San Onofre Beach gets more use than other beaches along the Gaviota coastline so it isn’t as uncrowded as some of the other beaches; nevertheless it rarely has more than 15-20 people here at any time. There are wonderful walks in either direction at low tide and it is 3 miles in either direction to Arroyo Hondo or Gaviota State Park.
The trestles at the mouth of Arroyo Hondo Canyon are very picturesque, as is the beach below. The climb down to the beach is only the start of the adventure.
There’s just a wisp of a line across the ridge line anymore, a long thread of a line that suggests more of a past than it does the future. This is the Arroyo Burro Trail, once the main passageway into the backcountry for the Chumash. It is a trail rich with history.
Today there are large homes jutting out on either sides of San Roque Canyon and what is left of the pastoral life is comprised mainly of avocado ranching. But as you enter the canyon and begin to walk along the creek’s edge the feeling of being in a very special place still remains.
It is a bit of a hike down to the beach on the rough trail, but once you are there you’ll find a long stretch of wide open sand and plenty of places to set out your gear for the afternoon.
Like El Capitan, Refugio Beach State Park has lots of space for picnicking and playing in the surf, and the water is usually calm, making this a relatively safe place for the kids to play at the ocean’s edge.
The hike begins at the upper end of the park where the grass gives way to a wide dirt path which is very easy for even the youngest of children to walk on. Almost immediately you are immersed in canyon vegetation with oak trees and sycamore trees your companions.
The beach front at El Capitan is so pleasant it is difficult to think of going anywhere else, but if you do you will find the beaches in either direction a wonderful treat.
As you start down to the beach you’ll discover why this is such an attractive place to come: a spectacular vista, a mile of wide beach front and lots of space to set out towels and beach gear and still feel like you are by yourself.
The cliffs near the parking area for the Loon Point beach walk soar upward like a bird in flight. Below them is an isolated stretch of beach leading to Lookout Park, as well as a delightful stroll around Loon Point, if the tide permits.
