Gonzales Canyon Loop

We'll hike the Gonzales Canyon Loop from Torrey Highlands Park. This is a popular hiking and mountain biking area. We did an exploratory hike last month and it went well. For details, see https://www.meetup.com/sandiegodayhikers/events/281109442/

The trail is also called the Torrey Pines Loop Trail.

The standard loop, as shown in Alltrails, is approximately two miles long and is supposed to take about an hour. We will add some hiking in the canyon, as we did last month, to make the total distance 4.1 miles.

We'll meet at 9:00 AM near the restrooms in Torrey Highlands Park (N 32 57.611 W 117 13.302) and step off at 9:15.

Leashed dogs are allowed; there is even an enclosed off-leash area near the restrooms.

Wear good hiking shoes or boots, take water, and use sun protection. There is very little shade in Gonzales Canyon. Some of the trails are steep and rocky.

SUGGESTED ROUTE FROM SAN DIEGO: Go north on Interstate 5 and exit at Del Mar Heights Road. Go east about a mile and a half, and turn left onto Lansdale Road. Turn left again into the park access road, which is marked only by signs with print too small to read from a moving vehicle. Go about 0.2 miles to the restrooms, which will be on your left. Park in one of the marked spaces near the restrooms.

PARKING? There was ample parking for our small exploratory group last month. If there is insufficient space for a larger group, park on a nearby residential street and walk in.

There is a posted two-hour limit for parking in the park, and we will be there a little longer than that, but I don't think the limit will be enforced unless you park there much longer than two hours.

There are lots of trails in and near Gonzales Canyon, and we can't begin to hike them all on one day.