No Gatekeeping! These Natural Swimming Holes Are a Must-Visit This Summer
With summer in full swing, tourists from all over are filling up the SoCal beaches, dragging boogie boards and coolers while lathering up gaggles of kiddos in bright-white zinc. After circling nearby side streets for hours looking for a spot to park, you’re left hunting for even a small sliver of sand to lay out your towels. If you’re over searching for your friends amongst seas of umbrellas, we have the perfect alternative. From the Laguna Beach saltwater pool to the Malibu Creek rock pools, here are 13 natural swimming holes in SoCal to check out this summer.
Stay Safe and Leave No Trace: Always be mindful of water levels and current strength when swimming in or near a river. Also, ensure you are well-hydrated and take breaks in shaded areas when hiking in the mountains, especially during the summer, when temps can hit triple digits. And always minimize your impact on nature by leaving things the way you found them and disposing of trash properly.
Malibu Creek Rock Pools
Located about a mile into Malibu Creek State Park, the Malibu Creek rock pools are a gorgeous place to post up for the day or take a quick dip—although parking is $12 for the day, so you might want to stay a while. When you get here, take the backcountry trailhead until you reach the bridge by the visitor’s center. After crossing the bridge, turn left to follow the trail by the river until you eventually reach the rock pools (you might even see some rock climbers on the way). All in all, it’s a flat and easy hike, so feel free to bring a picnic and anything you might need for the day; just remember to pack out all trash when you leave!
Location: Calabasas
Santa Paula Punch Bowls
The perfect day trip from LA, the Santa Paula Punch Bowls hike offers an adventurous trek through the rugged beauty of Santa Paula Canyon. This 8-mile round-trip journey takes you past cascading waters that carve out natural pools and waterslides from the smooth gray rock, all culminating in a breathtaking 25-foot waterfall. But this isn’t just any hike—expect some challenging inclines, boulder scrambles and a trail that’s known to be tricky to follow. Plus, the crystal-clear pools, affectionately known as the “punch bowls,” can reach depths of up to 7 feet, depending on the season’s rainfall.
To begin your adventure, start at the Santa Paula Canyon Trailhead, and after about 1.5 miles, you’ll enter the forest, guided by the trickling sounds of Santa Paula Creek. Follow the creek upstream to stay on the trail, and continue past Big Cone Camp until you reach a fork in the road. Take the left path to the Punch Bowls or the right for the slides. As you ascend, you’ll discover even more hidden pools and smaller waterfalls, though the terrain becomes more demanding.
Location: Santa Paula
Laguna Beach Saltwater Pool
Located in South Laguna, Thousand Steps Beach is accessed via a steep stairway from Pacific Coast Highway. While the descent to the beach is easy, the climb back up is challenging. Once on the sandy beach, visitors are treated to a picturesque coastline surrounded by a steep bluff dotted with stunning ocean-view homes. Thousand Steps Beach has gained attention from social media as of late, particularly for its “not-so-secret” saltwater pools situated south of the steps. To reach these pools, head south from the sea cave’s steps to find a crystal-clear pool perfect for photo ops. However, go at your own risk—the cave becomes flooded during high tide and is even closed at certain times of the year.
Location: Laguna Beach
Switzer Falls
For a bit of a longer hike, check out the 50-foot Switzer Falls—a 3.7-mile out-and-back trail in the Angeles National Forest that ends in a gorgeous swimming hole and waterfall. The hike itself is relatively easy, but there are around eight to 10 river crossings, so expect to get wet—don’t worry, it feels great on a hot day! Throughout the hike, you’ll be crossing the stream that runs down Arroyo Seco Canyon, with views of the San Gabriel Mountains, oak trees and gorgeous (but slippery!) granite—wear shoes with good traction that you don’t mind getting wet. We recommend getting there super early to avoid the crowds and the heat; you might also have the pool all to yourself. The trail is called Gabrielino Trail and is located north of Pasadena.
Location: Tujunga
Cooper Canyon Falls
If you’re looking to challenge yourself with some height, Cooper Canyon Falls is a great option. On this one, you’ll hike an elevation gain of 700 feet up to a majestic waterfall (as opposed to the raging 50-footer that’s Switzer). It’s covered in bright green moss and looks like something out of a fairy tale, trickling down into a sparkling, sandy pool at the bottom. It’s 3.2 miles out and back and starts at the Burkart trailhead way out in the Angeles National Forest (closer to Palmdale). The trailhead is located in the back of the Buckhorn Campground, so you could even make a weekend out of it and book a campsite. In the winter, it gets covered in snow, but in summertime, you’ll have a refreshing cool creek to jump in.
Location: Valyermo
Topanga Time Tunnel
A bit closer to the coast in the Santa Monica Mountains, you can find the secret Topanga Time Tunnel. This one’s off the beaten path, just off the side of State Route 27 with no parking lot or trailhead (you’ll have to park in a turnout or search the streets nearby). The trail starts on the left side of the highway if you’re going west, so be careful dodging traffic as you cross the road. You’ll have to hop over the guardrail just past the “Slippery When Wet” sign, and you should see a giant graffiti-covered tunnel right away. Turn right once you make it through the tunnel, and you’ll reach the first waterhole in just a few minutes. Keep walking, and you’ll find another gorgeous body of water, and this one is surrounded by eight-foot boulders!
