Cabrillo National Monument

I have been so graciously invited by The Little Backpacker to contribute to her hiking chronicles. I recently went on a much (MUCH) smaller hike at Cabrillo National Monument. I highly recommend it for its leisure and sight seeing, not so much for the difficulty or stamina. However, I ended up exploring this little gem in December 2013. So, let's start from the beginning.

What did I bring? I brought my camelbak just as a place holder for my water bottle, keys, and power bars. I did not need to fill the pack because I knew the hike was short. A water bottle is sufficient. I also brought a couple of snacks because I spent a few hours there doing some exploring. Cabrillo National Monument is located in Point Loma overlooking the San Diego bay. The entrance fee was $5 which was well worth the exploring that I got to do. The area is small with gift shops, information centers, the trail, and the Cabrillo lighthouse and monument all in close proximity of each other. I went out early in the morning (meaning 10 am) to do some exploring before I hit the trail. It was well worth my time! So, I highly recommend you set apart some time to explore the lighthouse and the actual monument of Cabrillo. The view isn't too bad either overlooking the bay! If you do go up into the lighthouse I recommend a light jacket or windbreaker especially in the windy and winter months. Other than that jeans (or comfortable pants), a t-shirt, and some tennis shoes are the essentials and layer as necessary depending on weather.

So, the actual hike was not much of a hike at all but more of a stroll overlooking the ocean's edge. The trail is known as the Bayside Trail totaling 1.86 Miles round trip. It does not form a loop so you eventually reach an end with a gate cutting off the trail and you have to turn around to get back. The trail is located right off the light house path and takes you down through a spectacular view of San Diego and the ocean bay. Thankfully, the day I went it was beautiful and mostly clear so the view was the highlight. The trail is very well marked and looks more like an old service road so the terrain in manageable for all ages. The beginning part is moderately steep, but the rest is smooth sailing.

I do recommend this hike for beginners, like me, who are undecided if they want to take hiking up as a hobby. It was a great place to explore on my own and the view was phenomenal. I also got to break in my new hiking booth! There are plenty of activities for all. On the way out of the park I even stopped at the tide pools, but I did not stay long with the wind picking up that day. However, depending on the tide the tide pools may not always be visible. I hope this was helpful and make sure to add this small gem to your list of hikes.