Abalone Cove: East Beach Hike

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Views · Wildflowers

The hike is a natural one to do for those visiting the park, given the distance and the semi-private endpoint at the beach. That being said, it tends to be a pretty popular hike, so you'll likely find yourself sharing the spacious beach cove with others. But the limited access ensures that any other visitors are spread out over the width of the cove. 

The land is a part of the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve, which contains 1,400 acres in all.

Parking at Abalone Cove Shoreline Park is $6 for up to 2 hours, a credit or debit card is necessary for payment. Parking lot hours are 9am-4pm daily, with some variation.

Portions of the trail are narrow, as well as some sections being sloped with slick sand. Runners should be careful and expect to encounter a good number of other hikers on this trail.

The hike covers a variety of landscapes over its short distance, leaving the clifftop views of Abalone Cove Shoreline Park and heading down a short steep descent through the California scrub brush dirt slopes before reaching the access road to Abalone Cove Beach.

From here, signs point the direction of the trail that heads a little further east, descending into a small drainage canyon and wrapping around the hill before emerging on a spacious stony beach enveloped by the clifftop Portuguese Point on the other end.

The route is mostly hard packed dirt, and while steep in points, is pretty easy for most ability levels if you take your time on the slick parts. There are a number of trails and paths at the clifftop park, as well as around the beach area below, but as long as you descend to the beach and then head in the direction of Portuguese Point, the route is fairly straightforward and easily visible.

Stone formations lie in the water beneath Portuguese Point, and a small waterfall trickles into the rocks from the cliffside above the rocky shore.

Bathrooms and picnic benches are located at the parking area of Abalone Cove Shoreline Park.

Many types of wildflowers grow in the disturbed cliffside areas along the beach shore and on the slopes near the park. Tide pools can be found in some of the rocks at the eastern edge of Abalone Cove East Beach during lower tides.