Prolonged trail closure due to flooding

From ranger Gina at PQ - January 18
“As of January 18, 2023, all trails are still closed due to flooding and unsafe conditions. The trails will likely remain closed for a minimum of 7 days, perhaps more. There was significant damage to the trails in the most recent rainstorm which caused the creek to rise over 3 times its normal flow depth. Several bridges were damaged, the creek is actively flowing across the trail in some areas and the ground is so saturated trails are not accessible to emergency vehicles. We appreciate your cooperation in staying off the trails while they are closed. Ranger staff are in the process of assessing the trails.
In addition, trails on Del Mar Mesa and Carmel Mountain Preserves are under the Federal and State Mandated Seasonal Closure for vernal pool protection.”

Gina Washington
Senior Park Ranger
T (858) 538-8060

So why should we stay off trails after the rain? This is not a universal practice but it’s the norm in areas with soil rich in clay, as in San Diego and most SoCal. The problem with clay-rich soil is that it does not hold up well when saturated with water, becoming very soft and susceptible to damage. Hiking, riding and biking activities in such conditions damage trail design, and speed up rut and erosion. Erosion does not just increase dramatically the amount of maintenance required to make the trails safe and user-friendly, it also removes soil lowering trail levels and potentially impacts the surrounding natural environment, specifically plants. Bike tracks are especially damaging as the pressure is concentrated on a smaller surface, digging in the ground and favoring rut.

The general consensus is typically that one should stay off trail for 24h after it rains, in itself a rare occurrence in San Diego. But the current exceptional rainfall, which caused damage to bridges, calls for prolonged trail closure.