Dust Devil Nature Trail and Tidal Trail

This is a 3.6-mile hike with no significant hills and fairly smooth trails on the south side of San Dieguito Lagoon. It includes an out-and-back hike over the recently opened one-mile Tidal Trail and 1.6 miles on the Dust Devil Nature Trail, which is actually three loop trails. Before the Tidal Trail was opened, the Dust Devil Nature Trail was too small for a day hike; together the two trails are a more reasonable size, although it is still a fairly easy hike.

We did this hike on November 5, 2024. For details, including some photographs, see www.meetup.com/sandiegodayhikers/events/304240749

The trails are signed for hiking only; horses and bicycles are not allowed. (But I have seen bicycle tire tracks on some of the trails.) There is no shade. All the trails go through coastal chaparral. (There is a small sylvan area, but the trails do not go through it.) Leashed dogs are allowed.

We'll meet at 9:30 AM at the Dust Devil Nature Trail Staging Area on El Camino Real (N 32 58.202 W 117 14.385). At 9:45 we'll start hiking.

Suggested route from San Diego: Go north on I-5 and exit at Via De La Valle (exit 36). Turn right and go east about 1.3 miles. Then turn right on El Camino Real. Go south about 1.2 miles to the staging area, which will be on your right.

The staging area entrance can be hard to find, because it is small and poorly signed. Look for two churches on your left. The first one (Armenian Church of San Diego) is a prominent structure shown in the photographs section. The second one is a smaller church (Harvest Evangelical Church), and the staging area entrance is roughly opposite the entrance to the evangelical church parking lot. If you reach the traffic light at Sea Country Lane, you have gone a little (360 feet) too far. In that case, make two U-turns and try again.

El Camino Real has a median strip, so you cannot make a left turn into or out of the staging area entrance. You must enter from southbound El Camino Real.

Hiking shoes are recommended, if only for comfort when walking over gravel. Hiking poles are not needed. Use some sun protection and take water. You might want to carry a snack to eat when we stop at a viewpoint. There is a portable toilet in the trailhead parking lot, but no drinking water.

Contact: Philip Erdelsky, cell 619-866-8512 email *pje@efgh.com*.