Leo Carrillo State Beach’s Tide Pools

It is nice sometimes to take a break from the city. Take a break from the noise and the visual stimulation of billboards blocking out the sky. A break from feeling so small in a world that is so large and out of control. This is what I tell people I get out of tide pooling. One of my favorite things in Los Angeles is exploring Leo Carrillo State Beach’s tide pools.

What is tide pooling? 

When the ocean’s tides are low, the water retreats from the area beaches and reveals lagoons that are filled with sea creatures. The type of sea creatures that you learned about in life biology class when you were a kid, like sea urchins, limpets, and starfish. Without the water in the way, you can climb over rocks and get up close and personal to all of these things in real life.

From the beach, tide pools look like puddles and rocks. It would be sad if that is all you thought was there. Do me a favor, venture out, step onto those rocks, crouch down, and get your face at least two feet from the water’s surface. When you are there, take a moment. Be still. If you look into the pools you can see small creatures; hermit crabs skittering about and kicking snails out of their shells, anemones undulating, sea hares slowly moving to look for snacks, and things you thought were rocks and rings of sand suddenly move.

I have become addicted to tide pooling and I feel like I now belong to a cult. I slowly convince more and more people to join me on tide-pooling adventures. My brainwashed glaze as I tell people how amazing and stress-reducing it is. There is something about concentrating on something so small, like skittering hermit crabs, when the world seems so big and stress-inducing.

The reasons Leo Carrillo State Beach’s tide pools are my favorite

The reason Leo Carillo is a favorite of mine is the varied terrain.

Tide pools

Closer to the beach, rocks extend into the ocean and are easily accessible. Here you see the tide pools filled with what I mentioned above. At Leo Carrillo, I have seen sea stars, fiddler crabs, sea hares, hermit crabs, muscles, sea urchins, and anemones. There are animals in these tide pools that are millennia old, like limpets. Sadly, due to a wasting disease, you may not see many sea stars anymore. The tide pools are living monuments to why environmentalism matters.

Sea caves

If you want a more advanced experience, head north and traverse boulders separating sections of Leo Carrillo’s shoreline. Here you will find openings to the sea caves normally submerged. The caves of Leo Carrillo State Beach have been featured in movies and television shows, like The Usual Suspects.

After you climb over those rocks and explore the caves, there is another beach. It is calmer and more private.

Sea cliffs

The low tide also uncovers cliffs, accessible again with a little climbing. These giants, carved by years of ocean waves, jut out into the Pacific. You should walk a little more carefully as the grooves make the terrain a little more precarious, especially as sections have their own water-filled tide pools. This is where I have seen anemone the size of dinner plates. 

KEEP THIS IN MIND

A word of warning is to leave as soon as the tide starts to come in, or you will be trapped, especially at Leo Carrillo. If low tide is at 2:30 p.m., my rule of thumb is to start exploring at 1:45 as the tide is still retreating. Although the tide is not yet at its lowest, you are able to explore quite a bit. You want to start your way back around 3:15 before the tide comes in. This is my suggestion for Leo Carrillo, but other places listed below have less of a schedule as they are flat and closer to the beach.

More photos are on instagram @thisuglybeautifulcity. I learned everything I know about tide pooling from my friend who writes Western Wilds.

Hours, cost, and information

• Website: Leo Carillo State Beach
• The low tide calendar I use is here: Tide-forecast
• Cost: Tide pooling is free, but some state parks or beaches require a parking fee that varies. If you plan to visit a lot of state parks and beaches, I recommend an annual pass.
• What to bring: Shoes that have traction for walking over wet rocks, and you don’t mind getting dirty. Also, wear clothing that you can roll up or get wet.
• Can I bring the kids? Yes, but note that some of the rocks are hard to maneuver. Remember though that crabs pinch, the purple spikey anemone can hurt if you grab or step on them, and sea hare squirt purple ink when they are frightened or harmed.
• Other things to mention: Leo Carillo is dog-friendly and also has camping.
• Getting here: Driving here would be the best option.

Other tidepools I recommend in the Los Angeles Area

Malibu Lagoon, Abalone Cove, Point Dume, Lechuza Beach/Broad Beach. 

I hope I convinced you to incorporate Leo Carrillo State Beach’s tide pools to your trip and life in Los Angeles. If you missed out on my other favorite things to do in Los Angeles, check out the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine and the Eames House.

My Los Angeles Curated newsletter lists the best tide pooling dates. I have free and paid subscriptions.