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The parking lot was overflowing by the time we arrived at 11am on this sunny Friday
after Thanksgiving. Perhaps it didn't help that rain was forecast for Saturday; maybe
people wanted to get in a hike before the rain returned. Or maybe this hike is simply
that popular. Whatever the case, cars filled the lot and much of both sides of the road
leading up to the lot. We managed to squeeze into one final spot at the top of the hill,
near the other family we were meeting for the hike.
Despite its popularity, distance, and proximity, I had never been to Tennessee Valley
before. We started off from the parking lot on the trail, which starts off as a wide
paved road heading slightly downhill past eucalyptus trees. After about 0.6 miles, the
paved road veers left toward a picnic area, on the Chaparral Trail. We instead continued
straight on the trail which now becomes a wide dirt road.
Tennessee Valley Trail, approaching the lower/upper split
We next passed a smaller side trail on the left side of the trail, the Lower Tennessee
Valley Trail. We didn't really consider it, opting instead to stay on the main trail,
the Upper Tennessee Valley Trail. Soon we had our first glimpse of the ocean to the left.
Soon after that we came to the first climb of the hike. Near the base of this little
hill is an intersection with the Coastal Trail.
First glimpse of the ocean
Only 482 miles to the Oregon border
At the top of the short climb, we could now see a lagoon before the beach and ocean.
We were only about a half mile away now. Soon we passed the lagoon and came to rest at
a bench just before the beach, about 1.8 miles from the trailhead.
We stopped here for lunch, eating of course turkey and
cranberry sandwiches.
At the crest of the hill, we now have a view of the lagoon and ocean
Closer look at the lagoon and ocean
From the bench we had a view of the beach and the many people enjoying it. After lunch,
we joined them. The beach sits in Tennessee Cove, a little pocket which gets its name
from an 1853 shipwreck. While it had been relatively mild on the way to the beach, now
that we were stopped and near the ocean, it was quite cold. We stayed a bit, watching the
gulls soaring past steep cliffs.
Crab shell and legs at the beach (it wasn't whole)
Northern end of Tennessee Beach
Looking south along the beach
Looking up the hill toward the bunker (the switchbacking trail is out of view to the right)
Sea gull soaring next to the rocky walls
Sea gull
Sea gull
After enjoying the beach, we returned to the bench we'd stopped at and turned left, up
a short but steep trail leading to an old bunker at Tennessee Beach Overlook.
After a few switchbacks we were greeted
with fantastic views looking out to the ocean and down to the beach where we just were.
We walked right into the bunker itself, most likely a remnant from World War II. It's
empty, but has great views of course. As you walk around here, especially if you have
children with you, keep in mind that the cliffs are quite steep. Also try to stick to
the trail to avoid adding to the erosion of the cliffs. Unfortunately we saw many people
cutting straight up the steep slope from the beach, completely bypassing the perfectly
good trail to the top.
Looking down at the lagoon from the switchbacks
Looking down at the beach from the overlook
View from the inside of the bunker
After enjoying the view, we went back down the switchbacks, then headed back up the main
trail toward the parking lot. This time, we took the Lower Tennessee Valley Trail.
This avoids some extra climbing, at the expense of missing some views. But we'd seen the
views already on the way in (and would be walking with our backs to the view anyway).
Soon enough we rejoined the main trail, and continued on up the gentle incline back to the
parking lot. It was still full, and in fact even more cars were packed along the sides of
the road. If you're looking for a nice quiet hike with any chance at solitude, stay very
far away from this hike. But if you're looking for some nice ocean views and a nice beach,
add this hike to your list.
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