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    Shipwreck Hiking Trail

    3.6 (140 reviews)

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    Leda P.

    It's a bit of a difficult hike, and hard to find where to head down. Make sure you wear the right shoes as the rocks along shore are hard to walk on. But the views are beautiful

    Kevin L.

    Not a hiking trail. But a costal path full of rocks and no outlets. The entire path is about 2.3 mi one way. Terrain very uncomfortable. Not family nor pet friendly. Our dog had a bloody paw after awhile. Scenery about the same. Best to come early morning as afternoon the tides would be higher. Overall an uncomfortable and ankle breaking path. Will not recommend.

    Views for days
    Marie AK C.

    I didn't even realize this "trail" existed until my friend sent me a link to the Shipwreck Hiking Trail on "All Trails." I put the word "trail" in quotes because it starts off as a trail (like maybe the first 1/2 mile) and then it's just literally loose rocks + boulders and tide pools for about 2 miles all the way to the "shipwreck." From where we parked, this adventure was about 5 miles roundtrip. We parked at the pinpoint as noted on All Trails (the ocean views from the top are G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S). The houses in this Palos Verdes neighborhood are amazing - especially the modern houses with all glass windows... so so in love with the designs and architecture of these houses. I really think my future husband lives here! LOL. I digress ;) Where was I? Ah- yes, if you park here (where we parked), just follow the dirt trail which basically disappears after the first 1/2 mile as it turns to all rocks. Make sure you hike when it's a low tide, otherwise. It's really rocky and slippery at times. I highly recommend wearing hiking boots as they will help keep your ankles from giving out. Trust me, I consider myself quite athletic and agile, but there were a few times I slipped and almost ate sh!t LOL. If you want to skip the 2 miles of hiking (one-way) on the loose rocks, I would do what the other Yelpers suggest: park at Cloyden and Paseo Del Mar. You'll see a dirt path in between two homes. I posted a few photos. Take the path down to the storm drain. From there, you'll just walk down the side of the storm drain (careful, it's rocky AF and there's lots of broken glass). Once you make it all the way to the bottom, go left towards the "shipwreck." It's only about 3/4 mile to the "shipwreck." We actually took the storm drain back up rather than going back the way we came. Honestly, the rocks were getting boring AF. LOL. I am giving this trail 4 stars because of the "shipwreck," but I probably wouldn't do it again and it should 3-stars. It's really not a "trail," per se. So, the 3.5 star Yelp rating is pretty accurate! Once you get to the "shipwreck," be careful. The metal is rusty and sharp and you could cut yourself on some of the pieces. One of the most unique pieces is the old bulldozer. Yes, I got one of my signature kicking photos taken here =) I had trouble kicking high because of the unstable platform. Just some history for all you inquiring minds... I read online that in the 1960s, the SS Dominator got trapped in shallow water off of Rocky Point and has been sitting off the California coast ever since. Apparently, the Greek freighter was transporting wheat and was set to refuel in Long Beach, just around the point, but ran aground. Today, it's been reduced to a huge pile of rusty metal, most of which is underwater. Overall, this is worth doing once - Honestly, just to say you did it and to remove it/check it off your bookmark list. Would love to hear about your experience!

    John H.

    I finally went here, yesterday on second attempt. I dont know how I did it, but I did jt.. and knowing me I have no balance and have jelly legs... as you make it to the bottom; it is a walk, adventure. this was not a hike. it was more of a adventure.. will I do this again?? no way!! it was cool seeing some the ship wreck peices.. if youre not used to walking in Rocky surfaces then I wouldn't recommend this...

    Joe H.

    This is a nice hike and the views are great, but be careful. There are a lot of places where you could possibly slip & fall plus the trail head is tough to get to. We parked on a street in the neighborhood that was just above the "downhill" trailhead. there are some spots that require you to get on your hands/knees to ensure you don't fall over. If your are able to and down for a little adventure, I would definitely check this place out. Once you get past the tough terrain, the views are awesome. Also, make sure that you go here when there is a low tide...

    Map of where to park
    Dafi D.

    Nice hiking trail but beware dogs!! It is not dog friendly unless you are a true adventure, mountain-goat pupster. Mom decided to go without me and enjoyed the steep, rock trail down to the beach. Park on paseo del mar and cloyden and take the drain-pipe-trail down. There is unfortunately some broken glass and other dirt along the rocky path.. be careful and wear propper shoes. All together not good for pups but i still enjoyed the photos mom showed me.

    SS Dominator shipwreck parts
    Kalani K.

    Loved the hike. Be ready to walk on rocks so wear comfy hiking shoes. Head down the pipe and go left for about 30 mins and you hit the shipwreck.

    Larry N.

