Nudist Beach: Black's Beach In San Diego
BeoWolf
Black's Beach is a popular nudist beach in San Diego. Information here
is mostly from the Black's Beach website:
Black's Beach is in San Diego, California. The clothing optional
status has suffered some losses, but it's still alive and well. Put
your clothes on when on the city beach, which begins somewhere south of
the trail head, perhaps 100 meters. There is a square, yellow post with
the letters T P C B, marking the boundary for Torrey Pines City Beach.
The yellow post has been missing since about November 5, 2005, but
there have been orange cones there lately. New visitors planning to
spend time south of the Burro Trail, should locate the northern-most
"nudity prohibited" sign and keep it in mind when going for a walk.
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. The boundaries for the clothing optional area of the
beach stretch from Mussel Rocks in the north to Salk Institute Road in
the south. Salk Institute Road does not actually reach the beach, but
the boundary is where it would reach the beach, if it were extended.
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 for me. The
cliff is prone to occasional landslides and can be slippery.
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 in the winter, there will be little or no beach left.
You can park for free around La Jolla Farms Road, but you better get
there early or all the spots will be snapped up! The easiest route is
simply to park at Torrey Pines State Beach and walk to Blacks Beach.
Access Through Torrey Pines State Park:
Exit interstate 5 at Carmel Valley Road and head west. Turn left at
Camino Del Mar. Enter through the gate and park where you can. Walk
to the beach and turn south, which is left. Black's Beach is about 2
miles south. At some point you will pass through a gap, called
Flatrock. On the seaside of that gap is a flat rock, usually in the
surf. Once you pass through that gap, you will see Mussel Rocks ahead
of you. Mussel Rocks is the northern boundary to the clothing optional
section of the beach.
Access Through Gliderport:
Exit I-5 at Genesee and head west. Turn left on North Torrey Pines
Road. The next turn is close, the second signal. Turn right on Torrey
Pines Scenic Drive. You might also notice the sign for Salk Institute.
After you've made the turn, you will see a sign for Torrey Pines
Gliderport.
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 near
the glider port, or wherever you feel comfortable. Mud puddles linger
for a few days after a storm. There is a path to the south of parking
set apart by railroad ties. Follow that path, bearing left. To your
right is a small mosaic. Straight ahead you will see a few signs. 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. Black's Beach Diggers build and maintain a parts of the
trail, as they see fit. Most people wear hiking shoes on the steep
winding path. They lead to a narrow ravine that begins with a railroad
tie and a few steps attached. That is followed by steps carved into the
floor. There is one big rock in the trail that makes a step, followed
by a few anchored steps. That is followed by another staircase. During
winter months the sand is often covered in mud from recent erosion.
Nudity is tolerated only a hundred yards or so to the left and about a
mile to the right. Lifeguards used to mark the southern boundary with a
sign they set up daily. Then the city marked it with a yellow post for
a time, but the only marker now is the northern-most "nudity
prohibited" sign. Recently I've noticed they put out a few orange cones
daily. If you go south of the first sign that says "nudity
prohibited," you've crossed their line.
Access Through Salk Canyon Road
Exit interstate 5 at La Jolla Village Drive and turn west. Follow that
street as it curves right and becomes North Torrey Pines Road. Turn
left at La Jolla Shores Drive then right onto La Jolla Farms Road.
Where La Jolla Farms Road meets Black Gold Road is the access road to
Black's Beach. Vehicle access is controlled by UC San Diego, but
pedestrian access is unrestricted. Parking is restricted on weekdays.
It's a two hour zone. Park where ever you can find a space and walk
back to the gate. Salk Canyon Road is a one lane asphalt road that
winds its way to the beach. There is one place where you can take a
steep shortcut. You will eventually reach a place with an outhouse and
enough space to park a few cars. Continue down to the beach. If you
look to your left, you will see the mushroom house. To your right is
the remainder of the road to the beach. At the end of that road you
will be on Torrey Pines City beach, which used to be called Black's
Beach.
Lifeguards no longer set up orange traffic cones and a sign marking the
boundary between the city and state beach. For a time there was a
square yellow post with the letters TPCB (Torrey Pines City Beach).
Now you can only watch for the last "nudity prohibited" sign and
undress after you pass it. About a hundred yards or so past that last
sign is the Burro Trail. By that point, you are on a part of the beach
that we still call Black's Beach, despite the official name.
Access Through La Jolla Shores:
Exit interstate 5 at La Jolla Parkway, which is at the highway 52
merge. Head west on La Jolla Parkway and turn right on La Jolla Shores
Drive. Turn left on Vallecitos, Calle Frescota or Calle de Oro. Any
one of those will take you to La Jolla Shores. Park where you can and
walk to the beach. Once on the beach, turn north, which is to the
right. It's about a three mile walk to clothing optional territory.