Visiting Sunset Cliffs Natural Park In San Diego CA
Sunset Cliffs Natural Park is a gorgeous natural park overlooking the ocean, on the edge of the Point Loma Peninsula.
It has miles of hiking trails, rugged sandstone cliffs, tide pools, and unbeatable views of the ocean. As the name suggests, it also has one of the most amazing sunset views in San Diego!
Sunset Cliffs is completely free to visit, and has ample parking, with both dirt parking lots and free street parking. This article will cover where to park, the best hiking trails, and how to get to the tide pools and beach.
Here is everything you need to know before visiting Sunset Cliffs Natural Park. For your convenience, I’ve attached a parking map, including where to park for the tide pools and hiking trails.
Where To Park For Sunset Cliffs
Parking and entrance at Sunset Cliffs is completely free. There’s two dirt parking lots, as well as street parking along Ladera St. If you want to visit the tide pools, you’ll park on Ladera St, which is right next to the stairs that lead down to them.
If you want to walk around the park, you can park at either of the dirt parking lots. I recommend parking at the lower parking lot, as it’s closer to the cliffs. If you park at the upper parking lot, you’ll have to hike down a short hill.
How To Get To Sunset Cliffs
Once you arrive at Sunset Cliffs, you’ll pass through an entrance station but don’t worry, there’s no entrance fee needed to visit the park. It’s for the nearby university.
Sunset Cliffs Natural Park is split into a hillside conservation area, and the rest of the park that extends from Ladera St to Adair St. The dirt parking lots are located in the conservation area, which is the place to go if you want to hike or watch the sunset.
The rest of the park, from Ladera St to Adair St, includes the tide pools, sea caves, and a few more access points to the beach. I parked at the upper dirt parking lot, and walked down the hill to the edge of the cliffs.
From here, you can walk along the coast, and see unique rock formations, sea caves, and the sun set over the horizon.
The views are beautiful everywhere throughout the park, so it’s no surprise that it’s become a popular venue for wedding ceremonies.
How To Get To The Tide Pools And Sea Cave
One of the most fun things to do at Sunset Cliffs is to explore the tide pools and sea cave, which are accessible when the tide’s low.
To get to the tide pools, you’ll walk down the steep set of stairs by Ladera St, and the tide pools are right to the left of the stairs. When the tide is low, there’s an expansive intertidal zone filled with hermit crabs, barnacles, anemones, and other sea creatures. Just remember to wear shoes with good grip, as the rocks can be very slippery.
To get to the sea cave, it’s not as straightforward. There’s 2 ways to get to the cave, and it’s important to only visit during low tide.
The sea cave is only accessible when the tides minus 1, or lower, which you can check here on the tidal chart. Here’s the two ways to get to the sea cave.
- Easier route: Park along Hill street, and walk north until you see the trail made of large rocks, down to the beach. Go down to the beach, and continue walking left, past a few smaller caves until you reach the sea cave.
- Fastest but dangerous route: Park by Luscomb’s point. Look for the gated square enclosed fence with the “Danger/Sheer Unstable Cliffs” sign. In front of the fence to the left, there’s a steep, non-defined trail. Walk down this trail to the water, and continue left (south), hugging the cave’s walls until you reach Sunset Cliffs Cave.
The cave has an arched entrance, and a fascinating hole-shaped opening to the sky. If you plan on visiting, aim to start the hike 30 minutes before the tide’s at it’s lowest point. Or else, you may end up knee deep in the water inside of the cave.
Where To Watch The Sunset At Sunset Cliffs
Sunset Cliffs has a spectacular view of the sunset over the horizon. You’ll have an amazing view anywhere throughout the park, from the cliffs, or down on the beach.
I highly recommend bringing a beach towel, snacks, and drinks, so you can set up a picnic to watch the sunset. The park extends over a mile along the coast, so there’s plenty of secluded areas to enjoy a picnic!
Best Hikes At Sunset Cliffs
If you want to go on a peaceful morning or afternoon hike, Sunset Cliffs is the place to go. For the most part, you can ignore the trail maps, and stroll around the park. There’s a variety of small trails throughout the park.
Just remember to be careful when hiking on the cliffs, as the sandstone has eroded, and there’s steep drop offs. There’s many “unstable cliffs” signs to ensure you stay away from these areas.
Here are all of the hiking trails available in the park.
Sunset Cliffs Coastal Trail
- Highlight: Coastal trail along the cliffs with views of the sea cave
- Length: 2.1 miles round trip
- Dog-friendly: Yes
Sunset Cliffs Trail is a great trail along the cliffs, with views of the coastline and sea caves. This trail starts right by the stairs (Ladera St.), and extends north towards Adair street.
Since part of the trail has eroded, you’ll be walking on the road for a portion of the trail. You can also access the beach from this trail by climbing down a pile of rocks, near Smuggler’s Cove.
Sunset Cliffs Park Trail
- Highlight: Short trail from the bottom parking lot down to the cliffs and beach
- Length: 1 mile round trip
- Dog-friendly: Yes
Sunset Cliffs Park Trail is an easy, straightforward trail from the dirt parking lot down to the cliffs. From there, you can walk along the cliffs, or follow the surfers down to relax on the sandy beach.
Sunset Bluffs Trail
- Highlight: Beautiful loop trail along the bluff tops
- Length: 1.3 mile round trip
- Dog-friendly: Yes
Sunset Bluffs Trail is a short loop hike along the bluffs, past wild flowers and wildlife. This hike ventures into the hillside conservation area of the park, which is home to everything from rabbits to lizards, and a variety of bird species.
Like the other trails, you can easily veer off of it to go down to the cliffs and beach.
Best Time To Visit Sunset Cliffs
The best time to visit Sunset Cliffs is on a sunny, non-overcast day, around 30 minutes before sunset. This will allow you to find easy parking, and the best viewing spot for when the sun sets on the horizon.
Additionally, try to visit on a low tide day so you can explore the tide pools and sea cave. To find out when the tide is low, reference the Sunset Cliffs tidal chart, and look for a low, or ideally negative number.
Low tides tend to happen more frequently during winter months (Nov-March), so the sea cave is not easily accessible for most of the year.
Sunset Cliffs Parking Map
Sunset Cliffs FAQs
When’s the tide low at Sunset Cliffs?
The tide’s the lowest at Sunset Cliffs, and other areas around San Diego during winter (November-March). However, there are many low tide days throughout the rest of the year, which you can check on the tidal chart.
Is Sunset Cliffs dog–friendly?
Yes, Sunset Cliffs natural park is dog-friendly as long as they’re kept on a leash. However, dogs are only allowed on the beach area after 4pm from Nov. 1-Mar. 31, and after 6pm from Apr. 1-Oct 31, according to San Diego’s law.
What part of San Diego is Sunset Cliffs located?
Sunset Cliffs is located on the western edge of the Point Loma peninsula, just 3 miles away from the Cabrillo National Monument. This is one of the most scenic areas in San Diego, and it’s around a 15-20 minute drive from downtown.
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