The historic trail is located between Torrey Pines Road and Coast Boulevard
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All photos below by Sandé Lollis
(From left) Brenda Fake and Erin McConkey
Brenda Fake and Erin McConkey discussing trail maintenance with a local trail walker
THE KUMEYAAY WALKED IT for thousands of years; now it attracts people from around the world. The historic Coast Walk Trail along La Jolla bluffs runs about half a mile, 100 feet above the shoreline. The meandering trail offers expansive ocean views, wildflower and wildlife sightings, and a reprieve from the bustle of daily life.
Coast Walk Trail is a national treasure that was designated a historic cultural landscape by the City of San Diego in 1990. It is also a neighborhood gem, embraced by those fortunate to live nearby and benefit from its refreshment and beauty. When the sloping trail was noticeably deteriorating from increased use, soil erosion, overgrown invasive species, and lack of city funding, a group of neighbors and the owner of the Cave Store curio shop decided to tackle the maintenance of this endangered resource. They formed the nonprofit Friends of Coast Walk Trail and got to work, coordinating their efforts with city departments.
While some work was carried out right away, it took four years to acquire a second, more extensive work permit. In 2020, when FOCWT began a more comprehensive restoration, they were forced to stop when the pandemic closed all public trails. They used the down time for community outreach and fundraising, because, after all, immersing oneself in nature is a prescription for good health and well-being.
After work resumed, the volunteers repaired the dirt trail surface, then added a top layer of decomposed granite, those small pebbles that help prevent runoff. The group isn’t about to change any other fixtures of the trail, just “repair and replace,” FOCWT president Brenda Fake has said. Accordingly, they have spent the past two years removing overgrowth and improving views, as well as repairing wooden railings, fences, and a viewing platform.
Perennial tasks, it seems, are slope repair, and removing invasive plant species and replacing them with native varieties. A while back, FOCWT conducted Coast Walk Trail Walks and Talks for residents and community leaders. Today, there are signs the group installed with a QR code that connects to their website and information about the trail’s history and notable features.
These improvements have been made possible by many contributions, physical and financial, from the neighborhood, and additional support from community members and organizations. The Bishop’s School Community Service Team formed the Bishop’s Trail Squad, an effort that was later joined by students from the rival La Jolla High School. La Jolla Sunrise Rotary organized a “Walk for the Trail” event, and two Eagle Scout projects are underway.
SOHO applauds Brenda Fake, Dr. Paul Teirstein, Carolyn Edds, Erin McConkey, Shannon Smith and the rest of the Friends of Coast Walk Trail for taking the initiative to improve and preserve one of our region’s natural gems. Your ongoing labor and successful fundraising attest to your fastidious organization and infectious enthusiasm that has spread throughout La Jolla and beyond. You’ve stabilized, beautified, and “given back” a precious natural resource to San Diegans and visitors alike. Not only that, but your generous group has also created a strong model for preservation partnerships that other communities can replicate.
(From left) Brenda Fake, Dr. Paul Teirstein, Carolyn Edds, and Erin McConkey
