Point Sal
Point Sal is the most dramatic coastline in this part of California and one of the hardest to reach — which is the whole reason it still looks the way it does. The road that once carried cars out to the bluffs washed out decades ago and was never rebuilt. What's left is a long walk in along the old roadbed from the Brown Road side, climbing over a ridge before dropping toward the ocean, with steep cliffs, sea stacks, and a beach that's usually empty when you finally get there. This is a serious outing, not a picnic. Plan on most of a day, carry everything you'll need, and treat the ridge and any cliff edges with respect.
Access and conditions change — check current status before you commit to the drive, and never park where signage prohibits it. There's no water, no shade on the ridge, and no cell service for most of it. Skip it entirely after heavy rain, when the trail becomes genuinely dangerous.
Quick Info
- Category
- Outdoors
- Best time
- Year-round · avoid after heavy rain
- Location
- Guadalupe, CA 93434, USA
