Major improvements at Cabrillo National Monument in Point Loma include a recently opened half-mile Oceanside Trail linking the Whale Watch and Kelp Forest Overlook above with the Coastal Walk and tide pools below.

The new trail in San Diego County’s only national monument is part of the National Park Service’s 25-year trail management plan. That document provides direction and guidance on a variety of issues and topics like resource preservation, visitor use, development, and boundary management.

Cabrillo National Monument park ranger, spokesperson, and program manager Amanda Gossard recently conducted a walking tour of the newest trail, which officially opened on April 24.

Employed for 16 years at Cabrillo, Gossard’s parents were both park rangers. She said she initially “wanted to do anything but be a park ranger,” while adding, “But now I can’t imagine being anything else.”

One of the best parts of being a park ranger is “meeting so many different people from around the world and a few hundred active park volunteers,” noted Gossard, who manages volunteers as part of her duties. She pointed out volunteers are the unsung heroes of the park. “One volunteer group known as weed warriors go out nearly every day trying to eradicate weeds,” she cited as just one example of their value.

The park ranger pointed out Cabrillo has no real off-season. Summer is always busy with visiting “hot state” tourists. During the winter, crowds are attracted to the tide pools and to watch the gray whale migration from the blufftop.

Gossard noted construction of the new trail began about a year ago and was financed by the Cabrillo National Monument Foundation, the monument’s philanthropic partner. “Since the federal government cannot raise funds, they (the foundation) do all that for us,” she said. “They were able to start a capital campaign and raised more than $400,000.

“It’s a steep elevation, about 350 feet,” said Gossard of the new trail adding a natural resources team recently planted more than 500 plants replacing those removed during construction and for erosion control.

“It’s a great addition to the park,” commented one hiker encountered on his way back up to the top of the trail.

Gossard noted trail construction included crews from Joshua Tree National Park, the California Conservation Corps, and the San Diego Urban Corps. “They did so much intricate work, including a drainage system for when it rains, and also built some beautiful staircases,” she added.

“Sounds like people are enjoying it,” said Gossard of early reviews by trail hikers. “They get their exercise because of the elevation gain and loss, and it provides some of the most spectacular views in San Diego.”

Cabrillo National Monument trail tours are mostly self-guided though there are volunteers who sometimes act as guides answering hikers’ questions.

Lizards and stink bugs, which hikers frequently run into while on the trail, are just a few of the park’s natural inhabitants. “We have foxes, raccoons, California ground squirrels, a lot of different reptiles including snakes and lizards, and a lot of different birds as well,” said Gossard. “We’re part of a large migratory route for birds.”

The Cabrillo National Monument Oceanside Trail is open for hiking and coastal access daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENT

• Cabrillo National Monument was established on Oct. 14, 1913, to memorialize the accomplishments of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo.
• This National Monument is the only unit of the National Park System in San Diego County.
• In 1932, the site of the monument was designated as California Historical Landmark No. 56.
• A statue of Cabrillo was commissioned by the Portuguese government and donated to the U.S. in 1939.
• This heroic sandstone statue was made by sculptor Alvaro de Bree. It is 14 feet tall and weighs 14,000 pounds.
• The original statue suffered weathering so it was replaced by a replica made of limestone in 1988.
• In winter, it is a popular spot for watching gray whales migrating on their way to Mexico from the Arctic.
• It also has a 2.5-mile round-trip trail that winds through the native habitat of the Southern California coast. It descends 300 feet into the coast.
• The monument also includes the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, built between 1851 and 1855.

HISTORY

Cabrillo National Monument is at the southern tip of the Point Loma Peninsula and is a memorial to Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, who in 1542 set out in search of the island of California. Known as the “Columbus of California,” Cabrillo landed at San Diego Bay on Sept. 28, 1542, becoming the first European to set foot on the western coast of the United States. He took possession of the entire coast for the King of Spain. In addition to telling the story of Cabrillo’s 16th-century exploration, the park is home to a wealth of cultural and natural resources.

HOURS

Cabrillo National Monument at 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive is open 365 days a year including holidays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The Bayside Trail and Oceanside Trail close at 4 p.m. and the tide pools close at 4:30 p.m. The main gate closes at 5 p.m., and all visitors must exit the park at 5 p.m. Public access after 5 p.m. and before 9 a.m. is not allowed. This includes walking, jogging and biking, any type of entry. For more information, visit nps.gov/cabr/.