Morning hike in San Clemente Beach Trail while an Amtrak train passes by

Early morning hike in San Clemente. Hugging one of the most picturesque shorelines in Southern California, the San Clemente Beach Trail in Orange County California is one of the premier rail-trails in the area. The trail itself is technically a rail-with-trail, as it shares the corridor with an active Amtrak line with service between Los Angeles and San Diego, as well as Metrolink trains that are part of the L.A. commuter rail system. Whereas most communities surrounding L.A. have fallen victim to rampant development, surfside San Clemente has preserved its small town identity and spirit. The trail enhances these qualities. The trail surface is composed mostly of compact sand from the beach. Begin at the north end of the pedestrian-only trail near the San Clemente Metrolink station in the area known as North Beach. The trail leads south out of the Metrolink parking lot. It is narrowly situated between high cliffs on the left and the railroad tracks and beach on the right. Be sure to check out the unique flora that cover the cliff, as well as the impressive beach houses high atop the cliffs. After several hundred yards, the trail flows onto an impressive bridge. Running about 10 feet off the ground for roughly 0.25 mile, the bridge serves as a glorified boardwalk over sensitive beach habitat. Once across the bridge, follow the trail across the railroad tracks and continue to the primary beachfront area of San Clemente at the Pier Bowl trailhead.