Photo courtesy of Christin McClatchie

Cave Rock Viewpoint offers a great parking lot and incredible views of the Pacific Ocean and the large rocks that dot its shore. The viewpoint is unmarked, so pay close attention to the coordinates on your GPS as well as the written directions below. If by chance you miss it, you will have ample opportunity to turn around or stop at one of the many other viewpoints in the area. The defining feature of the Cave Rock viewpoint is the pristine beach; however, getting to the pristine beach below involves a sketchy scramble down some jagged rocks. While this scramble is sketchy, it is doable in flip-flops, and it is the only way down to the beach for several miles.

Cave rock itself is pretty easy to miss because it is a flat rock straight out from the viewpoint that has a small cave hollowed through the middle. This cave may be covered with water during a high tide or a storm, and due to the flat nature of the beach, access isn’t recommended during any of these times.

If you make the climb down to the beach, enjoy the walk and check out the tides. If the view is what you’re looking for, having a picnic outside your car is the perfect use of this beautiful viewpoint.