Near La Jolla in San Diego County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Torrey Pines Gliderport

Photographed by Craig Baker, March 18, 2026

1. Torrey Pines Gliderport Markers

Inscription.
To honor the spirit, ingenuity, and enthusiasm of the pioneers who flew gliders in the 1930’s at Torrey Pines, and to the future pilots who will share this gliderport and continue this tradition through all forms of motorless flight.

The Torrey Pines Gliderport, Historical Site No. 315, City of San Diego.

Erected 1992 by The National Soaring Museum. (Marker Number 315.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Parks & Recreational Areas • Sports. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list.

Location. 32° 53.359′ N, 117° 15.06′ W. Marker is near La Jolla, California, in San Diego County. It can be reached from Torrey Pines Scenic Drive half a mile west of Torrey Pines Road. Located near the west end of the dirt parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Dr, La Jolla CA 92037, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s Peninsular Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Conserving California's Coastal Treasures (approx. 0.8 miles away); Theodor Seuss Geisel Memorial (approx. one mile away); Washington to Baltimore 1844 Telegraph Message (approx. 1.1 miles away); Torrey Pines Lodge (approx. 2.2 miles away); Ellen Browning Scripps (approx. 2.2 miles away); San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park

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(approx. 3 miles away); San Diego Bottom Scratchers Dive Club (approx. 3 miles away); The Butterfly Project (approx. 3 miles away).

Regarding Torrey Pines Gliderport. Beginning in 1930, this site was used for motorless flight. Gliders were car-towed off the beach parallel to the 350-foot cliff so they could fly in the lift created by the wind flowing up the cliffs. In 1930, Charles Lindbergh soared along the cliffs of Torrey Pines and established the first gliding distance record. In 1936, Woody Brown launched and landed on top of the cliffs for the first ‘top landing’. In the late 1930’s, Hawley Bowlus, engineer and construction supervisor of the ‘Spirit of St. Louis’, began soaring the cliffs with his own sailplane designs.
The Gliderport was instrumental in the development of the first variometer (1939), which is a sensitive instrument used to determine the rate of climb or sink. The Zanoonia sailplane, built in 1939, was the first aircraft to use spoilers (air brakes) on the wings, which are still used by aircraft today. Bob Fronius invented the first aircraft parachute recovery system which was flight tested at the Gliderport

Torrey Pines Gliderport and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, March 18, 2026

2. Torrey Pines Gliderport and Marker

The marker is at far right.

in 1947. Flight operations at Torrey Pines were interrupted in 1941 when the Gliderport property became the Army's Camp Callan. Military operations were conducted here until the end of World War II.
In the late 1960’s the first radio-controlled model airplanes were designed and flown at the Gliderport. In the 1970’s the first hang gliders flew over the bluffs of Torrey Pines. The Gliderport promoted paragliding during its infancy in the mid-1980’s. Today the Gliderport hosts radio-controlled model aircraft, hang gliders, and paragliders. Flying activities are from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM every day of the year, but depend on wind conditions. The parking lot is always open, for ocean viewing.
Torrey Pines Gliderport was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993 and expanded in 2008. It is a National Soaring Landmark of the National Soaring Museum, and a San Diego City Historic Site, and on the California Register of Historic Places. It was dedicated as the first National Model Aviation Heritage Site in the nation by the Academy of Model Aeronautics in 2003.

Also see . . . Torrey Pines Gliderport. (Submitted on March 24, 2021.)

Torrey Pines Gliderport Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker

3. Torrey Pines Gliderport Marker

The reverse side has a tile mosaic of a sailboat and two Hang Gliders.

Torrey Pines Gliderport image. Click for full size.

4. Torrey Pines Gliderport

Paragliders soaring above the takeoff / landing area.

5. Torrey Pines Gliderport

Paragligers and a Hang Glider above Torrey Pines.

Glider at Torrey Pines, circa 1960 image. Click for full size.

courtesy National Soaring Museum

6. Glider at Torrey Pines, circa 1960

circa 1985

7. Hang Glider at Torrey Pines, circa 1985

Craig Baker flying a rented hang glider. The instrument called a variometer is visible near his right arm, and the parachute recovery system is below his chest.

Photographed by Craig Baker, March 18, 2026

8. Torrey Pines Gliderport

AMA Landmark Site image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, March 9, 2026

9. AMA Landmark Site

Credits. This page was last revised on March 30, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 24, 2021, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 1,285 times since then and 56 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 19, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on March 24, 2021, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 8. submitted on March 19, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 9. submitted on March 30, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.