This page describes the status of the regional multi-use Coast to Crest Trail, planned from the crest at Volcan Mountain to the coast in Del Mar. 49 miles of the 71-mile-long planned trail are complete today, but several gaps remain. The gaps are shown on the map as red lines, and some of the segments are concept alignments only with no public access. Completed segments that are open to the public are the green lines. The purple lines are other SDRP trails open to the public that are not part of the Coast to Crest Trail. The SDRP Focused Planning Area boundary is the yellow line.
Click the box with an arrow on the top left corner of the map to bring out a list of all the trail segments on the map. Click on one of the trail segments from the list to highlight it on the map and bring up information about it. Or, click on one of the headings below to bring up more information about that trail section or gap.
Section 1: Coast to Polo Fields
This 3.50-mile section of trail is 71% complete, which includes the current 2.50-mile trail segment from Jimmy Durante Blvd. to El Camino Real. There are two remaining gaps, described below.
Gap 1.1 "Reach the Beach" (0.90 miles)
The gap begins at the Fairgrounds at Jimmy Durante Blvd. To go west to the beach will involve crossing Jimmy Durante Blvd., the Fairgrounds, as well as the railroad bridge and Camino Del Mar. A turn-around area on the Fairgrounds property just before the railroad tracks was identified in the Reach the Beach Feasibility Study.
What’s been done:
- A Reach the Beach Feasibility Study, done in 2012, studied various trail alignments, and recommended that a crossing both north and south of the river be constructed.
- Trail easements have been secured along a portion of the Fairgrounds property.
- A grant application for design of a north crossing was made, but not received.
- SANDAG has agreed to construct a railroad bridge undercrossing for the continuation of the Del Mar River Path trail on the south side of the river when the railroad bridge is replaced as part of the double-tracking project. Est. before 2030.
Gap 1.2 "El Camino Real" (0.1 mile)
The Coast to Crest Trail will be constructed under a new El Camino Real bridge (to connect the existing trail segment on Horsepark to a new trail segment on Polo Fields) when the old bridge is replaced by the City of San Diego. Est. 2020.
Section 2: Polo Fields to Santa Fe Valley
This 6.87-mile section is 14% complete. The completed section includes the 0.96-mile stretch through the County’s Lusardi Creek Preserve. The gaps are described below.
Gap 2.1 “Polo Fields” (1.3 miles)
This City-owned property commonly known as the Polo Fields is now leased to Surf Cup Sports. Construction of this trail section will be the responsibility of the lessee and is expected to begin in early 2018.
Gap 2.2 “Osuna Valley” (0.86 miles)
At the east end of the Polo Fields, the trail would encounter the Morgan Run golf course and must cross the river to the south. This involves the construction of a 160-foot-long bridge and a short section of trail to reach San Dieguito Road.
What’s been done:
A Bridge Feasibility Study has been completed. The Study analyzed types of bridges that could be utilized, the environmental impacts associated with the bridge types and locations, and estimated cost. One important trail easement along private property was obtained in 2017, but additional easements are needed. Finalizing a trail route, easements, compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and grant applications for construction funds will be future steps.
Gap 2.3 “San Dieguito Road" (2.77 miles)
The trail is planned along the San Dieguito Road road right-of-way through this section to the Black Mountain Open Space Park trail staging area. The trail would also connect to the Lusardi Creek County Preserve.
Gap 2.4 “Artesian Road” (0.93 miles)
This gap extends on trail easements across private property from the County’s existing Lusardi Creek Preserve to the existing switchbacks on the Santa Fe Valley section of the Coast to Crest Trail. The San Dieguito River Park JPA is working with the County of San Diego to finalize the last few necessary easements with trail construction expected to begin in 2020.
Section 3: Santa Fe Valley to Highway 78
This 22-mile section is 100% complete. This section goes through Santa Fe Valley, Del Dios Gorge, the north shore of Lake Hodges, past Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead and Mule Hill, and through San Pasqual Valley. There are no gaps in this section.
