes for closures, but your pass still works at every other state park.
There's one inconsistency to know about. The State Parks main page for Torrey Pines still shows a generic "All trails are open" line right next to its closure notice. The detailed Park Information page is the one that separates the closed main trails from the open Extension. Go by that page.
Getting in from the neighborhood side
The State Parks Extension map shows access from two directions: from Carmel Valley Road via Del Mar Scenic Parkway, and from Del Mar Heights Road via Mar Scenic Drive and Mira Montana Drive. The San Diego Natural History Museum's trail write-up gives the clearest directions for the main entrance.
- Del Mar Scenic Parkway. Take Carmel Valley Road west from I-5, turn right on Del Mar Scenic Parkway, and park where it ends.
- Mar Scenic Drive. The Mar Scenic Trail comes out here.
- Mira Montana Drive. The Margaret Fleming Nature Trail comes out here.
There is no lot. The official map says "Street parking only." A Union-Tribune hike column from January 2026 describes the parking as free. These are residential curbs, so park the way you'd want someone to park on your own street.
The rules are stricter than many neighborhood walkers expect:
- Hours are 7 a.m. to sunset.
- No pets, no bikes on the trails, no food, no smoking and no fires. Water is allowed.
- Alcohol and drones are prohibited in the reserve.
The pet rule matters most. A morning loop with the dog is off the table here, just as it was in the main reserve.
About two miles of trail, compared with what's closed
State Parks lists four Extension trails:
- Mar Scenic Trail, half a mile, following the seasonal creek
- Daughters of the American Revolution Trail, half a mile, with views across the marsh to the main reserve and the ocean
- Margaret Fleming Nature Trail, three-quarters of a mile through coastal sage scrub
- Red Ridge Loop, a third of a mile, with views of the lagoon, the main reserve and the geologic formations
Added up, that's a little over two miles. For comparison, the Broken Hill Trail in the closed main reserve runs about 1.3 miles to the beach by its South Fork and 1.4 by its North Fork. The Beach Trail drops about 300 feet over three-quarters of a mile before the stairs. The whole Extension network is about as long as one out-and-back to the sand on the main side. It works well for an hour before work. It won't replace a long Saturday route.
What it offers is the same landscape at a smaller scale. The Natural History Museum notes gnarled Torrey pines along the ridge and a short side trail down into a shaded grove. The DAR Trail and Red Ridge Loop look back across the marsh toward the main reserve that's now behind construction fencing.
When the outing needs to be longer
Because the Extension is short, longer routes have to come from somewhere else. Each of the nearby options has its own access details.
San Dieguito Lagoon, Coast to Crest Trail. The San Dieguito River Park lists more than 65 miles of free, year-round day-use trails. The lagoon section of Coast to Crest is 2.5 easy miles. To reach the San Dieguito Lagoon staging area, go east on Via de la Valle and turn onto San Andres Drive. The trail starts at the southeast corner of the lot, and there's extra street parking on San Andres. From October 1 through March 31 the lot is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., which almost exactly matches the reserve closure. The Del Mar trailhead off Jimmy Durante Boulevard and San Dieguito Drive has a paid lot with a prepay machine and no facilities.
Dust Devil Nature Trail. This one is 1.7 easy miles. Its lot is off southbound El Camino Real just before Sea Country Lane, and there's a portable toilet. In 2024, SANDAG and Caltrans finished a one-mile trail along El Camino Real that connects to Dust Devil. A future link to Coast to Crest is planned.
Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve. The County lists the preserve at 12020 Black Mountain Road. It's open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset and has about 12 miles of trail. Trails can close after flooding or damage. The City's ranger office at 858-538-8066 can give you current conditions before you drive over.
Del Mar Mesa Preserve. The preserve has changed since many people last walked it. In February 2026, the Union-Tribune reported that habitat restoration was underway, with fencing going up and unauthorized trails being removed, including the two-mile route called Tunnel 5. The City and the conservancy said the work carries out an approved restoration plan. If an old Mesa loop of yours used Tunnel 5, plan a new one.
The pet rule is the one to check before every trip. The Extension bans pets outright, so check the managing agency's rules for each alternative before you bring the dog.
Between now and March
Two things are on the calendar. State Parks lists a Halloween Creature Feature at Torrey Pines State Beach on October 24. The beach and its North and South lots are still open. The Torrey Pines Docent Society said on September 13 that Mindful Walks in the Extension "may be forthcoming." It hasn't announced dates.
After that, the date to remember is March 1, 2027. That's when State Parks expects full access to return to the main reserve. By then it should have a new restroom, an accessible path to the Lodge and a replaced park road. Updates on the work are posted on the State Parks construction project page. Until then, the closest Torrey Pines trailhead to most of Carmel Valley is still the end of Del Mar Scenic Parkway.
If the Extension has you thinking about which part of Carmel Valley puts you closest to the trails you use most, Patrick Brown offers a free consultation with him directly, and that includes a complimentary valuation of your current home.
