Pirate’s Cove and Cave Landing

Cappie’s Scoop: The first part of this trail is strange because I can’t see anything! There are very big bushes on both sides of the trail but mom said she had a nice view of the ocean. When I got to the dirt trail, then I was able to see the ocean and the beach we were going to visit! I decided to visit the cave first and it was pretty cool. Be careful not to get too close to the edge. After the cave, I went down to the beach and mom let me run around. I found a big crab on the beach and some other stinky stuff that mom kept telling me not to sniff. It was a lot of fun! Don’t hesitate to add YOUR scoop in the comments below!

Tips: The Shell Beach Bluff Trail takes you to Pirate’s Cove and Cave Landing. There are two trailheads for this hike. We started from Indio Dr. and the parking lot is very small with only five parking spaces. But there is parking in the residential area and that’s where we ended up parking. We enjoyed a great hike along the paved trail and when it ends, continue on the unused road which is mostly dirt. You eventually reach a dirt parking lot which you could also park in for this hike but we preferred the extended route. There are great ocean views along the way! Once you hike down to the cove and cave area, you can decide which one to see first. When you reach the beach, some say clothing is optional but everyone we saw kept their clothes on.

Directions: From the town of Morro Bay, head south on CA-1 and then continue south on US-101. Take exit 195 for Avila Beach Dr. which turns into Shell Beach Rd. Stay on Shell Beach Rd. for 0.3 miles and then turn right onto El Portal Dr. which turns into Indio Dr. The road ends at a gated community but on the left is a small driveway down to the small parking lot. If you don’t find any spots available, turn around and park on Indio Dr. along the street.