Christmas Tree Cove Reef Island Sunset of Palos Verdes, California — Reef Island of Christmas Tree Cove by Andre Navarro

The Palos Verdes Peninsula possesses many amazingly beautiful rocky coves below it’s towering cliffs. One of my favorites is Christmas Tree Cove, with it’s version of Flat Rock, a small reef island covered in Cormorants, Seagulls, Pelicans and California Harbor Seals. From above the cliffs, the trail down, to all along the rocky shore reefs, the ocean views are gorgeous. Let’s enjoy a brisk sunset hike, starting from the top of Christmas Tree Cove, snaking down the steep cliffs and exploring south through and past Christmas Tree Cove.

We’ll enjoy the best sunset views this area has to offer, focusing on the sun, ocean and notoriously rocky shore reefs. The total distance of this hike is only about a half of a mile. However, easy as it may sound, the majority of this hike is over extremely rocky shores and jagged shore reef. The shore rock environments range in size from baseball, to bowling ball, up to large boulders in all sorts of shapes. It’s very easy to twist your ankles here if you aren’t used to balancing on this type of rocky footing.

The path down the cliffs is on the north side of the cove, easily found by the small dirt trail heading towards the tree on the cliff. Then the trail turns left, right off the cliff. It looks menacing, especially from the top of the trail looking down, it appears as if there is no trail, just a dirt cliff. But as you start down the first couple of feet and see the small switch backs along the top, it becomes doable. After the first steep section over the cliff, the rest of the trail is pretty easy on a winding small dirt path.

Trail down Christmas Tree Cove of Palos Verdes, California — Trail down Christmas Tree Cove by Andre Navarro

But before we head down the cliffs, to the endless rocks, let’s get some more awesome views from the top. Towards the middle of the cove, there is an old iron gate falling off the cliff. I love this view with the fence, I’m not sure why, but it triggers my imagination. This is as far south as you can go along the top of the cove due to the south side being private properties. Here you get a great view to the small reef island in the shimmering sun, at the bottom of the south end.

Christmas Tree Cove of Palos Verdes, California — Christmas Tree Cove by Andre Navarro

Next to the gate are a couple of large palm trees that look like they’re also about to slide down the cliff. And on the way back to the northern side of the cove, is a huge slice of land, separating from the cliff and about to tumble over. It’s amazing how big this chunk of land is and how it’s already been slowly moving away from the cliff, yet hasn’t turned into a land slide yet. Further along our adventure, we’ll come across a fresh land slide below the cliffs.

As the sun gets lower, it’s now a race against time to get to my target location while getting the best shots along the way and back. So down the crumbling cliffs we go. After recent rains, the terrain is beautiful with tiny yellow flowers and green grass. In the summer time, this area is dry and yellow with thirsty plants. As we carefully complete the steep section, the rest of the dirt trail is a breeze with awesome cove views in every direction. Halfway down, I can’t help to stop and enjoy the view from the edge of the trail.

Cliffs of Palos Verdes, California — Trail down Christmas Tree Cove by Andre Navarro

As we quickly reach the end of the dirt trail, we’re immediately challenged with a field of large boulders. And past the boulders is a long shore of medium boulders to large rocks. This is the roughest part of the trail below the cliffs. You have to choose your footing carefully here and assume several times along the way, the rocks you choose are going to roll with you on them. It helps to walk at a medium pace, sort of flat footed and try not to put all your weight on one foot when possible.

From this rocky shore reef, you’ll also get a change in perspective and ocean sound. I love the sound of the gentle waves crashing on and then receding off the rolling rocks. It makes a unique pebbly echo as hundreds of rounded shore rocks roll against each other. This soothing sound along with the shimmering sun reflecting on the ocean makes for a special moment.

Rocky shore sunset of Christmas Tree Cove, Palos Verdes — Rocky Shore of Christmas Tree Cove by Andre Navarro

Christmas Tree Cove Sunset of Palos Verdes, California — Christmas Tree Cove Sunset by Andre Navarro

Once past the long section of shore boulders and now turning the southern bottom corner of Christmas Tree Cove, you get hit with one last section of huge reef boulders. From this point south, the ocean is flanked by jagged rocky reef as far as you can see. This shore reef is much easier to walk on for the most part. At least better than shifting and rolling rocks under your foot steps. The challenge of traveling over the shore reef is all the puddles and odd shaped rocks and holes.

At the very southern edge of this cove, is a small reef island filled with local inhabitants. There are usually Pelicans, Seagulls, Cormorants and California Harbor Seals relaxing in the sunset. This reef island paradise for local ocean life is surrounded by thick kelp patches.

Rocky shore sunset of Palos Verdes, California — Jagged Reef Sunset by Andre Navarro

Christmas Tree Cove Reef Island of Palos Verdes — Christmas Tree Cove Reef Island by Andre Navarro

Heading south along the shore reef from Christmas Tree Cove, you get another beautiful change in scenery. Cliffs towering over the rocky shore reef as far as you can see. Especially when the waves are decent size and crashing against the reefs, exploding with white wash high into the air. This area has countless tide pools in either direction. This gorgeous combination of cliffs, reefs and ocean views is an amazing sight, and then add the sunset as a cherry on top. On a very clean day, you can see to Malibu in the north and to Catalina Island in the south west.

Christmas Tree Cove Reef of Palos Verdes — Christmas Tree Cove Reef by Andre Navarro

Palos Verdes Peninsula ocean view — View south of Christmas Tree Cove by Andre Navarro

Christmas Tree Cove tide pools of Palos Verdes — Tide Pools of Christmas Tree Cove by Andre Navarro

As I was continuing south below the cliffs, I heard a nearby sound of sand and light rocks moving. I turned a corner and came upon a fresh landslide. There was still sand and little rocks sliding down the cliff. This landslide came from about a hundred feet up. It’s hard to tell scale in the photo, but the larger brown boulders at the bottom are huge. Luckily the landslide stayed close against the cliff and I was way near the ocean on the reef. For this amount of rocks and land falling down, it was surprisingly quiet.

Palos Verdes landslide new Christmas Tree Cove — Landslide south of Christmas Tree Cove by Andre Navarro

Now the sun is about to dip below the horizon, temporarily lighting up the sky with beautiful colors before night. It’s also time for me to double time it to Christmas Tree Cove and back up the cliffs before darkness falls.

I hope you have enjoyed our sunset hike from Christmas Tree Cove of the beautiful Palos Verdes Peninsula. I leave you with my favorite colorful sunset views as I say goodbye for now, until our next sunset hike !

Palos Verdes Sunset at Reef Island of Christmas Tree Cove — Reef Island Sunset by Andre Navarro

Palos Verdes Sunset at Christmas Tree Cove — Christmas Tree Cove Sunset by Andre Navarro

Christmas Tree Cove Sunset by Andre Navarro

The accompanying Youtube videos are first hand footage captured by Andre Navarro while freediving Flat Rock and Kelp Forests of Palos Verdes, California.  Subscribe to the Youtube channel and sign up to our Newsletter to not miss future adventures !

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.

Sunset Hike at Palos Verdes, to Christmas Tree Cove

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