Black's Beach

This page last updated February 7, 2001 by Lloyd Johnson

The clothing optional status at Black's Beach has suffered some losses, but it's still alive and well.

Read some of my recent trip reports.

Black's Beach Bares Newsletters

As of November 10, 2000, I have been to Black's hundreds of times, perhaps a thousand. There has been recent change, just after July 4, 1999. There are signs stating that nudity is illegal. These signs are posted a bit south of the trail head, and there are cones with a sign marking the nudity line. I am not aware that anyone has tested the enforcement recently, but the law did stand up in court long ago.

However, the clothing optional tradition is alive and well north of the trail head, which is not actually Black's Beach, but rather Torrey Pines State Beach. We still call it Black's. There was a sign marking that division during the summer of 1999. It was located just north of the trail. Now I notice it is a ways south of the trail

The beach is at the base of a cliff, which tends to isolate it. The hike down, and especially the hike up, is "challenging." Children often manage it better than adults. When I take my six year old nephew I keep talking about how he's too little and I'll have to carry him. I haven't managed to catch up and carry out that threat yet. Lucky me.

The beach itself is very flat. The beach can be very wide at low tide and very narrow at high tide. I've been there twice when the tide was all the way up to the cliff. Check the tides before you go and if it gets above 6 feet, there will be little or no beach left. You can also get an indication of the weather and surf from the Scripp's Pier Cam. It shows an area just south of Black's Beach. Check my weather page.  Keep you eye open for the Torrey Pines webcam, coming online soon.

What is there to do at Black's Beach?

Black's Beach is very popular with surfers. I've seen waves bigger than ten feet. I would say more if I knew what surfers consider to be perfect waves.

I have counted five volleyball courts on a single day.

Horseshoes is also a popular game in one spot.

 

People hang glide from the cliffs.

 

A few people fish.

 

Some build sand castles.

 

Paint a friend.

 

Work on your tan, even in the winter.

 

Have a picnic.  Grill some burgers.  Make some ice cream.

 

Catch up on some office work.

 

Free diving I find many sand dollars and a few hermit crabs. I've even seen a few lobster. I sometimes see dolphins and I rarely see seals. Check out some of these on my water page.

The waters can be hazardous. Rip currents and sting rays are the most common problems. I see lots of sting rays and guitarfish. Many of my friends have been stung. I have been lucky, so far. Rip currents can take you way out. I managed swim back to shore against a ripe current at least once. It was tiring. If you find yourself in such a current, don't try to swim against it. Swim parallel to the coast, then swim back. Lifeguards are present, making patrols, but they have few posts on the beach.

Black's Beach is a pack it in, pack it out place. You will find no trash cans. Fortunately we have a beach cleaning team. These guys go to Black's nearly every day. They arrive early, walk the whole length of the beach, typically filling a dozen grocery bags with trash. They carry it up the trail to the dumpster, then come down to enjoy their clean beach. If you figure out who these guys are, don't offer them your trash. Don't use them as an excuse to litter. Carry your own trash out. Do thank them for sparing your eyes of the horror of a littered beach.

There is a constant parade of gawkers, especially on weekends. Single men tend to be shunned and single women tend to get more attention than they want. I do see single women there and I also see children there. It is easy to fall prey to gawkers. If you follow some simple guidelines, you can avoid those problems.

There are no easy ways to Black's. There is either a steep climb, a long hike or entry by water route. There are several steep climb options, and there are two long hike options. Access by water is done only rarely and very few do it.

The long hike means either entry at La Jolla Shores and hike north or entry at Torrey Pines and hike south. Each of these entries will be challenging at high tide.

There are several steep trails to Black's Beach. Most of these are from the same parking lot. Interstate 5 access is probably the simplest. Exit I-5 at Genesee and head west. Turn left on North Torrey Pines Road. There has been significant construction on Genesee that is not shown in the street map, but the average navigator should figure it out. Specifically, the map shows a fork to the left and it is now a left turn. The next turn is close and it's not well marked. Turn right on Torrey Pines Scenic. It is also marked by a sign for the Salk institute and the Glider Port. The star actually marks the corner where the glider port sign is. Follow that road to the end. At the end is a cul de sac and straight ahead is a driveway to a dirt road with a gate. I think the gate is only locked at night. Pass through the gate and bear left. Park as soon as you want.

There is a path to the south of parking set apart by railroad ties. Follow that path, bearing left. You will see a few signs ahead. One describing beach access, another warning against night use, and a third listing more regulations. To the left of those the rugged trail to the beach begins. Most people wear hiking shoes on the steep winding path. Some regulars maintain a few steps near the end, then you will find a staircase leading to a narrow ravine with steps carved into the floor of the ravine. The end of the trail changes periodically due to weather and vandalism. Currently there are sandbags arranged into a zigzagging ramp. Vandals and weather tear it apart, but Black's Beach Diggers rebuild it. During winter months the sand is often covered in mud from recent erosion.

Nudity is tolerated only a short distance to the left and far to the right, to a place called Mussel Rocks. To the left is the city beach, Black's Beach, where nudity is prohibited. At the trailhead and far to the left is South Torrey Pines State Beach. The rangers tolerate nudity along most of the visible coast. Don't go beyond Mussel Rocks, which is easily recognized by rocks in the surf.