No Gatekeeping! These Natural Swimming Holes Are a Must-Visit This Summer
It’s that time of year again—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 parallel park, we’re left hunting for even a small sliver of sand to lay out our towels. If you’ve gotten over searching for your friends amongst seas of umbrellas or unavoidably shaking out your sandy towel right onto the people next to you, we have the perfect alternative. From the Laguna Beach saltwater pool to the Malibu Creek rock pools, here are seven natural swimming holes in SoCal to check out this summer.
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 park entrance is $12 for the day, so you might want to stay a while). When you get here, take the back country 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!
Laguna Beach Saltwater Pool
Located in South Laguna Beach, 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 adorned 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.
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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 (and hopefully have the pool all to yourself). The trail is called Gabrielino Trail and is located in Pasadena.
Cooper Canyon Falls
If you’re looking to challenge yourself with some elevation gain, Cooper Canyon Falls is a great option. On this one, you’ll hike more than 1,000 feet up to more of a soft and 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 five 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 at summertime, you’ll have a refreshing cool creek to jump in.
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Topanga Time Tunnel
A bit closer to the coast in the Santa Monica Mountain range, 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 surrounded by eight-foot boulders!
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 Ave until it turns right toward the mountains. There’s a $15 fee to enter.
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 crazy, you can handle it). 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.
