Del Obispo Park to Doheny State Beach (Blog Hike #993)

Trail: San Juan Creek Bike Path
Hike Location: Del Obispo Park and Doheny State Beach
Geographic Location: Dana Point, CA (33.46913, -117.68355)
Length: 1.6 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: An out-and-back to a small but historic state beach.
Park Information: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=645
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=956014
Photo Highlight:

Short Video: (coming February 18, 2025)

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of I-5 and SR 1 south of Los Angeles, take SR 1 north 1.1 miles to Del Obispo Street and turn right on Del Obispo St.  Drive Del Obispo St. north 0.2 miles to Del Obispo Park on the right.  Park in the north end of the parking lot near the tennis courts.

The hike: Known locally as Doho, Doheny Beach occupies a unique spot in southern California's surfing history.  Doheny Beach used to be home to a wave known as Killer Dana, a "brutal right-hander" that attracted surfers from far and wide.  Killer Dana instilled a rich surfing culture in Dana Point, and that culture was strong enough to earn mention in the Beach Boys' famous 1963 hit Surfin' USA.

            Unfortunately, nobody can ride Killer Dana today: it was destroyed in 1966 with the construction of a new harbor for Dana Point.  This destruction came in spite of the fact that the beach was protected as a state beach in 1931, making it California's first state beach.  In 1963, the beach was renamed Doheny State Beach after Edward Doheny, an investor who struck oil in Dana Point in 1893, thus starting the area's oil boom.

            Today Doheny Beach produces waves suitable only for beginner surfers, but Doheny State Beach is still a scenic and popular seaside destination.  The park offers a 122-site developed oceanside campground, numerous sand volleyball courts and picnic areas, a beachside restaurant, and of course the beach.  Though the park offers no hiking trails, the San Juan Creek Bike Path ends at Doheny State Beach.  Starting at nearby Del Obispo Park, which is owned and maintained by the City of Dana Point, and walking the bike path allows you to do a hike that ends at the beach while avoiding California's notoriously high state park entrance fees.

Trailhead at Del Obispo Park

            Start on the concrete path that heads east through Del Obispo Park's collection of tennis, pickleball, and basketball courts.  After passing through a stile, you reach the asphalt San Juan Creek Bike Path.  Turn right to head for the beach.

San Juan Creek Bike Path

            The bike path heads south with the park's baseball fields on the right and San Juan Creek on the left.  San Juan Creek features concrete flood control channel walls, an ugly relic from the urban planning of the 1960's.  Plenty of bikes zoomed along this bike path when I came here on a Sunday afternoon, and you never feel you are anywhere other than an urban area.

Pacific Coast Highway historical marker

            At 0.4 miles, you pass under SR 1, which is the Pacific Coast Highway.  If you take a short detour to the right before you pass under the highway, you will find the Pacific Coast Highway historical marker, which looks like a sea buoy.  An exhibit plaza just past the marker gives information about the Pacific Coast Highway's history at Dana Point.  After passing under SR 1, the wildlife show really picks up.  While I saw only some mallard ducks further inland, I was greeted here by a great blue heron, a snowy egret, and a myriad of seagulls.

Rock cribbage at Doheny Beach

Sea gulls at mouth of San Juan Creek

Doheny Beach

            Just past 0.6 miles, the bike path ends, and you walk out onto Doheny Beach.  The state beach campground sits across San Juan Creek to the left, and the Dana Point Harbor sits on the other side of the beach to the right.  The rock cribbage at the mouth of San Juan Creek makes a nice place to sit and admire the sea.  After exploring the beach, retrace your steps up the San Juan Creek Bike Path to return to Del Obispo Park and complete the hike.  If you want a longer hike, you can start from other parks further up the bike path, or head down the coast to nearby San Onofre State Beach or San Clemente State Beach, both of which offer nice trail systems described elsewhere in this trail journal.