When a community’s secrets are no longer local, the hidden gems become the subject of scrutiny and protection.

La Jolla is renowned for its natural beauty and architectural charm, drawing millions of visitors annually and attracting platforms and influencers to gain views by promoting La Jolla’s “hidden gems.”

The issue: the hidden gems are exposed to thousands of eyes, opening them up to overuse, overpopulation and, in many cases, harm.

Below, seven of La Jolla’s secrets that, once out in the open, led to damage – and damage control:

The Mushroom House

• The legend: La Jolla’s “Mushroom House” is the topic of many Reddit threads and media pieces, shot from the sand at Black’s Beach. Once a guest home for Sam Bell called the Bell Pavilion, the Mushroom House’s unique, orbicular structure and custom funicular designed by Dale Naegle keep the structure at the forefront of La Jolla lore – and at the top of our Instagram feeds.
• The fallout: The tramway sustained damage in a 2020 partial bluff collapse and the Mushroom House remained empty and unguarded; trespassers tagged the walls and made a mess of the interior, with rotating graffiti images frustrating local residents about the eyesore the structure has become.
• The damage control: Recent cleanup efforts reported locally state the graffiti and debris would be removed, only to repeat overnight until tighter security measures were established. Rebuilding the tramway is an unlikely solution: California Coastal Commission rules, enacted after the Mushroom House was built, wouldn’t allow for a rebuild, though the property owner and commissioners are discussing options.

The secret swings

• The lore: La Jolla’s secret swings offered a dreamy way to view the coastline, inspiring many to hunt down the swings and make instructive videos to locate the swings.
• The backlash: While seemingly idyllic, one of the swings’ locations off Coast Walk Trail (there was another in the hills above Birch Aquarium) put those who dared to try them at peril, climbing beyond safety barriers and traversing down a steep, slippery and unstable cliffside. The swings were attached to a Canary date palm, which may have been infected with the same weevil infecting nearby trees.
• The mitigation: The swings – all three of them by lajolla.ca’s latest count – have been cut down and replaced several times, leading to the severing of the tree limbs that once supported the swings. This La Jolla “hidden gem” is no more.

Ho Chi Minh Trail

• The hype: The videos of La Jolla’s Ho Chi Minh Trail, also referred to as the Saigon Trail, provoke awe and wonder, with narrow sandstone passages angled to reveal expansive ocean views around corners as you descend to Black’s Beach.
• The danger: Ho Chi Minh is often touted as a “must do” in San Diego, but this trail isn’t for beginning hikers. The extremely rugged terrain is treacherous and steep, and those who attempt it without experience are often the subject of cliff rescues. Warnings cannot be overstated.
• The save: In May, incendiary and destructive devices were left on the trail, necessitating a collaboration of special city of San Diego divisions for investigation and mitigation.

Tide pools

• The guidebook: La Jolla’s tide pools have always been a source of free fun for families, visible throughout the year with lower tides and especially during negative tides, when the bottom of the ocean is exposed and so are the myriad of sea creatures that live among the rocky crevices.
• The impact: The negative tides, especially during the extreme “king” tides in the winter, have led hordes of people to the tide pools lately, an unsustainable number of visitors that left the tide pools – and the animals that reside within – trampled and damaged.
• The reaction: Local wildlife protection organizations and government agencies are calling for care, encouraging visits to the tide pools while still emphasizing the need for caution.

The sea lions at La Jolla Cove

The story: “If it’s viral, they will come” seems to be the order at La Jolla Cove, where the resident sea lions who haul out to rest on the rocks and beach have been the subject of adoration and contention for years, a tension that rises every time a tourist is caught on camera harassing a pinniped.

The consequences: The more the videos are shared, the more tourists arrive, exacerbating the issue and stretching volunteer and city resources thin.

The result: The city has worked to implement a plan for increased Ranger presence, signage and more measures at The Cove, while a local pinniped advocacy group voices requests for stricter actions to keep humans away from the sea lions.  

“Scrippshenge”

• The phenomenon: Twice a year, the setting sun dips below and between the Scripps Pier pilings, handing photographers epic imagery in a spectacle known locally as “Scrippshenge.”
• The crowd: As word and content spread, primarily in the years since Covid, nabbing a spot for your camera under the pier has become a struggle, with dozens vying for a clear shot of the moment. It’s less magical and more competitive.

La Jolla’s wonders are many, and it’s a tough balance between sharing the many facets of The Jewel and keeping saturation at bay without gatekeeping the not-so-hidden gems