In April, 2024, a new trail opened at Cabrillo National Monument. The Oceanside Trail starts at the Kelp Forest and Whale Overlook south of the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, and descends via several switchbacks to the Coast Trail, intersecting it a few steps from the main tidepool parking lot.
The Oceanside Trail is fairly steep and rugged, but if you’re in good physical shape, wearing good shoes and carrying plenty of water, the hike is really great!
I enjoyed the hike recently and took photographs as I walked down to the tidepools through incoming wisps of ocean fog!
I’ll provide some description in photo captions…
Here’s where you start, from the looping path south of the lighthouse, just beyond the whale overlook.Map shows the Oceanside Trail. It’s about a 2.5 miles round-trip and can be strenuous.Approaching a World War II observation bunker, which guarded the coast from a potential Japanese invasion.The trail leads around the old military bunker.You can see the New Point Loma Lighthouse in the distance by the water. It’s a residential area for Coast Guard officers.Watch your step!There are several switchbacks. Most feature steps.A walker heading up. You can see how wisps of fog were drifting inland from the Pacific Ocean.There are a couple of benches for resting and viewing the scenery, too.Native coastal plants along the Oceanside Trail provide additional beauty and interest.We’re approaching Cabrillo Road, which descends to the tidepool area from the Cabrillo National Monument entrance gate. Before the Oceanside Trail opened, it was the only way down.The Oceanside Trail crosses Cabrillo Road twice.A park ranger told me the circular platform with a track was used to rotate a gun during World War II.Those people ahead are on the Coast Trail, heading between the nearby parking lot and tidepools.The end of the Oceanside Trail. To reach the tidepools, turn right! You can’t miss them.
I’ll be blogging about the Coast Trail shortly. It extends north from here along the rugged, sandstone bluffs, providing amazing views.
Years ago, I walked down to the water and experienced the Cabrillo National Monument tidepools. I posted photographs here!
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
These three photographs were taken early this morning.
I walked very slowly along downtown’s Broadway Pier as the sun rose–and as a bank of fog rolled in from San Diego Bay.
The sun, clearing the horizon somewhere behind downtown’s high buildings, magically turned the fog orange. Then the gray creeping fog made those buildings vanish.
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
This morning I walked from downtown San Diego to Balboa Park, hoping to capture some interesting fog photographs.
As it turned out, most of my photos were of red-tailed hawks!
I observed three of them from the Cabrillo Bridge.
Anyone who walks into Balboa Park from the west side should keep their eyes peeled for hawks. They like to perch in the trees above the archery range or the slope of the West Mesa overlooking State Route 163.
I often hear the distinctive cry of red-tailed hawks near the eucalyptus trees west of the California Tower. Once or twice in the past I’ve seen them perched on the tower!
I managed to get a few decent photos with my little camera. You can see two hawks in the final image!
From the Cabrillo Bridge I also took a photograph of foggy downtown San Diego in the distance.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
Early this morning, an overnight fog obscured Balboa Park’s Desert Garden.
As the rising sun began to brighten the fantastic cacti of the Desert Garden, banks of fog lingered in Florida Canyon and beyond, appearing like ghostly, faraway islands…
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
I took these moody photos yesterday afternoon near South Mission Beach Park and the Mission Beach Jetty. You can see the volleyball courts on the sand. You’ll also see the nearby lifeguard station.
The lowering sun had vanished behind a gray bank of fog drifting in from the Pacific Ocean. I thought I’d snap a few photos to see how they’d come out.
They seem to tell a mysterious story about life.
And about silver that lives in the gray.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
After two days of sweltering heat in downtown San Diego, early this morning it was nice and cool. Fog had rolled in from the Pacific Ocean overnight. Perfect for a long Labor Day morning walk!
I set out very early while most of the city was asleep. Once the sun had risen and there was sufficient light for photographs, I took out my camera. The fog lingered throughout my walk. The sun was just breaking through as I arrived home mid-morning.
These photos begin at the G Street Pier, where several fishermen were already up and getting ready for another day out on the wide ocean. I proceeded around Tuna Harbor, through Ruocco Park and Seaport Village, did a loop through Embarcadero Marina Park North, continued past the Marriott Marina, and ended up near the fishing pier at Embarcadero Marina Park South.
I haven’t captioned these photos. I like how the fog provides a sense of mystery. But you might notice construction continues on the San Diego Symphony’s new outdoor summer concert venue, The Shell.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
It’s easy to find breathtaking natural beauty in San Diego. Three of my favorite places to walk along the coast are Torrey Pines State Reserve, Torrey Pines State Beach, and the Torrey Pines Gliderport.
The high sandstone cliffs topped by rare, windswept Torrey pines, the beautiful beaches stretching at their feet, the endless surf, blue San Diego sky, lingering banks of fog . . . all of these elements combine to produce an experience that is difficult to match anywhere in the world.
Over the years I’ve taken many photographs around Torrey Pines. And it’s quite likely I’ll be taking many more!
This morning, as I sit at my computer wondering where I might walk today, I’ve decided to revisit some of those old blog posts.
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
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