Distance: 7 to 8 miles.
Max. Elevation Gain: 300 ft.
Directions to Trailhead: Take the 405 FWY to Hawthorne Blvd and go south 6 miles passing PCH and continuing on Hawthrone for another 2 miles. Turn right onto PVDN (Palos Verdes Drive North - indicated on wooden sign before the light) and follow for another 2.5 miles. Stay in the left lane on PVDN after the island of trees and follow the sign bearing left to Lunada Bay and Palos Verdes Drive West.
Follow PVDW for just .25 miles and turn right at the first stop sign onto Via Corta/Via Almar. Proceed .33 miles to Via Arroyo and turn right. A large parking lot is located there at the end of the street. We will meet at the N.E. end of the parking lot. There are restrooms in Building “G” of the school adjacent to the parking lot.
The Hike: The hike will start in the parking lot above Rat beach and follow Paseo Del Mar past the Neighborhood Church and the Haggerty’s Surf Spot. We will continue on to Bluff Cove, one of the oldest surf spot’s in the South Bay. Bear right to a dead end, it will follow a yellow sign saying “Not a Through Street” and follow the trail past the gate at the end of the road. It will take you to Palos Verdes Drive West.
Continue right to Paseo Del Mar once again and follow it for 2.5 miles which will take you past Rocky Point just south of Lanada Bay and the site of the Dominator wreck, a Greek freighter which ran aground in 1961. Next is Lunada Bay, infamous for the home of the “Lunada Bay Bad Boys” and rated one of the five most dangerous spots to surf on earth because of its localism.
It is however safe above the cliffs and a lovely place to have lunch and admire the ocean and Catalina Island before your trek back to the parking and your refreshments.
Google Earth photo - Palos Verde Beach Club to Lunada Bay
GPS Data:
Prescribed hike: 7.5 mi. RT (Note return path stayed on PVDW rather than follow the bluff)
Dead-end beach excursion: 1.3 mi. RT.
Max. Elevation change = 350 ft.