Location: Topanga
Tahquitz Canyon Falls
If you’re more of the go-big-or-go-home type, it’s worth making the trek out to Palm Springs to visit Tahquitz Canyon Falls. You’ll take Tahquitz Canyon Loop to get there—an easy, 1.9-mile round-trip hike that’s mostly flat the entire way. This waterfall is the biggest on our list: a whopping 60 feet tall with a large swimming hole at the bottom. If you’re going in the summer, come prepared because it can get hot. Bring lots of water (at least 32 ounces per person; they won’t even let you past the visitor’s center without it), sunscreen and a bathing suit. To get there, head west on W Mesquite Avenue until it turns right toward the mountains. There’s a $15 fee to enter.
Location: Palm Springs
Black Canyon Falls
If you’re in it for the thrill, Black Canyon Falls has some of the best cliff jumping around. Located in Santa Ysabel near Julian, this place is a bit of a trek to get to. The trail isn’t very well maintained, and there’s lots of poison oak, so wear long pants and long sleeves on the way up. There’s also a little bit of rock climbing along the way—nothing you shouldn’t be able to handle, though. In all, the whole thing really feels like an adventure. It’s about a 1.8-mile loop and fairly flat, so the hard part is just staying on the trail and scrambling your way to the end, but it’s definitely worth it. You’ll reach a huge pool with slippery granite that’s perfect for sliding or jumping into the water below.
Location: Santa Ysabel
“The Grotto”
Escape the desert heat and swim in the San Jacinto Mountains at this hidden-gem spot in Idyllwild dubbed “The Grotto.” Park near the Idyllwild Arts Academy and follow the easy .3-mile trail behind it along Strawberry Creek. The path is shaded by live oaks and bursting with wildflowers in June and July, and it leads to a central pool where you can enjoy a refreshing dip. Several small beaches and mini waterfalls are worth exploring here, too, or you can just lay back and dry off on the rocks after soaking. Strawberry Creek is part of the San Bernardino National Forest but isn’t a designated wilderness area although signs at the academy indicate a permit, which is free, may be required for access.
Location: Strawberry Creek, Idyllwild
East Fork San Gabriel River
The East Fork of the San Gabriel River is home to several hidden swimming holes just 35 miles outside of Los Angeles. Most visitors set up camp for the night at the East Fork Trail, but if fewer people sounds more appealing to you, head to the Hidden Rock Pools here instead. You’ll need an Adventure Pass to park at the Bridge to Nowhere trailhead, then look for an unmarked path to the right, which crosses a small meadow and eventually leads to a series of aqua-marine-hued rock pools—the first one even has a natural mini waterslide! Follow the wooded riverbanks of the East Fork downstream to float and soak. Pro tip: remember to pack a pair of Tevas.
Location: San Gabriel Mountains
Chiquito Falls
Skip the heavily trafficked San Juan Falls and head to Chiquito Falls instead. Located near Lake Elsinore in the Cleveland National Forest, getting to this hidden waterfall takes some effort: the 9-mile but easy-to-follow trail loop climbs 1,800 feet and will take about two hours to complete each way, depending on your fitness level. The reward? Abundant wildflowers, lush greenery (including plenty of poison oak, so dress accordingly), sweeping panoramic views of the Santa Ana Mountains and the ultimate cooling-off swim once you reach the falls themselves. Park at the San Juan Loop Trail parking area and plan to pack at least 2 liters of water per person. Plus, don’t forget to display a National Parks Pass or Adventure Pass.
Location: Lake Elsinore
The Three Sisters Falls
The tough 4-mile out-and-back hike to Three Sisters Falls includes several steep sections with ropes but eventually leads down to the river, where you’ll find fresh pools to swim or dip your feet and red arrows painted on rocks pointing to a series of tiered overlooks. Views of the valley and surrounding mountains are breathtaking, but it’s worth noting that you’ll hike down to the falls, which means it’s uphill coming back with an almost 1,000-foot elevation change—so pack a picnic lunch and lots of water and rest your legs before heading back. Park at the Three Sisters Falls Trailhead on Boulder Creek Road—it’s dirt for the last 5 miles—in Santa Ysabel and display your Adventure Pass.
Location: Julian, San Diego
Trail Canyon Falls
Adventurous swimmers will enjoy hiking this moderately challenging 4.6-mile, round-trip route, which tackles 1,000 feet of elevation gain, involves some rock-rope climbs and stream crossing sections, and leads to a hidden 40-foot waterfall in the Angeles National Forest. Tucked in a rocky canyon and flowing throughout the year, swimming opportunities at Trail Canyon Falls will depend on seasonal snowmelt. To access the trail, park off Big Tujunga Canyon Road and follow North Trail Canyon Road to the Trail Canyon Trail path. Dogs are welcome here, too (on a leash), but with several challenging sections, you should decide whether they’ll be able to keep up. Large sections are also exposed, so bring plenty of water and a hat.
Location: Sunland-Tujunga
