Malibu Geography: Beaches

Malibu has both sandy beaches, suitable for sunbathing, volleyball, movie sets and long walks, and also rocky beaches, suitable for diving and surfing but hard on the feet if there is anyplace to stand at all. Some beaches are just tide pools, others have surf crashing directly against rock cliffs or huge boulders. In short, Malibu has everything.

Surfrider Beach, early in the morning, looking west from the Malibu Pier.

The sand comes from the outflow of the streams carrying silt down from the canyons, then further sifted and rearranged by the waves and tides. Thus the sandy delta of Malibu Creek, and smaller creeks to a lesser extent, are clearly directly related to the creek's outflow. Other beaches are not so directly correlated with nearby creeks but ultimately owe their existence to the same mechanism. The exact source and distribution, determining what is narrow rock and what is wide sand, may be quite complex and relate to distant sources (eg, the Santa Clara River), storms, tides, breakwaters (natural and artificial) and other factors. It is dynamic, ever changing, driven by forces that are hard to resist.

Directory of Malibu Beaches

Here is a list of Malibu beaches, east to west from Santa Monica to Ventura County Line. All beaches in California are public property "seaward of the mean high tide line". That means you can walk on the most exclusive private beach if you stay in the wet zone and do not trespass on private property. In some areas there are public walkways down to the beach with easy access. In other cases you have to go around private fences and ignore intimidating signs to gain your rightful access to the beach. Make sure you don't stalk or harass anyone while you are there -- that's illegal even on a public beach.

The next three beaches -- El Matador, La Piedra, and El Pescador -- are pocket beaches, part of the Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach including State beaches between Point Dume State Beach and Leo Carrillo State Beach.

Government Bodies Controlling Malibu Beaches

• California Department of Parks & Recreation
• California Coastal Commission
• Los Angeles County, Department of Beaches and Harbors
• Los Angeles County Fire Department, Lifeguard Service
• Los Angeles County "Watch the Water" Live Beach Cams
• Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority
• City of Malibu

Other Organizations Concerned with Malibu Beaches

• California Coastal Trail
• Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
• Heal the Bay

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