Shark Fin Cove — Attraction in Santa Cruz

Yes, it's a small beach. Yes, there's a little graffiti around. Yes, there might be some trash. Yes, the climb down is a bit steep, but it's a short climb and doable (and I'm 60 and have no stamina and a heart condition. It was EASY compared to that ridiculous Pfeiffer Falls hike). But JUST GO ANYWAY! Seriously, this was a fantastic beach, the best we saw on our 10-day trip up and down the Pacific Coast Highway. Why? Because of the spectacular sea cave where if you go at the right time, the waves just come crashing through and you can get as close as you want to them. We only found one other place on the PCH you can do that, but this place was even better than that one. I could have stayed a lot longer here just enjoying watching the waves come through this cave, but we had to get going. We got there around 10 a.m. and there was a nice man hauling bags of trash off the beach, just a nice guy doing a nice thing, he was not a park worker (we asked). We had the beach all to ourselves, no one else around until we left, and then 2 more people showed up. If you're a nice person, do yourself and everyone else a favor and pick up one piece of trash and get it off the beach. If a bunch of folks did that, this would be a cleaner beach. And if you're the type of person who brings stuff down to this beach, then take it with you when you leave. I mean, come on. P.S. The sign at the top of the trail says "Shark Tooth Beach," not...

When you arrive, you'll park along Hwy 1. As is true most anywhere you park in this region, you should avoid leaving any valuables in plain view inside your vehicle. You'll follow a dirt/gravel road just a couple hundred feet down a little hill and across the train tracks to the bluff. At this point, you'll have a clear view of the rock that gives "Shark Fin Cove" aka "Shark Tooth Cove" its name. And it's at this point that you have the option to follow the steeper trail down to the cove's beach or opt for a scenic walk in either direction along the bluff. Please exercise extreme caution as the edge of the bluff is steep or shear in most places and a fall would be potentially deadly. If you venture down to the beach and/or onto the rocky coastline, do not turn your back on the sea and stay out of harm's way when the waves are big. There are no public facilities here. As always, anything and everything that you carry with you into the wilderness should be carried out with you when you leave. Even a banana peel is trash. This site is gorgeous, as the photos will attest. Please respect our local treasures and safely enjoy all they...

In Fall of 2010 I took a job in Silicone Valley. I drove out from KCMO to relocate and start what has been a very rewarding chapter in my life. On this very day Marshawn Lynch would be sizzling those skittle loving feet for over 200 yards perhaps against the Saints on the satellite radio. I made the drive 22 hour straight and I told myself I’d go to the ocean first when I get there. I made it to Santa Cruz and headed N on 1. About 10 - 15 minutes I pulled over and parked my car. Walked down this little trial. Under an exposed pipe, hop skip and there I was. The absolute awe of the moment. the high tide waves breaking against the rock, bull horned into the natural acoustic auditorium reverberated in a syncopated rhythm of splashes. As a line of endless waves proceeded. It captivated my soul and along with the enchantments of the redwood wood forest, served as a spiritual liaison and chaperone while on my 7 year journey in NorCal. The sharks tooth or sharks fin depending on your choice of visual perspectives, was and is the image that would serve as my brains desktop...