    The idea of a hiking trail of a local shipwreck would be amazing! Unfortunately this trail fails to impress or live up to the name. Mostly because this is not an official hiking trail. My friends and I navigated through a neighborhood to find the trail "entrance". Once we found it, we scaled the coarse boulders and rocks, following a pipe, to reach the shore where the trail would be. The view of the ocean is nice but we were also hit with a stench from dead and rotten things/corpses of animals. The path is full of dead birds and fish. The rocks are jagged and finding a path may take awhile depending on the hikers bravery and experience. Overall it is a nice adventure to check out but not worth the actual hike. Once in a lifetime because I would not do it again.

    Duh! How could I not see this!!! In response to easier way to get to this trail...
    Martha M.

    Today (date of this review) I feel like such an....well you know! I discovered the easier way to get down to this trail! But, it's still awkward going down & imagine a challenge (for me & anyone out of shape, and old-that'd be me again). Although I was by myself and did not venture (because I'd end up being a statistic you'll end up reading about or seeing in the news!!) but simply passed by and documented by taking a photo. Yup. Anyhow, I just didn't feel like going down there & be surrounded by stinkfest and flies! (It wouldn't be the full experience w/out that though). Anyhow, I had to acknowledge that!

    Love sharing these experiences with the little guy!
    Jason R.

    Definitely worth doing once since it is so different and presents good photo opportunities and views. Trail- once again Paolo H. gave great info. in his review...1801 Paseo Del Mar; there is a drainage pipe that you follow down and it is steep and rocky...go slowly; once on the shore go left for just under a mile...it seems longer since it is so rocky and you need to watch your EVERY step; as you get closer you start to see more and more of the wreckage There are excessive amounts of bugs crawling and flying around and the rocky path can be painful on the feet/ankles

    Shipwreckage!
    Sean F.

    Adventurous hike not made for beginners or the faint of heart! Actually, the entire hike consists of walking on unstable rocks that are shaped by the tides. In total the entire hike is about 2-3 miles north of the drainpipe on Cloyden street. As descend from the drainpipe angle left, otherwise you will be met by a dead-end cliff. Walk on rocks about a couple miles and encounter the wreckage of the SS Dominator, seaweed kelp, bugs, birds and lot's of trash debris. Strange not many other hikers! As reach the end, can either backtrack to the start, or scale a very steep cliff that reaches the street. Enjoy the Journey!

    Sunset from near the entrance.
    Stacey S.

    What a view! The decline to get to the rocks is no joke. Don't allow yourself to chicken out, there's more to see! Follow the left side of the pipe down to the sea, and you're set. The balancing act along the coast can be quite a workout. It looks easy, but the algae on the loose rocks will make sure you don't get too far ahead of yourself. To actually see large parts of the wreckage up close, head to the left, for probably an hour. Shoes with a good tread are highly recommended.

    Cross streets to the drain pipe trail to the Shipwreck
    Gina M.

    I can cross off seeing a shipwreck off my bucket list! We took the shortcut entrance following the drain pipe off of Cloyden Road and Paseo Del Mar. From here to the shipwreck, it's about .5 miles. It took us about 30-40 minutes to get to the wreck walking on semi-loose rocks. Plus, we stopped a couple times to take in the scenery and take photos. Came across some funny rest areas... I dunno how some people managed to get a sofa down there! We saw one dead seal on the way and several dead birds. Lots of kelp which attract flies. So if you're squeamish, this probably isn't for you. There wasn't much of the wreckage left to see, scattered remains here and there. This experience was definitely for the sights, not the hike itself. Hiking on semi-loose rocks and kelp isn't really my idea of a great hike... I recommend sturdy hiking boots w/ankle support and a walking stick. The walking stick really helped me keep my balance. I agree with some past reviewers... you're here for the "adventure" feel of seeing a shipwreck... not for the hike or the journey to the destination. I think I enjoyed walking and climbing my way back up the drain pipe entrance than the sights along the way and wreckage. Climbing back up was a great workout! Coordinates of the wreckage: 33.776932,-118.425329

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    Ask the Community - Shipwreck Hiking Trail

    How is the parking there?

    Plenty of street parking all along Paseo Del Mar. This Yelp page suggests parking near Cloyden Rd. Not sure why.… Read more

    How do you get down there? I was there earlier today but couldn't find any trails.....

    There's not a "trail" technically. We parked on the street AllTrails took us to and walked down by the surfers. From there we followed the coast until we found it!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Shipwreck Hiking Trail

    The SS Dominator crashed along shore around the 1960's supposedly & the wreckage has been there since.

    Mentioned in 23 reviews

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    Sunset at the light house
    Sunset at the light house
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    Shipwreck Hiking Trail - parks - Updated July 2026

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