Point Dume State Beach
Also known as Point Dume, Point Dume Natural Preserve, Point Dume Nature Preserve, Point Dume State Beach & Preserve, Point Dume State Beach and Natural Preserve, Point Dume State Beach and Preserve, Point Dume State Nature Preserve, Point Dume State Preserve
- Status
- Open (per official listing)Daily sunrise – sunset
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Statewide rule — see below
- Camping
- None listed
- Official site
- parks.ca.gov(310) 457-8144
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Current alerts 1
Partial closure Posted 8/28/26: Please be advised that road access to the lower parking lot at Point Dume State Beach is currently unavailable due to the closure of Westward Beach Road. The beach remains accessible, but the lower parking lot is not.
Posted by the park. Official alert
Overview
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Covering about 36 acres, Point Dume State Beach lies in Los Angeles County, about 3 miles southwest of Malibu.
Visitors come for snorkeling and diving, surfing, historic sites, swimming, and ranger programs. Facilities for water recreation include a swimming beach.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day use | Daily | sunrise – sunset | — |
Official wording
Day-use parking: Sunrise – Sunset
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/Los Angeles).
Fees and passes
Per vehicle at most parks (vehicles of 9 people or less, walk/bike-in free); per person at State Historic Parks and museums; amounts vary by park and are listed on each park page.
Statewide fee rule from California's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.
California park passes
- California Explorer Annual Pass — $195. Vehicle day-use entry to 134 state parks incl. high-demand Southern California beaches Details
- Golden Poppy Annual Pass — $125. Vehicle day-use entry to 112 state parks Details
- Historian Passport — $50. Admission for up to four people at per-person-fee State Historic Parks Details
- Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Annual Pass — $50. Entry to State Vehicular Recreation Areas that collect day-use fees Details
- SNO-Park Pass — $40 season / $15 day. 18 SNO-PARK winter recreation areas Details
From the California state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- ReserveCalifornia
- Phone
- (800) 444-7275
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
See the park’s wording
Are dogs allowed?
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Things to do
PicnickingHistoric sites and toursRanger and interpretive programsSnorkeling and scubaSwimmingWildlife viewing and birdingSurfingHiking
Amenities
Facilities
- Picnic areas
- Parking
Water
- Swimming beach
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
Overview
Point Dume State Beach features headlands, cliffs, rocky coves, and vast beach access. The beach is presently operated by Los Angeles County, which also operates Zuma County Beach.
At the end of Westward Beach Road, access to Point Dume Natural Preserve begins from the cul-de-sac. A gradual ascending trail leads to an ancient coastal bluff sand dune. Visitors are asked to stay on the trail in an effort to help preserve this unique sand accumulation. On a clear day, an incredible view encompassing the entire Santa Monica Bay, north Malibu Coast, inland Santa Monica Mountains and distant Catalina Island may be enjoyed from one of several overlooks within the preserve. Phone (310) 457-8143 for more information.
Read more from the park
Trails
The Coreopsis Trail is ‘out-and-back’ accessible trail that is 0.09 miles each way from near the end of the Poppy Trail to Cliffside Drive. At about midpoint of this trail is a staircase down the bluff to Big Dume Beach. There are stairs at the end of the trail up to the sidewalk along Cliffside Drive. The trail offers views of the ocean and the Malibu Coastline. The surface is compacted aggregate for most of the trail. The trail is generally flat at less than 5% slopes with intermittent sections with 5% to 8%. There is generally accessible parking alongside Cliffside Drive at the trailhead of the Poppy Trail.
The Coreopsis Loop Trail is ‘out-and-back’ accessible trail that is 0.12 miles each way from near the intersection of Cliffside Drive and Birdview Drive to an overlook on the bluff overlooking the ocean. The trail offers views of the ocean, Westward Beach, and the Malibu Coastline. The surface is compacted aggregate for most of the trail. The trail is generally flat at less than 5% slopes with intermittent sections with 5% to 7%. There is generally accessible parking alongside Cliffside Drive at the trailhead of the Poppy Trail.
The Poppy Trail is ‘out-and-back’ accessible trail that is 0.06 miles each way from Cliffside Drive to an overlook on the bluff overlooking the ocean. The trail offers views of the ocean, Big Dume Beach, and the Malibu Coastline. The surface is compacted aggregate for most of the trail. The trail is generally 7% to 8% slopes. There is generally accessible parking alongside Cliffside Drive at the trailhead of the Poppy Trail.
Trail Name Running Slope Cross Slope Trail Width Trail Surface
Coreopsis Trail 4% Average 2.2% Average 5 FT Average Aggregate & Wood
8% Maximum 5% Maximum 4 FT Minimum
Coreopsis Loop Trail 3% Average 2.7% Average 5 FT Average Aggregate & Wood
7% Maximum 5% Maximum 5 FT Minimum
Poppy Trail 6% Average 3.3% Average 5 FT Average Aggregate & Wood
8% Maximum 5% Maximum 5 FT Minimum
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 29398 Cliffside Dr
Malibu, CA 90265 - Nearest town
- Malibu — about 3 mi southwest (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 34.0013, -118.8064
- Phone
- (310) 457-8144
- Malibu.SpecialEvents@parks.ca.gov
Entrances
- Directions point
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
From Santa Monica: Follow Pacific Coast Highway 18-miles west to Westward Beach Road. Turn toward the ocean, go beyond the fee collection station to the very end of the road. From the 101-Freeway: exit at Kanan Road, follow it south 12-miles to Pacific Coast Highway, then turn right. Westward Beach Road is over the rise, at the foot of the hill. At the end of Westward Beach Road, access to Point Dume State Preserve begins from the cul-de-sac. A gradual ascending trail leads to an ancient coastal bluff sand dune. Visitors are asked to stay on the trail in an effort to help reserve this unique sand accumulation.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- California State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- California State Parks Listing page (one link per unit, page_id = officialId), unioned with the CSP Enterprise GIS 'ParkEntryPoints' ArcGIS layer (coords, address, county, unit number, management status) and the 'CSPParkUnit_CurrentStatus' layer (open/partial/full closure)
- Wikidata
- Photo: Point Dume State Beach (Unsplash).jpg — CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication), Tommy Tang ttoommy
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology