Torrey Pines Nature Reserve – San Diego, Ca

Below are the images from my free time at the event in San Diego. Started with a car rental car and then toured the Torry Pines State Park which includes an expansive beach. Little history on the park from Wikipedia:

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is 2,000 acres (810 ha) of coastal state park located in San Diego, California, off North Torrey Pines Road. Although it is located within San Diego city limits,[2] it remains one of the wildest stretches of land (8 km²) on the Southern California coast. It is bordered immediately on the south by Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course and on the north by the city of Del Mar. The reserve was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1977.[3]

The reserve consists of a plateau with cliffs that overlook Torrey Pines State Beach, and a lagoon that is vital to migrating seabirds. Many different kinds of wildlife and flora are found within the reserve, including bobcat, fox, skunk, raccoon, coyote, rabbit, cacti, coastal chaparral, and the rare Torrey pine. During Whale migration, it is sometimes possible to see several species of whale from the cliffs, including humpback whale and gray whale. The 8 miles (13 km) of trails within the park offer an attraction for hikers and beach-goers and a small museum sits at the top of the hill. From the cliffs or many places along the beach, it is possible to see La Jolla to the south and Del Mar to the north. At the southern end of the beach is a large rock that projects into the ocean, called Flat Rock. South of the rock is San Diego’s unofficial nude beach, Black’s Beach.[citation needed]

Establishment

The area was once home to the Kumeyaay people. George Marston persuaded the San Diego City Council in 1899 to pass an ordinance preserving 364 acres (147 ha) of the pueblo land as a park. Later between 1908 and 1911, newspaperwoman and philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps bought additional land and donated it to the city.[4] In 1916, Guy Fleming visited the park and after examining the current condition, pushed for preservation of the park and eventually became the District Superintendent for the Southern California State Park System. The Torrey Pines Lodge was completed in 1923 and a year later, more lands were added to the park. Now consisting of over 1,000 acres (400 ha) of cliffs, beach, and more, the park became open to the public.

In 1956, it was decided that the park be handed over to the State of California for higher protection because it is a state reserve. In 1970, 197 acres (80 ha) and 1,500 trees were added due to fear of human expansion. Later in 1975, the Torrey Pines Docent Society was started to help promote preservation of the park, in addition to the Visitors Center. In 2007, the park’s name was changed to Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. The park size is now over 2,000 acres (810 ha).[5] The official Torrey Pines website provides more detail on the establishment of the Torrey Pines Reserve. [6][1][citation needed]