The Rincon

Dogs Leashed

Features Swimming · Views

Catch great views of the ocean and the chance to watch surfers catch some waves while you hike around this rocky point on the Santa Barbara/Ventura County line.

From the parking area for Rincon Point, just off Highway 101, you can hike down the access path toward the beach. Once along the beach, turn right to head up the coast while crossing over the rocky surface. Near the tip of the point you should expect to cross Rincon Creek's mouth. Continuing westward along the beach you'll pass some beachfront homes and a set of stairs that can take you to Rincon Beach Park before hitting the sandy section of the beach. You can return the way you came to go back to the car park or loop through Rincon Beach Park.

Be sure to stop along the way and watch the surfers ride their waves in along the shore.

Thanks to John McKinney, The Trailmaster, for sharing this trail description. To learn more about trails in California, check out his guides at The Trailmaster Store.

This hike ventures around the seaside Rincon Point, made by a fan delta that built a sweeping spur into the ocean at the north end of Rincon Creek. The creek divides Santa Barbara and Ventura counties as it flows from the mountains above, often carrying large rocks and other debris downstream and into the ocean. Rincon Point formed as a result of the longshore current not being able to move such large boulders, thus they sat at the mouth of the river, eventually accumulating to make this large protrusion into the ocean.