Section 4: Highway 78 to Boden Canyon
This 4.38-mile section is 0% complete. The gaps in this section are described below. The map segment is a concept alignment only.
Gap 4.1 “East San Pasqual Valley” (2.53 miles)
This gap extends from the existing San Pasqual Valley Staging Area (Bandy Canyon Rd. at Hwy. 78) to Boden Canyon. The first two miles is planned through orange and avocado groves on the farm leasehold. A general alignment has been scouted with the lessee. The last section is across rugged terrain.
Issues:
The west end of this gap requires crossing Hwy 78 and the east end is through rugged terrain.
Gap 4.2 “Clevenger Canyon” (0.51 miles)
This gap assumes that the trail is continuing on the north side of Hwy 78 from the existing Clevenger Canyon North Staging Area. A feasibility study was completed that evaluated several trail alignment alternatives through this rugged terrain.
Gap 4.3 “Boden Road” (1.34 miles)
This gap is an existing dirt road that would connect Gap 4.1 to the existing Lower Santa Ysabel Truck Trail. Some improvements are needed that will require agency coordination with the California Dept. of Fish & Wildlife and the City of San Diego, each of which own a portion of the road.
Section 5: Boden Canyon to Sutherland Reservoir
This 12.6-mile section is 91% complete, which includes the 3.3-mile-long Lower Santa Ysabel Truck Trail, 3.3-mile-long Pamo Valley segment, and the 4.9-mile-long Upper Santa Ysabel Truck Trail. The Truck Trails travel through the Cleveland National Forest, while the Pamo Valley segment travels through City of San Diego land leased to cattle ranchers. There is one remaining gap in this section, described below.
Gap 5.1 "Sutherland Dam Road" (1.10 miles)
This map segment is a concept alignment only. This gap starts at the junction of the Upper Santa Ysabel Truck Trail and Black Canyon Road and ends at Sutherland Dam.
Section 6: Sutherland Reservoir to Santa Ysabel West
This 8.38-mile section is 0% complete. The gaps are described below. The map segment is a concept alignment only.
Gap 6.1 "Sutherland Reservoir" (6.3 miles)
The challenges on this lengthy gap involve identifying an appropriate alignment, either on the north or south shore of the reservoir. The reservoir is owned and operated by the City of San Diego, which grants permits for seasonal hunting around the reservoir. Once past the reservoir, the trail will be on property owned by the San Dieguito River Park JPA, but much of the land is remote and rugged. Additional field reconnaissance and environmental studies are necessary to identify a preferred trail route.
Gap 6.2 "Mesa Grande Reservation" (0.3 miles)
The trail must pass through a portion of the Mesa Grande Indian Reservation. Discussions with the Tribal Council for an easement are underway.
Gap 6.3 "Santa Ysabel Gorge" (1.78 miles)
Once past the reservation land, the trail will continue on scenic but very rugged land owned by the San Dieguito River Park JPA to connect to the County’s Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve West. Park Rangers have conducted a few exploratory hikes through this property to identify potential routes. Environmental studies are also required.
Section 7: Santa Ysabel West to Highway 79
This 2.7-mile section is 15% complete. The completed 0.40-mile section is within the County’s Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve West. The mapped trail segment is a concept alignment only.
Gap 7.1 "County Link" (2.3 miles)
When completed, this gap will connect existing trails on the County’s Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve West to Highway 79/Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve East. Until recently, half of this gap was on private property, but in 2015 the County of San Diego acquired 175 acres that will join the two Preserves. A trail alignment will be identified and built through this gap when the County updates their Resource Management Plan.
Section 8: Highway 79 to Volcan Mountain Summit
This 10.96-mile section is 90% complete, including completed sections within the County’s Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve East and Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve.
Gap 8.1 "Farmer Road" (1.15 miles)
When completed, this gap will connect the east end of the existing trail across the Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve East to the beginning of the existing Volcan Mountain Summit Trail. More field work is needed to identify a preferred alignment.
