Rancho San Clemente Ridgeline Trail

San Clemente State Beach is an out-and-back trail that takes past scenic surroundings located near San Clemente, California.

This spot is no secret but it’s by far one of the best beaches California has to offer and has been regarded since the 1950s as a friendly surfing sanctuary. The beach is divided into three surf spots (named from North to South), known as “The Point,” “Old Man’s,” and “Dogpatch.” To access the beach you drive down a hill and onto the hard packed dirt road that parallels the beach. There is park...

Whether I’m looking for a quick workout on the water, wanting to catch some waves, or simply explore the coastline, Dana Point is one of my favorite places to paddle. There is plenty of parking close to the beach, so you don’t have to walk far with your board. It’s also a great spot to launch as there is a soft sand beach with flat water.If you want to do a short and mellow paddle, I recommend ...

If you're ever driving on the 5 between San Diego and Los Angeles and traffic is miserable (always), consider making a stop at Dana Point to check out the tide pools. The best place is behind the Ocean Institute which offers plenty of free parking and a short walk behind the building will quickly get you to the tide pools.Be sure to check the tide levels and try to go at low tide or no tide to ...

Ocean views the whole time, plenty of wildlife and different species of native plants make this short hike beautiful. With the hike being short enough to complete in the afternoon after a day at the beach you can see a beautiful view of the coastline north and south. There is plenty of parking inside the Dana Point Nature Interpretive Center and before you get to the center along the west side ...

First, you'll be parking in the parking lot for the dog park. It's free parking and there are roughly 40 spaces, so there is plenty of parking. I've never seen more than 20 cars here at any one time. Once parked you'll find the trail head/ start on the northwest side of the lot (opposite the dog park and the view from the second photo). Once you go about 50yds, you'll see a tunnel on your righ...