1.4 hr
Start this trail from the parking area above Haskell's Beach and hike down the path to the beach. From here, turn up the coast and hike along the beach; you'll soon cross the mouth of Tecolote Creek. Continue along the beach, and you'll hike below the Bacara Resort before coming across the Venoco Pier, an oil and gas processing area, which is an unfortunate eye sore along the path. <br><br>Soon after passing the pier, you'll enter a small cove and a series of rock reefs that house tide pools. A mile after passing the Bacara Resort, the beach will begin to widen, and this portion is often sparsely populated. There are also cave-type areas along this section of the beach that make for good, shaded picnic spots.<br><br>After hiking a little further along the beach, you'll come to the mouth of a river flowing through Dos Pueblos Canyon and into the Pacific. The Chumash had villages at this point for generations. This marks the end of Haskell's Beach Trail.<br><br>Thanks to John McKinney, The Trailmaster, for sharing this trail description. To learn more about trails in California, check out his guides at <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://trailmasterstore.com/">The Trailmaster Store</a>.