Best National Reserve Escondido Near Me

4worldlovers:
Indians of the acorn culture were the first inhabitants of Kit Carson Park. The park was named after Christopher (Kit) Carson, the famous scout who guided Captain John C. Fremont over the Sierra Nevada Mountains during a government exploration expedition. The park sits in a valley that is approximately five miles west of where Kit Carson fought in the Battle of San Pasqual. A historical monument commemorating the battle is located on Mule Hill, one mile southeast of the park.

The City of Escondido acquired the land for its largest regional park from the City of San Diego in 1967. One hundred acres of the park have been developed and 185 acres have been preserved as natural habitat. The newest addition to Kit Carson Park is Queen Califia's Magical Circle, the only American sculpture garden by the internationally acclaimed artist, Niki de Saint Phalle.

Shaded picnic areas with tables / barbecues available on a reservation basis

Sports Center complex with pro shop, 22,000 square-foot skate park, 2 full-size covered roller hockey arenas, 1 full-size soccer arena, and 1 "mini" soccer arena

Girl Scouts of America Program Center, located at the north end of the park

4worldlovers:
Whether you are a runner, hiker, birder, photographer or painter, San Elijo Lagoon provides natural solace and recreation. One of San Diego’s largest wetlands, this 979-acre reserve is primarily a shallow-water estuary, formed where the Escondido and La Orilla Creeks meet the Pacific Ocean. It makes for a beautiful backdrop for weddings and special events!

From sunrise to sunset, explore 7 miles of easy-to-moderate trails and hike the quarter-mile, moderate-to-strenuous Annie’s Canyon Trail. Trails connect wetland habitats of coastal strand, salt marsh, freshwater/brackish marsh, riparian scrub, coastal sage scrub, and mixed chaparral. Kids will enjoy TRACK Trails, a nature-themed scavenger hunts to win prizes online.

Several trailheads can be accessed from residential areas in Solana Beach – stop by the Nature LEED Platinum-certified Nature Center to learn more and map your trek. The Nature Center is a perfect starting point for experiencing the beautiful San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve. Museum-quality interactive exhibits interpret the history and development of the ecological reserve, as well as the plants and animals that thrive on site.

Twice daily, incoming tides cover much of the landscape with salt water. As the tide ebbs, mudflats are exposed that are rich with invertebrates, providing food for shorebirds and ducks. Fresh water from rain-fed creeks and storm drains mixes with the salt water. The plants and animals in this estuarine environment have evolved to survive at the intersection of land and ocean.

4worldlovers: Rockslides and cliff collapses occur without notice. To increase safety, time your beach visit for low tide, when there is more sand available between the cliffs and the waves, which should help ensure you can keep a minimum distance of 10 feet from the bluffs.

King Tides video clip (10 sec) from Torrey Pines Reserve and Torry Pines SNR cliff falling (13 sec) on Vimeo.


State Natural Reserves have outstanding or unusual natural or scenic values. Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is a wilderness island in an urban sea. This fragile environment is the home of our nation's rarest pine tree - Pinus torreyana. Once this tree covered a larger area. It now grows only here and on Santa Rosa Island off the coast near Santa Barbara. The park preserves not only the trees, but also one of the last salt marshes and waterfowl refuges in Southern California. The reserve features high broken cliffs and deep ravines on headlands overlooking the ocean. Hikers can follow trails through stands of wind-sculpted pines. A picturesque, pueblo-style structure that served as a restaurant when it was built in 1923 houses the visitor center, featuring interpretive displays. Picnicking and camping are prohibited in the reserve. The reserve's rich plant community features wildflowers in the spring and visitors can see the California quail gathered in coveys in the early mornings of fall and winter.


Torrey Pines State Beach can also be reached by trail from the Reserve.


Annual Passes are now sold at the entrance kiosk station operated by our concessionaire, LAZ Parking. The entrance kiosk station is open from 8:00am to approximately a 1/2 hour before sunset 365 days a year. For more park information go to Torreypine.org/reserveinfo.

One of the more common complaints in the summer time at Torrey Pines is the parking. When the South Beach lot fills up, we close the entrance and visitors need to head to North Beach for parking. There is now a flashing light on the top of the kiosk to alert visitors when the gate is closed. This early alert system will enable visitors to go directly to the North Beach parking lot and avoid having to make a u-turn at the closed entrance to the South Beach lot. Once you know exactly where to look, you can even see the light from the top of High Bridge or Carmel Valley Rd. See map below for some locations to look for the flashing light.


Stay on trail – Walking off trail causes erosion, tramples plants and frightens wildlife.


No pets – Dogs frighten wildlife and their waste causes nesting animals to abandon their young.


No food in the reserve – Help keep our animals wild and healthy by picnicking only at the beach.

No drones – To prevent possible resource damage from accidents and to avoid frightening animals.

No picking/collecting natural features – Pinecones and flowers must be left to produce seeds to grow new plants. It also allows fellow visitors to enjoy the fauna.

No smoking/open flames – Torrey Pines has a high fire danger. The plants found here are dry and flammable.

No amplified music – Respect your fellow hikers and enjoy the sounds of nature while in the reserve.

The 2 most common rattlesnakes you will see here are the Southern Pacific Rattlesnake and the Red Diamond Rattlesnake. The Southern Pacific Rattlesnake is the one you will most likely run into in the park. If you do see a rattlesnake while hiking, stop and wait until the snake leaves the area. It has mostly likely felt you coming from the vibrations you've made walking on the trail. If it doesn't leave, turn around and notify a park employee or volunteer. Snakes are more willing to leave you alone and find something more manageable to strike and eat (unless you try to take a selfie with it). On rare occasions, snakes do land on the beach having been pushed or fallen off the cliffs. Notify a park employee so that the snake can be returned to a more suitable location to live. Do not try to relocate or pickup the snake yourself.

Docent Led Hikes: Every weekend day and nationally observed holidays at 10:00 a.m.

Mindfulness Walks: Meet at the visitor center every Sunday 8am to 10am.

Docent-Led Children’s Program: Offered September through May of the school year: First Friday morning of the month plus Tuesday and Thursday mornings, excluding Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day weeks. More information on the reservation process is available at: Group Field Trips and Hikes (Torrey Pines Docent Society)