Welcome to El Capitán State Beach

El Capitán State Beach offers visitors a sandy beach, rocky tidepools, and stands of sycamore and oaks along El Capitán Creek. Its 2,648 acres include over 2,500 acres inland of U.S. Highway 101 which were acquired in 2002 and border Los Padres National Forest. It’s a perfect setting for swimming, fishing, surfing, hiking, and picnicking. The park includes hiking trails only. Other day-use activities include guided tours, scuba diving/snorkeling, windsurfing, exhibits and family programs, and geocaching. With 143 campsites, El Capitán State Beach has the most overnight facilities of the three parks considered in this General Plan update. These include family campsites, group campsites, hike and/or bike campsites, and RV sites. Visitor facilities at El Capitán State Beach include a camp store, restrooms, and showers (indoor and outdoor).

El Capitán State Beach ©2013, California State Parks

Several area-wide State Parks facilities are located at El Capitán State Beach, including the maintenance yard and lifeguard headquarters for all three parks.

A variety of habitats are found at El Capitán State Beach, including coastal woodlands, riparian areas, marine habitats, and scrub.

El Capitán State Beach includes known and significant archaeological and tribal resources.

Adapt, Renew, and Preserve

To ensure a sustainable future for El Capitán State Beach, the general plan update will identify and address land management and operational challenges.

Current site conditions and challenges at El Capitán State Beach, as of Spring 2024, include the following:

  • Access throughout the park is vulnerable to damage, does not meet accessibility standards and is unsafe in some areas.
  • Existing trails lack connectivity to regional trails.
  • More than 2,500 acres of backcountry are not included in park plans and are vulnerable to wildfire.
  • Beach erosion and flooding damage infrastructure and limit access.
  • Camping infrastructure is not up to date and cannot adequately support RV hookups.
  • Utility systems (water, sewage, electricity) are at capacity and vulnerable to damage and outages.
Photo of park entry kiosk and access road covered in mud and water in the aftermath of flooding.
El Capitán State Beach (c) 2023, California State Parks
Photo of broken pipe, erosion, and downed trees. An active watercourse churns brown water, indicating higher than normal flow likely caused by a storm.
El Capitán State Beach (c) 2023, California State Parks
Photo of hills with ocean in the distance. Hills are bare, revealing trails and roads. Burned remains of grasses and shrubs are visible in the foreground.
El Capitán State Beach (c) 2023, California State Parks
Photo showing multiple submerged and damaged vehicles, emergency response personnel on the rocky beach at El Capitán. Large surf and stormy skies are visible in the background.
El Capitán State Beach (c) 2023, California State Parks

Learn More

For additional information about El Capitán SB, visit the Park Website.

Follow El Capitán State Beach on social media:

El Capitán State Beach ©2013, California State Parks