Sand in Your Shoes and Views of the Pacific on the Millennial Trail

California boasts hundreds of desert, mountain and forest trails, but only one Millennial Trail: the California Coastal Trail. In October Gov. Gray Davis proclaimed the coastal path California’s official Millennial Trail. He did so at the urging of hiking trail advocates who have asked every state to sanction a millennial trail as part of a nationwide effort to highlight America’s best trails and to promote public stewardship of them.

For the Golden State, the California Coastal Trail (CCT) is a perfect millennial choice. Other states have high mountains, towering forests and vast deserts, but only California has a coastline of such length and diversity. A continuous trail along the beaches and bluffs of California has long been a dream of hikers, and now it is slowly coming true.

When completed, the California Coastal Trail will guide ambitious hikers from Mexico to Oregon along a 1,600-mile system of interconnecting beach and coastal range trails. CCT will visit nearly every natural attraction (and many unnatural ones) on the California coast. As the trail winds its way from Border Field State Beach on the Mexican line to Pelican State Beach on the Oregon border, it passes through a hundred state parks and beaches, plus a few hundred more reserves, county beaches, city beaches and national parklands.

Don’t wait for trail signs to go up before you walk the coast. Thanks to the California Coastal Commission, the State Coastal Conservancy’s splendid coastal access program and thousands of dedicated citizen conservationists, many hundreds of miles of coast can be traveled afoot.

Some of the new California Coastal Trail’s most intriguing sections are here in the Southland. Even the most casual coast walker soon discovers why the sunny shores of San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties have long attracted visitors from everywhere. Five of my favorite jaunts on the coastal trail are highlighted below, good places to enjoy with family and friends over the holidays. Remember to dress warmly in layers, apply sunscreen and carry water. All Southern California beaches are best walked at low tide, particularly during the winter.

Del Mar

It is six miles round trip from Del Mar Train Station to Torrey Pines State Reserve. Walk an intriguing beach, visit the superb Flat Rock tide pools, then detour up the bluffs to Torrey Pines State Reserve. There you’ll see those relics from the Ice Age, Torrey pines, which grow only atop the Del Mar bluffs and on Santa Rosa Island.

You’ll follow the beach, sometimes wide and sometimes narrow, over sparkling sand and soft green limestone. With the high cliffs on your left and pounding breakers on your right, you’ll feel you’re entering another world.

Just north of appropriately named Flat Rock, a stairwell ascends the bluffs to Torrey Pines State Reserve. Torrey pines occupy the bold headlands atop the yellow sandstone; these rare, graceful trees seem to thrive on the foggy atmosphere and precarious footing. The reserve features superb nature trails, native plant gardens and interpretive exhibits.

Access: From Interstate 5 in Del Mar, exit on Via de la Valle. Continue west to County Highway S21 and turn left (south) along the ocean, past the racetrack and fairgrounds to reach the train station, no longer an active passenger depot. If you can’t find a place to park at the train station, park in town.

Corona del Mar

It is two miles round trip from Corona del Mar Beach to Arch Rock. This hike explores the beaches and marine refuges of “Big” and “Little” Corona del Mar beaches. Ambitious hikers can continue a few more miles to the beaches and headlands of Crystal Cove State Park.

Begin at the east jetty of Newport Beach, where you’ll see sailboats tacking in and out of the harbor. Surfers tackle the waves near the jetty. Proceed down-coast along wide, sandy Corona del Mar State Beach.

The beach narrows as you approach the cove that encloses Little Corona del Mar Beach. A mile from the jetty, you’ll pass well-named Arch Rock, just offshore.

The beach from Arch Rock to Irvine Cove, 2.5 miles to the south, is part of Crystal Cove State Park. Trails lead up the bluffs, which in winter offer a good vantage point from which to observe the California gray whale migration.

Access: From Pacific Coast Highway in Corona del Mar, turn oceanward on Marguerite Avenue and go a few blocks to the Corona del Mar State Beach parking lot.

Cabrillo Beach

It is three miles round trip from Cabrillo Beach to White’s Point.

This walk begins at Cabrillo Beach, the only real sand beach for miles to the north and south. The walk passes Cabrillo Marine Museum (aquariums with live fish and good shell collections) and ends up at historic White’s Point, the site of a Roaring ‘20s health spa. For the most part, your route is atop the San Pedro and Palos Verdes Bluffs, but there’s ample opportunity on this easy family excursion to descend to the sea.

March up sandy Cabrillo Beach to the rocky shoreline of Point Fermin Marine Life Refuge. Limpets, crabs and lobsters are a few of the creatures found in the bountiful tide pools. After rock-hopping among the tide pools, you must follow a dirt path or the paved road up to the top of the coastal bluffs; it is all but impossible to walk around Point Fermin via the shoreline route. Walk uphill along Bluff Place to a parking lot at the terminus of Pacific Avenue and join a bluff-top trail.

Soon you’ll arrive at Point Fermin Park and its handsome Victorian-style lighthouse. Two coastal access ways lead down the bluffs to the rocky shoreline. As you near White’s Point, you’ll see a palm garden with fire pits. Royal Palms Hotel was once here until overcome by the sea. Storm-twisted palms and overgrown gardens are a reminder of flush times long passed. Royal Palms, a state beach, is popular with surfers. Ahead at White’s Point are some curious cement remains of the resort.

Access: Take the Harbor Freeway south to San Pedro and exit on Gaffey Street. Follow Gaffey seaward to 22nd Street and turn left. Turn right on Pacific Avenue and then left on 36th Street. Paid parking is available either near the museum or at Cabrillo Beach.

McGrath State Beach

It is four miles round trip from McGrath State Beach to McGrath Lake; it is eight miles round trip to Oxnard Shores and 12 miles round trip to Channel Islands Harbor.

The two-mile-long state beach extends south from the mouth of the Santa Clara River to a small lake in the southern part of the park. The river and lake attract abundant bird life.

This walk takes you on a nature trail through the Santa Clara River Estuary, visits McGrath Lake and travels miles of sandy beach to Channel Islands Harbor. The nature trail follows the riverbank, a mass of lush vegetation: willow, silverweed and yerba mansa. Leave the nature trail to trudge over low dunes to the beach. Beach-walk two miles along the shoreline to McGrath Lake, tucked away behind some dunes. Ambitious walkers can tramp four more miles down-coast to the entrance of Channel Islands Harbor.

Access: To reach McGrath State Beach from Ventura, visitors southbound on U.S. 101 take the Seaward Avenue offramp to Harbor Boulevard, turn south on Harbor and travel four miles to the park. Northbound visitors exit U.S. 101 on Victoria Avenue, turn left at the light to Olivas Park Drive, then right to Harbor Boulevard. Turn left on Harbor and proceed 0.75 mile to the park. The signed nature trail leaves from the day-use parking lot. Signposts along the nature trail are keyed to a pamphlet, available at the entry kiosk.

Arroyo Burro

It is a three- to four-mile round-trip walk along the beach.

Few of the 8 million visitors a year who flock to Santa Barbara stray from the downtown waterfront to this gem of a strand; thus, Arroyo Burro is a de facto “locals-only” beach. Tall cliffs hide the beach from traffic, tourists and the huge haciendas in the adjacent Hope Ranch residential area. Saunter one or two miles up-coast or, if you’re feeling frisky, beach-hike all the way to Goleta Beach and Goleta Pier (4.5 miles one way) or the UC Santa Barbara campus (five miles one way).

Access: From U.S. 101 in Santa Barbara, exit on Las Positas Road (225). Drive south to its intersection with Cliff Drive and make a right. Arroyo Burro Beach County Park is a short distance on your left.