The Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve overlooking the Pacific Ocean will take a break from the usual flow of hikers. According to the California State Parks website, most of the trails, the park road and the upper parking lot are temporarily closed from November 2025 to February 2026 because of “accessibility improvements and utilities upgrade.”
Sophie Bryson (12) is one community member affected by the closure.
“I’m disappointed about the closure because hiking on the trails is a great way to get outside, connect with nature and get active,” Bryson said. “The various trails are really pretty and the ocean view is great. It will impact a lot of people, but thankfully, it will be open by summer.”
Sue Randerson, docent for over 10 years and former director of the Children’s Program at the reserve, will “miss [the closure],” but adds that it was necessary.
“The main focus is repairing the utilities,” Randerson said. “They’re installing a sewer line and fixing up the restrooms that haven’t been usable for quite a while. I’ll miss the walks but it’s important we get this work done and it’s also the best time of the year to do it with the lack of flowers and winter coming on.”
The state park is home to over 300 protected native plant species, as well as 754 animal species confirmed on iNaturalist. Environmentally, it spans biomes including the marsh, the coast, the chaparral and the hills. Biology and Advanced Placement Environmental Science teacher Brian Bodas is familiar with the park and its role in San Diego’s ecosystem.
“[The reserve] is a great idea and it contributes to the sustainability of wildlife here,” Bodas said. “With the encroaching human population and the value of land there’s more and more pressure to develop San Diego county but luckily we have these protected open spaces like Torrey Pines.”
According to Bodas, the reserve is also a place that fosters ecological soundness.
“Places like the water sheds that lead into the different river valleys are big areas for organisms because they are wildlife corridors all the way from the ocean to the foothills of the mountains,” Bodas said. “I think these reserves are very important because they represent these wildlife corridors that give especially larger organisms the ability to move back and forth, east and west, whether it’s mountain lions or deer, and the open space helps with the preservation of the chaparral plants and the different kinds of higher trophic level organisms.”
One concern about the repair process is the potential effects on the plants and animals.
“Thankfully, it won’t affect the wildlife as much because it’s on top of the hill, not the marsh,” Randerson said. “They’ll have to dig holes for the pipes and that might disrupt a little bit, but not a huge amount.”
Bodas affirmed that the closure is unlikely to negatively impact wildlife.
“A lot of the things they are going to do in terms of improvements will be based upon preexisting trails anyway,” Bodas said. “It will be more disruptive for the people.”
Many people will miss these trails, but in light of the closure, the community can discover alternative trails and options.
“Everybody’s going to miss the walks,” Randerson said. “Everybody loves Torrey Pines, but the beach will still be open and so will the Torrey Pines extension so people can still walk above the marsh.”
