Leo Carrillo State Beach
Leo Carrillo State Beach is a pretty 1 1/2 mile beach in North Malibu that has campgrounds nearby, as well as hiking, biking, surfing, tidepools to explore, and has a dog friendly section of beach for four legged companions to enjoy the surf. Beach parking is located just North of Zuma Beach and just South of Mulholland on Pacific Coast Highway at 35000 West PCH. You can park for free along PCH or park in the lot for the day for $12.00. It is a beautiful beach surrounded by a backdrop of lovely Sycamore trees - a Beach with a Forest! And the gorgeous blue hues in the ocean here rival the beautiful beaches of Hawaii.
Leo Carrillo Beach Looking South
The Dog Friendly Beach - If you are bringing your dog, park more towards the North end of Leo Carrillo as the Dog Friendly area does not start until you are past Lifeguard Tower #3. There are signs at other parts of the beach telling you No Dogs allowed, just keep moving North or check with a lifeguard if you are not sure. There are signs stating that dogs are required to be on a leash while visiting the beach instead of No Dogs Allowed signs so you can tell that you are in the right area. There are steps leading down to Lifeguard Tower #4 from PCH or you can take the road from the main beach up North and past lifeguard tower #3.
Leo Carrillo Dog Beach Tower #4
Leo Carrillo Beach Steps to Dog Beach
Visiting for the Day - If you are just visiting for the day, you may want to bring a back pack to hike the Nicholas Flat Trail (about 3.5 miles, 1700 ft of elevation) or Willow Creek Trail (.9 miles, 500 ft of elevation) that start at Leo Carrillo. If you do hike, bring plenty of water and sun protection as the hikes in Malibu are not well shaded and can get hot quickly. This also applies to bike riders - mountain biking at Yellow Hill Fire Road off of Mulholland is dry and hot, too as is road biking along PCH.
Leo Carrillo Beach Rock & Tidepool View
Camping at Leo Carrillo - The camping area does have restrooms, showers, and a general store (just in case you forgot anything). There is also a fire pit at each camp site. I have heard Wi Fi is available at the campground, too. Real campers may criticize that this is not "real" camping, but it is nice to have a store near by and some comforts from home around! Camping fees for drive-in overnight camping are currently $45 per night and $315 per week. There is an a $12 fee to park any additional vehicle brought to the site. The California Department of State Parks has a link for Leo Carrillo State Park which includes a link in their page to make online camping reservations here: Leo Carrillo SP.
Leo Carrillo Cove at Tower #2
Leo Carrillo Beach Bluff View from Tower #3
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