Home › California › Malibu › Point Dume Natural Preserve
Point Dume Natural Preserve
4.9 ★★★★★ 89 Google reviews · Running trail in Malibu, California · Hours vary
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Loop distance
- 1 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Not reported
Confirmed from Point Dume Natural Preserve's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Park with trails leading to ocean views, sea lions, and rock formations.
What runners say about Point Dume Natural Preserve
“Point Dume Nature Reserve – A Quick but Stunning Stop We made a quick stop at Point Dume Nature Reserve while driving to Monterey, and it was absolutely worth it!”
“Great way to just take a minute outside the city and enjoy the peaceful parts of the coast, while also holding space for the areas affected by fires.”
“A very pleasant place for a fairly easy walk around the point.”
This place is absolutely unreal. I have never in my life been to an area with such beautiful scenery and life, from the flowing fields of flowers, to the bright blue coastal waters, my experience here was incredible.
The most breathtaking hike I’ve ever been on! Great ocean views. Beautiful wild flowers all over the trails. Pretty simple of a hike. Very limited parking at the top (maybe 10 cars tops) there is no parking on the street. Either arrive early or wait around for someone to leave.
Beautiful ocean view. The trail is very short but the stairs made it a great workout. Parking lot has only few spaces and it's for two hours. Early morning was the best, no crowds and it was very quiet.
Point Dume Nature Reserve – A Quick but Stunning Stop We made a quick stop at Point Dume Nature Reserve while driving to Monterey, and it was absolutely worth it! The scenic cliffs, breathtaking ocean views, and rugged coastline made for some incredible photo opportunities.
Trail conditions & character
“Great spot for a Long Beach walk with views of Point Dume and they’ve replaced the old staircase with a brand new one to allow access to the beach to Paradise Cove.”
“we waited in our car for a parallel parking spot at ‘top’, but parking is $10 down at the beach side of trail.”
“Great way to just take a minute outside the city and enjoy the peaceful parts of the coast, while also holding space for the areas affected by fires.”
“Beautiful view at the option on the top of the hill with various locations at the cliff and walking path.”
“Trails up to and on the dume are natural sandy and rocky paths so shifts in the landscape are common.”
“The trail is a loop around Point Dume, offering some great views up and down the Malibu coastline.”
Plan your run at Point Dume Natural Preserve
The practical stuff
- AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- Loop distance1 mi back to where you parked
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websiteparks.ca.gov
- Phone(310) 457-8143
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Running trails near Malibu
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Point Dume
4.8 ★★★★★ 8,204 reviews
Tranquil coastal area featuring trails & rocky coves, plus blufftop views of Santa Catalina Island.
Zuma Canyon Trailhead
4.5 ★★★★★ 147 reviews
Outdoor space with ocean-view hiking & horse-riding trails, plus a picnic area & portable toilets.
Zuma Ridge Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 51 reviews
Hiking area with dirt roads featuring views of mountains, canyons, and the ocean.
Izumi Trail Coastal Overlook
5 ★★★★★ 2 reviews
Escondido Falls
4.5 ★★★★★ 936 reviews
A popular hiking trail that crosses creeks leads to this waterfall with upper & lower sections.
Solstice Canyon
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,120 reviews
Canyon offering trails of varying difficulty, plus picnicking, a waterfall, wildlife & dog walking.