Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area

The Monterey Formation, common throughout central and Southern California, creates the foundation of Crystal Cove geology. In Crystal Cove SMCA, you can see exposed rocky outcroppings of the Monterey Formation along the shoreline and 120,000-year-old marine terrace formations in the surrounding hills. Corona Del Mar Beach, which lies adjacent to the northern portion of the SMCA, is dotted with coves, natural arches, and rocky outcroppings.

A bit further south, Crystal Cove State Park offers an expansive sandy beach with scattered rocky tidepools framed by sandstone bluffs. The extensive sandy habitat is ideal for bottom-dwelling marine species including sand crabs, halibut, and sole. Tidepools filled with intertidal invertebrates are exposed during low tide at Crystal Cove SMCA. The tidepools hold Kellet’s whelks, top snails, limpets, urchins, and anemones, along with innumerable species of intertidal plants and algae. Beneath the surface, towering giant kelp forests and dense surfgrass beds create prime habitat for creatures such as California spiny lobster, leopard sharks, and surfperch. Brown pelicans, western gulls, and sanderlings are commonly seen within Crystal Cove SMCA, as well as dolphins, seals, and sea lions, which are commonly spotted just beyond the waves.

For centuries, Native American Tribes in California have relied on marine and coastal resources. Many Native American Tribes in California continue to regularly harvest marine resources within their ancestral territories and maintain relationships with the coast for ongoing customary uses. The Crystal Cove area is within the traditional territory of the Tongva and Acjachemen peoples. These Tribes developed several specialized crafts and tools, including nets, fishhooks, and tule canoes that enabled access to deeper water for fishing and travel.

European expeditions first traveled through the area in 1542, although large scale settlement did not begin until the mid-1700s during the era of the San Gabriel and San Juan Capistrano missions. Through the 1970s, the area surrounding Crystal Cove was primarily used for cattle and sheep ranching and agricultural farms.

The natural beauty of Crystal Cove was appreciated by Hollywood filmmakers, who started visiting the area in the 1910s. Many films used the cove to shoot “tropical” scenes, and palm trees were planted in 1917 to create a “paradise of the south seas” set.

In 1926, with the completion of Highway 1 between Laguna Beach and Corona Del Mar, Crystal Cove cemented itself as a beach getaway for tourists and residents of Southern California. Until its sale to the State of California in 1979, Crystal Cove was a privately-owned vacation destination for the growing population of Southern California. Today, the protected areas around Crystal Cove are a rare and cherished natural setting in an otherwise heavily developed area of Southern California.

Crystal Cove SMCA can be accessed from Highway 1 and offers an abundance of recreational activities, including tidepooling, whale watching, diving, and fishing. On shore, there are at least four tidepool areas found at Reef Point, Rocky Bight, Pelican Point, and Treasure Cove. Depending on how low the tide is, visitors might see various species of colorful anemones, mussels and barnacles, hermit crabs and shore crabs, and small fish like sculpin or juvenile garibaldi.

Multiple surf breaks, swimming spots, and dive sites facilitate water recreation. Snorkelers, scuba divers, and free divers can explore multiple kelp forests and rocky reefs. Recreational divers and fishermen can take spiny lobster and sea urchins, as well as finfish by spearfishing or hook-and-line. No other recreational take is allowed here, and take of living marine resources from tidepools is prohibited.

There are numerous public restrooms, parking areas, and facilities for day use at all beaches. Overnight camping is available at the Moro Campground within the State Park and at several primitive, hike-in campsites inland. The Crystal Cove Historic District includes restaurants, cabins for overnight rental, a visitor’s center, and exhibits on the wildlife and cultural history of the State Park and SMCA.

Coordinates

This area is bounded by the mean high tide line and straight lines connecting the following points in the order listed:

33^o 35.372 ′ N. lat. 117^o 52.645 ′ W. long.;
33^o 35.065 ′ N. lat. 117^o 52.692 ′ W. long.;
33^o 32.400 ′ N. lat. 117^o 49.200 ′ W. long.;
33^o 33.211 ′ N. lat. 117^o 49.200 ′ W. long.; and
33^o 32.224 ′ N. lat. 117^o 49.184 ′ W. long.

California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 632(b)(133)

Downloads for Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area

Map

Facts, Map & Regulations