A nonprofit group in charge of leading the effort to re-establish beach access on a historic trail from Princess Street in La Jolla to the pocket beach below is nearly done studying the project, before starting work on design and construction to restore the pathway.

The planned trail at Princess Street will descend 50 feet from the public street at the bluff top to the intimate pocket beach below and will be open between sunrise and sunset. The Environmental Center of San Diego, in partnership with the San Diego Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, will maintain and monitor the trail and landscaping upon completion.

Until 1979, the Princess Street Coastal Access Trail provided a point of entry to what is now known as the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park and Matlahuayl State Marine Reserve. It also has served as a critical emergency access point for City lifeguards to an otherwise inaccessible portion of the La Jolla coastline due to rocky cliff topography.

Pam Heatherington of the ECOSD, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and enhancing the natural environment, noted her group assumed responsibility for efforts to restore the historic trail back in 2017 and has been working through a phased study and permitting process ever since.

“Phase one was to see if we could take on the project if it was feasible,” said Heatherington adding, “A seed grant of $180,860 got us to the point in phase two where we could complete the project. Now we’re about ready to start the final hurdle.”

The historic trail, previously used by surfers and before them, Native Americans, ultimately fell into disrepair and disuse. “Over the years, the community banded together to rehabilitate the trail,” said Heatherington adding ECOSD has had to perform tsunami, marine habitat, and other studies in its efforts to rehabilitate the trail. “Now we’re just waiting for the permit from the City to do the geotechnical work, which will be used by structural engineers to update the (trail restoration) plan,” she said. “The City is also requiring us to get a grading permit. Then we’ll come to the City for a Coastal Development Permit.”

Heatherington said re-establishing coastal access on the trail will be tricky logistically. “It needs to have stairs and it is a pretty steep incline,” she pointed out adding the plan is to also build five platforms in the path leading down to the beach “so that people who might have a problem getting up and down will have rest stops.”

The Princess Street Coastal Access Trail Project has been a long time coming for many La Jollans, like Melinda Merryweather, who has been involved in documenting beach access in La Jolla for years.

“I am so blessed and grateful for all the years I have been able to give to this project,” said Merryweather. “We are so close to being able to use this historic access again for all. I promise a fine bottle of champagne will be shared with all. If not us, who? This is the time for everyone to take up a project they believe in and fix it. The reward will be worth every minute.”

PRINCESS TRAIL BEACH ACCESS PROJECT

Phase One – The first phase of the project took place in 2019 continuing into 2020. During this time, the nonprofit Environmental Center of San Diego cleared and prepared the site in partnership with Urban Corps. A topographical survey of the site was completed, and a master plan design of the site was developed. This work was supported by a grant of $38,860 from the California Coastal Conservancy, as well as ECOSD’s discretionary funds and the generous in-kind support of many partners.

Phase Two – In September 2021, the California Coastal Conservancy awarded the Environmental Center of San Diego a second grant – totaling $180,860 – to support the continued restoration of the historic trail in its second phase. The funding will help cover the cost of necessary site studies, the development of the final site design, and permitting of the trail site.

Phase Three – The third and final phase of the project will include construction and the public opening of the trail, including the installation of bilingual interpretative signage at the trailhead.