Trails

Trails consists of multiple beach breaks over sand and cobblestone bottom at San Onofre State Park, each accessed via a 15-minute hike down steep bluffs from the parking area. Trail 1 offers soft, mellow lefts and rights that work well on longer boards like logs and fish, while Trail 6 farther south has punchier waves with more defined shape. Both work year-round but respond best to south and southwest swells, and fishing them on lower tides produces cleaner conditions and better wave shape.

Trails have been surfed since at least the 1940s as part of San Onofre's nearly 90-year documented history. The break has maintained a relatively quiet reputation despite this long pedigree, likely due to the trail access requirement that keeps crowds lower than more accessible San Clemente and Dana Point peaks nearby.

Access requires a California State Park day-use fee and the moderately strenuous hike into the park from the bluff parking area. The location sits south of the decommissioned San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and extends toward Camp Pendleton. The reduced crowds compared to central San Clemente breaks make it appealing for those seeking solitude, though the cobblestone bottom and occasional rocks require caution.