COMPLETING THE COAST TO CREST TRAIL:
HOW WE GET-TO-71 MILES
Currently, 49 miles of the 71-mile Coast to Crest Trail from Del Mar to Julian are constructed and open to the public. The 50th mile is under construction and will be open to the public in 2023. Trail gaps total 21 miles. Of these, 8 miles are in process. Two major segments, East San Pasqual Valley to Boden Canyon and Lake Sutherland to Santa Ysabel – totaling 13 miles – are the largest missing pieces. Developing these gaps will complete the Coast to Crest Trail.
To learn more about the Planned Trails of the Coast to Crest Trail, please visit the interactive San Dieguito River Park Map by clicking here.
The Call to Action:
Donate today to GET-TO-71 MILES
In order to close the two major gaps in the Coast to Crest Trail, East San Pasqual Valley and Lake Sutherland gaps, planning, design, and permits are needed to get the project “shovel-ready.” It is estimated that this phase will cost approximately $2 million.
The shovel-ready stage is essential to being eligible for key public grants needed for trail construction. Once the project reaches “shovel-ready stage” and construction funds are secured, construction is estimated to take up to 2 to 4 years to complete.
Below are some of the ways you can support this campaign:
Donate Online
Donate by Mail (address to the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy, 3030 Bunker Hill Street, Suite 309-1, San Diego, CA 92109)
Become a Monthly Donor
Donor-Advised Funds
Employee Match Fund
Stock or Mutual Funds
Planned Gifts
IRA Disbursements
MAKE THE 71-MILE CONTINUOUS MULTI-USE COAST TO CREST TRAIL A REALITY
Naming Opportunities Available
Have questions? Please contact:
Cheryl Goddard, San Dieguito River Conservancy, Executive Director, cheryl@sdrvc.org, or call (619) 200-4805
Shawna Anderson, San Dieguito River Park, Executive Director, shawna@sdrp.org
The Coast to Crest Trail Vision
Concerned about the environment, residents of Del Mar and Solana Beach helped establish the city’s San Dieguito Lagoon Committee in 1974 to prevent the lagoon from being more developed, and to prepare a plan to restore and preserve it. Recognizing that the lagoon could not truly be saved without preserving the San Dieguito River Valley, advocates from Del Mar, Solana Beach and Rancho Santa Fe went a step further and formed the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy and the Friends of the San Dieguito River Valley in 1986.
In 1989, the San Dieguito River Valley Joint Powers Authority (JPA) was officially established as a separate government entity and was empowered by its member agencies to acquire, hold, and dispose of property for park purposes; to undertake overall planning for; and to plan, design, improve, operate, manage and maintain the San Dieguito River Valley Park. The JPA was created to develop and implement
the vision of the 55-mile-long San Dieguito River Park and the 71-mile Coast to Crest Trail. The Coast to Crest Trail vision is the construction and public access to 71 continuous miles of multi-use trail for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and recreation between Julian and Del Mar. The trail is mapped from Volcan Mountain in Julian and meanders down the San Dieguito watershed as it passes through Santa Ysabel, around Lake Sutherland and into Ramona, San Pasqual Valley, Lake Hodges, Rancho Santa Fe and exiting at the San Dieguito Lagoon in Del Mar near Dog Beach. Habitat along the Coast to Crest trail include dense forests, open meadows, chaparral and wetlands.
San Dieguito River Park JPA, San Dieguito River Conservancy, Friends of San Dieguito River Valley
Roles in implementing the Vision
The San Dieguito River Park JPA is an independent local government agency responsible for creating and managing a natural open space park in the San Dieguito River Valley. The JPA allows for comprehensive planning and operation of the San Dieguito River Park with the full and joint cooperation of the six governmental agencies which have jurisdiction over portions of the study area (the Cities of San Diego, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Poway, and Escondido and the County of San Diego). The formation of the JPA as a separate agency provided for a centralized park planning effort to provide a continuous and coordinated system of preserved lands with a connecting corridor of walking, equestrian, and bicycle trails, encompassing the San Dieguito River Valley from the ocean to the river’s source.
The San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit conservancy that is dedicated to sustainable management of the natural resources of the San Dieguito Watershed, with priority given to the protection of the San Dieguito River corridor. The Conservancy’s mission is to preserve, protect, and share the natural and cultural resources of the San Dieguito River Valley through collaborative efforts to acquire lands, complete trails, restore habitats, establish educational programs, create interpretive centers, encourage recreation, and mobilize public support.
Together, the JPA and the Conservancy are building a precious regional attraction, having already preserved substantial open space and deployed $175 million in grants and donations towards protecting and restoring sensitive habitats while creating recreational and educational opportunities.
The Friends of the San Dieguito River Valley is a 501(c)(4) non-profit that promotes and supports conservation, restoration, preservation and enhancement of the natural scenic, ecological and open-space resources of the San Dieguito River Valley through advocacy, study, monitoring, and education. The 501(c)(4) status allows the Friends to engage in political and lobbying activity, unlike the JPA or the Conservancy.