El Capitan State Beach

El Capitan State Beach is state park about twenty miles west of downtown Santa Barbara. It has a large campground and a day-use parking area near the beach. At low tide you can explore both sides of the point on foot, but unfortunately at high tide there isn’t much beach exposed so consult a tide chart before going too far as you can get trapped by the rising tide. Surfers ride the right hand break on the east side of the point when conditions are right. Tide pool explorers can head to the end of the point where a bouldery beach holds marine life that is exposed at low tide. Across the highway is a hiking trail loop called the Bill Wallace Trail which is on state park property. A short hike up the trail takes you to a viewpoint, but it’s a long hike to complete the loop (over ten miles!). The El Capitan Beach Trail follows the bluff and connects to Refugio State Beach giving cyclists, runners, and walkers a way to explore the coast even when the tide is up. This path is eroding away in spots, but is paved for about three miles. Getting to El Capitan State Beach is easy. Just drive the 101 west of Santa Barbara and look for large signs to the park at Exit 117.

Address

2 El Capitan State Beach Rd
Goleta, CA 93117

Park Name

El Capitan State Beach

Owner

State Park

Pet Details

No dogs allowed on the beach

Fees

Fee for camping and day-used

Activities

Surfing, Hiking, Fishing, Camping, Beach Walking, Picnicking, Birdwatching, Biking, Tidepooling

Amenities

Restrooms, Trails, Paved Bike Path, Tide Pools, Campground, Camp Store, Accessible Features

Links

Water Quality
Surfing Info & Web Cams
Water Temps
Tide Chart