Sunset Hike at Newport Beach, to Arches & Sea Caves
Ladder Rock Sunset by Andre Navarro
Newport Beach is famous for it’s Southern California style sandy beaches ! For sunning, surfing and ocean fun, there are miles of beautiful shoreline to enjoy. However, Newport Beach has another type of shore environment that I love even more. It’s the rocky and jagged shore reefs where the ocean crashes against the cliffs. Over time, the never ending ocean waves have carved out beautiful patterns, caves and sea arches along the rocky cliffs. Mother nature has sculped ocean shore art in an amazing display.
Join me in this sunset picture hike as we explore from Little Corona Del Mar Beach across Cameo Shores to Little Treasure Cove. Along the way, we’ll visit Arch Rock, Ladder Rock and other large ocean rocks along with several secret shore caves. All this at sunset, to set the mood for breathe taking and serene ocean views.
Little Corona Del Mar by Andre Navarro
As we start off from the top of Little Corona Del Mar Beach, you’ll get a beautiful view above the beginning of the rocky reefs of Corona Del Mar, south to the jagged reefs of Cameo Shores. You’ll also get a glimpse of the smallest, yet cool ocean arch rock known as “Arch Rock.” As we begin down the paved path towards Little Corona Del Mar Beach, this is that last of the easy walking.
We’ll pass a small sandy beach area surrounded by rocky shore and reefs on both sides. As we head south, the sandy shore quickly becomes rocky to shore reef, which are popular tide pools at low tide. Here, you’ll see several locals observing hermit crabs, small fish, sea slugs and if you’re lucky, a lone octopus.
Newport Beach Tide Pools by Andre Navarro
As we pass the tide pools, this angle along the shore gives us a view through Arch Rock. Shaped like a triangular rocky pyramid, towering approximately 18 feet out of the water, there is even a cool inner, hollowed out area. This cool looking A shaped ocean rock usually has several seagulls, pelicans and cormorants hanging out on it.
I’ve actually swam around and through this arch in a Newport Beach Diving Adventure video. It’s surrounded by kelp, bright green sea grass and varies colors of algae. The inner side of it had several Ochre Sea Stars clinging on. The current and tide causes the water to suck in and out of the inner passage, sort of dangerous to swim through as you can get caught in the suction and pulled down until the water changes directions.
Arch Rock by Andre Navarro
Arch Rock and shore reef by Andre Navarro
Rocky shore reef by Andre Navarro
This brings us to our first cave right across shore from Arch Rock. This shore cave goes in about 30 feet. At it’s highest part, near the opening, it’s about 5 feet tall inside. It’s definitely wider than it is deep. And as you can probably tell, some fog rolled in too. The fog here is unpredictable. Sometimes in hangs right off shore, thick like a white blanket. Other times it rolls onto shore and blocks out the sun. Sometimes it stays all night till the morning and other times it blows away as quickly as it showed up.
Newport Beach shore cave by Andre Navarro
As we pass Arch Rock and scramble over the shore reef, we get a closer look at Ladder Rock in the not too far distance. From shore, Ladder Rock looks long and flat with an arch to the side. However, from above shows a much different view of it’s shape and size. And from the ocean side, looking towards shore gives yet another unique view. Of course my favorite is the sunset view from the tide pools, with the sun dipping behind.
Ladder Rock Sunset by Andre Navarro
Above Ladder Rock by Andre Navarro
Ladder Rock view by Andre Navarro
Right across from Ladder Rock is another cool cave, or maybe it’s better described as a hole in the cliff with an amazing view to Ladder Rock. The patterns in the rock are pretty awesome too. The cliff rocks looks like it’s been bent, smashed and stretched over millions of years. I almost missed this hole in the cliff as I was so focused on Ladder Rock as I passed by. The towering rock with cool striations is what caught my attention.
Sunset view to Ladder Rock by Andre Navarro
Shore reef striations by Andre Navarro
Just south of Ladder Rock is another huge rocky reef towering out of the ocean. I couldn’t find a name for this rock. It seems a bit taller than Ladder Rock but not as wide or long. From the ocean side, it looks like an alien’s head. So I’m calling it Alien Rock. At low tide, you can walk to Alien Rock and watch the waves crashing on it’s rocky reef. The shore reef surrounding it also has super cool rock striations that look as if an artist designed them.
When I get to this area, I usually get stuck in my head. There is so much to see in this rocky reef vicinity, I just want to stay and stare at the ocean and it’s gorgeous and unique shore views. Now I must force myself to keep moving south as there is still much to see.
Shore rock striations sunset by Andre Navarro
Alien Rock view by Andre Navarro
But before we head into some more super cool sites, just around the corner, let’s enjoy two more amazing sunset views of Ladder and Alien Rock.
Alien Rock sunset by Andre Navarro
Ladder Rock Sunset by Andre Navarro
As we head into a small cove just south of the big ocean rocks, we come across the largest caves yet. The first one is so big, you can walk into it standing up. It probably goes about 80 feet to the very back. It’s also pretty wide. The next two shore caves are a little further south as we approach Little Treasure Cove.
The first is a small closet sized hole in the reef. The second is a medium sized cave, big enough to walk into. All three of these caves are amazing locations to enjoy the sunset. It feels magical to be here, listening to the soothing waves, feeling the cool ocean breeze, watching the sun go down as the sky turns red. It’s hard to leave each location to go find another.
Cameo Shores cave sunset by Andre Navarro
Cameo Shores cave sunset by Andre Navarro
Little Treasure Cove cave sunset by Andre Navarro
As we turn the final corner of Little Treasure Cove, the sandy beach returns from the rocky shore reef environment. The sun is almost completely down now. This entire shore hike is no more than a mile one way, but due to all the rocky shore reef climbing, it’s a little more challenging than it looks. It’s also very important to go at low tide or you can’t get around all the reef cliff corners as the water comes all the way up to the cliffs at several locations.
For an added special treat, if you make it to this point and there is still some light left, quickly hike up to Observation Point, right above Little Treasure Cove for an amazing ocean panoramic view. You can either hike back the way you came or cut across Crystal Cove Trail to PCH and walk back along the sidewalk.
Little Treasure Cove sunet by Andre Navarro
Little Treasure Cove reef sunet by Andre Navarro
I hope you have enjoyed our sunset hike from Little Corona Del Mar to Little Treasure Cove. I leave you with 2 last sunset views as I say goodbye for now, until our next sunset hike !
Alien and Ladder Rock sunset by Andre Navarro
Arch Rock sunset by Andre Navarro
Published by: Andre Navarro of Ocean Earth Green
I’m Andre Navarro, Southern California freediver and underwater videographer. I create ocean life adventure videos to connect viewers to our amazing underwater world to motivate stronger conservation and ocean life awareness. You can follow my ocean adventures here at OceanEarthGreen.com and view all my current and past videos at Youtube.com/OceanEarthGreen.