Those tempting little side paths along the cliffs over Black's Beach are not your friends, San Diego lifeguards are warning. Hikers and beachgoers are being urged to steer clear of so-called false trails that peel off the main routes along the bluffs and then dead-end at steep, unstable slopes and sheer drops. A spike in rescue calls in the Torrey Pines gliderport area this year has lifeguards speaking up before more people get stuck.
What lifeguards are seeing on the cliffs
San Diego lifeguards told The San Diego Union-Tribune that these false trails can look like legitimate, maintained paths at first glance but are actually unmaintained cuts in the bluff that may lead straight into steep, unstable or otherwise unsafe areas. Erosion can shift the ground underfoot from one day to the next, so yesterday's sketchy shortcut can become today's rescue call.
Officials also pointed out that some of the warning signs posted along the cliff rim have been damaged or plastered with stickers, which makes them a lot easier to miss. Lifeguards singled out the Citizens Trail, which drops roughly 300 feet from the Torrey Pines gliderport, as especially rugged. They told The San Diego Union-Tribune it is steep and rough enough that crews recorded 47 cliff rescues in 2025, with more than 50 in some recent years.
Rescues that show how fast things go wrong
Local coverage has tracked a string of cases where people followed unmarked routes above Black's Beach, only to wind up stranded on the cliffs and in need of lifeguard or fire-rescue help. Local station KGTV's 10News broadcast reported hikers getting stuck on narrow cliffside paths after trying to take a shortcut, highlighting how a casual detour can turn into a full-blown rescue very quickly, as covered by 10News.
The route lifeguards actually want you to use
Lt. John Maher told The San Diego Union-Tribune that if you are heading to Black's Beach, you should skip the unmarked drops from the gliderport entirely. Instead, he advised using the paved Black Gold Road access on the south side of the beach. That route is maintained by UC San Diego and is far less likely to leave anyone clinging to loose bluff dirt while waiting for a rescue team.
How not to end your beach day with a rescue
Lifeguards are asking anyone venturing near the cliffs to stick to clearly marked, established trails, go with a companion, wear sturdy shoes and bring water. Once you are down on the sand, beach-safety experts say the smart move is to swim near staffed lifeguard towers and keep an eye out for rip currents, a regular hazard along this stretch of coast, as reported by KPBS.
