In the early-morning hours, before the sun is up, when the air is crisp, there is an almost mystical quality to driving along I-5 in San Diego. Or perhaps it is the anticipation of adventure that can give the small hours that magical aura.

The ocean is an inky black, matching the dark hills that follow the road along the portion of the highway in northern San Diego County.

I woke my intrepid, never-say-no husband at 4:45 on a recent morning with the goal of setting out on a romantic hike in Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve to watch the sunrise together from a dirt trail. For once, it would just be him and me. No dogs yanking on their leashes, no fellow hikers (hopefully). Just my partner and me, a canteen full of hot coffee and a few Nalgenes of water.

Getting outdoors and stretching my legs is the hallmark of a perfect weekend.

Returning to nature is a primal urge. The effect of wandering outdoors and listening to the crunch of dirt beneath my boots is akin to what I experience standing inside a beautiful cathedral or temple: a blissful peace and a time to reflect. Like that holy ground, natural spaces hold a sacred place in my heart and I try to get outside as often as possible. In this case, I hoped my husband and I could enjoy a few quiet, reflective hours together, free of chores and obligations.

I frequent the same places over and over again, typically in Angeles National Forest. For a quicker and easier jaunt, I take the short trip to the trails that hug the coast near Trump National Golf Club on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

This expedition would take us out of those comfort zones, to see beautiful rock formations and the area’s iconic pines.

There were, however, a series of miscalculations.

It’s been awhile since I rose before sunrise, and I didn’t realize that it is light out well before the sun actually rises. Also, leaving our house at 5 a.m. meant we didn’t arrive in San Diego until it was bright outside.

And even if we had left earlier, the gates at Torrey Pines don’t open until 7:15 a.m.

With only half a bagel in our bellies and canteens brimming with hot coffee, we stopped for a quick bite at the San Diego branch of Snooze an A.M. Eatery, a Denver-based chain that does a decent job of making a California staple – the breakfast burrito. We ordered fresh coffee, and the diner served an excellent Guatemalan brew. After buying a pound of beans to take with us, we set off toward our destination only minutes away.

If you arrive at Torrey Pines early enough, there is ample free parking just outside the park along the beach, but that also means a bit of a walk to get to the trailheads. If you want to spend most of your walking time on the trails themselves, though, shell out for the parking pass.

I didn’t mind schlepping to the top of the hill. After more than an hour in the car, walking felt good.

Torrey Pines is like a West Coast version of New York’s Central Park, a stunning green space sliced with the occasional road. Here, though, the half a dozen or so trails wind their way toward stunning rock formations. The oldest of the four main formations dates back 48 million years; the youngest could be a mere 120,000 years old.

At Razor and Yucca points, in the early morning, you can watch sea mist rise over the rocks like the breath of some mystical being exhaling onto the cliffside. The early-morning light cutting through the mist is truly a sight to behold.

Throughout the park are the iconic Torrey pines, what the park describes as the rarest pine in the nation, found only in the park and on Santa Rosa Island, off Santa Barbara. Their trunks stretch skyward while their branches arch sideways.

One of the perks of rising early is avoiding the crowds. By the time we left at 10 a.m., the park was flooded with visitors.

Torrey Pines is the kind of park where your stewardship instincts need to be on high alert. It has a “reserve” status in the California State Parks system, a designation given to only 16 of the 279 parks in the network. That means no dogs, no smoking and no food or drinks other than water. Anything you bring into the park needs to leave with you.

Our goal of exploring trails outside our usual haunts started weeks earlier, when friends suggested we check out the trails in San Diego, and we eagerly accepted the invitation.

On that journey, we ventured out to Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, a rich riparian area that hosts regal herons and egrets. The presence of a year-round stream and the lush green landscape almost make you forget you’re in parched California.

At the preserve, well-maintained trails guide hikers along wide paths, and sturdy bridges connect either side of the stream at sporadic crossing points. Though it’s an out-and-back trail, it’s possible to follow the stream on both sides to get a different view of the flora and fauna.

During this hike we saw a showdown that would give John Wayne a run for his money. Woodpeckers were fending off a murder of crows that used incredible diversionary tactics to draw attention away from one crow advancing on what I can only presume was a woodpecker nest. Alas, I will never know which side won.

As dramatic as that was, the absolute showstopper in Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve is the waterfall.

Cool water flows through smooth volcanic rock, creating an oasis to idle away a few hours.

The slick rocks curve almost like they were made for our enjoyment, extending an unspoken invitation to take a seat, kick off your shoes and relax.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2286 or lwilliams@ocregister.com