Pirates Cove Beach
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About Pirates Cove Beach in Malibu, California
Pirates Cove is a hidden sandy beach in a small cove on the west side of Point Dume in Malibu. It was made famous as the filming location of the final scene in the original 1968 movie Planet of the Apes with Charlton Heston on the beach below the ruins of the Statue of Liberty.
Access to Pirates Cove is from the southern end of Westward Beach and it can be tricky at higher tides. Westward Beach ends abruptly at a high rock wall which has large boulders piled up in the surf at the terminus. The cove is behind this wall. If the water is too deep or too rough to safely walk through, then take the rugged path behind the boulders that climbs up and over to Pirates Cove.
After visiting Pirates Cove Beach you can explore the natural preserve in Point Dume State Beach that is on the bluff above. A hiking trail ascends from the end of Westward Beach to the bluff top. From those trails you can look down on Pirates Cove and also walk to an observation platform at the top of Point Dume. A stairway descends the east side of the point to Dume Cove for another beach to explore. To get to Pirates Cove, turn off Pacific Coast Highway onto Westward Beach Road and drive to last parking lot (which requires a fee).
- Address
- 7103 Westward Beach Road
Malibu, CA 90265 - Park Name
- Point Dume State Marine Reserve
- Owner
- County Beach
- Pet Details
- No dogs allowed on the beach
- Fees
- Fee for parking
- Activities
- Beach Exploration, Hiking, Photography
- Amenities
- Trails, No Facilities


Nearby Beaches
Point Dume State Beach
0.3 miles away
Big Dume Beach (a.k.a. Dume Cove Beach) is the main beach at Point Dume State Beach in Malibu. Dume...
Westward Beach
0.4 miles away
Westward Beach is a long and wide beach on the western side of Point Dume in Malibu, California. Westward...
Little Dume Beach
0.9 miles away
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1 miles away
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