Encinitas, California, United States
I started my day at the San Elijo Lagoon Visitor's Center in Encinitas, CA. I grabbed a paper map at the guide station indoors and filled up my water before heading out on Nature Center Outer Loop to the Pole Road Trail which fellows the edge of the marsh closest to the ocean. So many egrets and herons hunting in the lagoon on this first leg! I then picked up the Rios Avenue Trail to Gemma Parks Loop and then Annie's Canyon Trail. The climb through the slot canyon is only a quarter mile, but quite vertical. There are climbing aids (ladders, handholds) installed into the sandstone for a few of the trickier spots. Overall, it's a fairly easy climb due to the short length, but I wouldn't recommend for anyone uncomfortable with small spaces. On the way back to the Visitor's Center I took the Solana Hills Trail. The trail passes over the lagoon using a bridge that attaches to the bottom of the I-5 overpass -- pretty cool engineering! There were some incredible jumping fish and some very cute Pied-billed Grebe in the lagoon near the bridge, but I wasn't able to get good photos of either. After the bridge I followed the path along Manchester Ave. to complete the loop.
After the hike, I drove over to Highway 101 to stop at Ki's Restaurant for lunch. The Asian Salmon Salad was so fresh -- I swear the vegetables must've been in the garden this morning, and the fish was fresh off the grill. I also had a very tasty watermelon cucumber juice. The view from the restaurant's second-story outdoor dining area was so incredible I decided a trip to the beach was in order.
I changed into my swim suit and walked across the street to Cardiff State Beach, drawn in by the many surfers riding the waves. I sat down to watch for a bit and promptly fell asleep for a snooze in the sun. Thank goodness for sunscreen! I woke up a bit chilly and set off for a walk towards Solana Beach. I enjoyed looking up at the houses on teetering on the edge of the cliffs, and walking alongside the many people and pups enjoying the day. About a mile in I came across a group exploring the tide pools exposed by the low tide and decided to join them, spotting a very cute Pacific Sand Crab, anemones, and mollusks galore. I went another half a mile before turning around, enjoying the many flocks of whimbrels and snowy egrets scattered throughout the beach and the pelicans passing overhead. I finished off the day with a quick swim. The ocean was quite warm compared to some of the other Pacific beaches I've visited recently. It was after 6 PM and in the low 70s and there were still a number of folks in the water.
All in all, an incredible day exploring the Encinitas area! Very easy drive from San Diego with no traffic in either direction -- highly recommend the detour.
