Malpaso Beach Trail
Carmel Highlands, CA
Malpaso Beach Trail is a gravel path between two residential addresses on Yankee Point Drive, leading to a bluff edge above a genuinely secluded sandy beach south of Carmel Highlands. There's no formal parking lot here, just an easy-to-miss trailhead that keeps this one relatively unknown.
Genuinely secluded thanks to its unmarked, residential access, though the lack of any sign or parking lot means it takes real effort to find.
How we score beachesLook carefully for the gravel path between the two house numbers on Yankee Point Drive, there's no sign marking this trailhead the way the bigger state parks nearby have.
No fee, though the CCC records no formal parking area; street parking on Yankee Point Drive is the only option.
A gravel path and bluff top trail lead down to the sandy beach.
Dogs are not permitted on the beach.
Fog is common most mornings year round, typical of the Big Sur coast.
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