Doheny State Beach (known colloquially as Doho) is known as the first state

beach A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from Rock (geology), rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle beach, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological s ...

in the

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

state park system. Located on the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...

in the city of Dana Point, the beach is adjacent to several surf spots and scenic beaches including Salt Creek Beach, Baby Beach, and

Capistrano Beach Capistrano Beach or Capo Beach is a coastal neighborhood in the city of Dana Point in Orange County, California. It is bordered by San Clemente to the south and Doheny State Beach to the north. Capistrano Beach is situated along the coast on ...

. Along with its neighbors, Doheny beach is a popular surf spot located at the mouth of

San Juan Creek San Juan Creek, also called the San Juan River, is a stream in Orange County, California, Orange and Riverside County, California, Riverside Counties, draining a watershed of .7.5 Minute Quadrangle Map, U.S. Geological Survey, San Juan Capistr ...

, which flows from the

Santa Ana Mountains The Santa Ana Mountains are a short peninsular mountain range along the coast of Southern California in the United States. They extend for approximately southeast of the Los Angeles Basin largely along the border between Orange and Riversid ...

southwest to the beach, where it forms a fresh-water

lagoon A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') an ...

History

The original inhabitants of Doheny were the

Acjachemen The Acjachemen () are an Indigenous people of California. Published maps often identify their ancestral lands as extending from the beach to the mountains, south from what is now known as Aliso Creek (Orange County), Aliso Creek in Orange County, ...

( Juaneno) tribe who occupied the land that is now considered Orange County. It is estimated that they inhabited the land for close to 9,000 years before their first contact with Europeans in 1769 with Gaspar de Portola and his Spanish soldiers and

Franciscan missionaries The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor being the largest contem ...

. The presence of the Spanish and missionaries led to the eventual end of the Acjachemen settlement and culture through strenuous labor, disease, and confinement and also led to the construction of

Mission San Juan Capistrano Mission San Juan Capistrano () is a Spanish missions in California, Spanish mission in San Juan Capistrano, California, San Juan Capistrano, Orange County, California, Orange County, California. Founded November 1, 1776 in colonial ''The Califo ...

in the middle of an Acjachemen village in 1776. The beach is named after Edward L. Doheny who in 1893, borrowed money to dig the City of Dana Point's first oil well and struck oil 200 feet deep, creating an oil empire from the initial investment. And on May 31, 1931, right before he died, the beach was donated for public use. This became the California’s first state beach. On July 1, 1963, the beach was named Doheny State Beach in his honor. The original donation was . An additional was later added by acquisitions from the

Santa Fe Railroad The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996. The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at variou ...

University of California The University of California (UC) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university, research university system in the U.S. state of California. Headquartered in Oakland, California, Oakland, the system is co ...

Regents, and the Union Oil Company. An additional not owned by the state are included in the site's official total area. In the late 1930s, the

Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government unemployment, work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was ...

built campgrounds, picnic areas, and custodian lodges in Doho under the "

New Deal The New Deal was a series of wide-reaching economic, social, and political reforms enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1938, in response to the Great Depression in the United States, Great Depressi ...

" program under the Roosevelt administration. The structures are now mostly gone, with some remnants remaining. In October 2022, the

California Coastal Commission The California Coastal Commission (CCC) is a state agency within the California Natural Resources Agency with quasi-judicial control of land and public access along the state's of coastline. Its mission as defined in the California Coastal Ac ...

approved Doheny Desalination Plant that will draw water offshore from the state beach and will be capable of producing 5 to 15 million gallons of fresh water per day. In June 2023, California State Parks, the

County of Orange The Principality of Orange (French language, French: Principauté d'Orange) was, from 1163 to 1713, a feudal state in Provence, in the south of modern-day France, on the east bank of the river Rhone, north of the city of Avignon, and surrounded ...

, and the city of Dana Point announced a four-month long sand replenishment project that aims to offset coastal erosion and diminishing sand input from local sources. The plan is to place 45,000 cubic yards of sand in Doheny State Beach an
Capistrano Beach Park
covering about 1,775 feet of the beach. This is meant to be a temporary solution to protect the California coastline and public facilities while officials look for a more long-term solution. The California coastline has been rapidly eroding, causing concern, and there is a need for policymakers and land-use planners to develop effective strategies for coastal management. The sand being brought in is from the

Santa Ana River The Santa Ana River is the largest river entirely within Southern California in the United States. It rises in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows for most of its length through San Bernardino County, California, San Bernardino and Riversid ...

and has been thoroughly screened to match the sand typical in beaches and will be safe for a public beach. This project also aims to avoid and minimize the ecological impact on the environment and local wildlife. There is hope that nesting birds that prefer sandy beaches will be encouraged to return to the area.

Surf culture

The city of Dana Point, the home of Doheny, was once one of the most attractive surf epicenters of

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...

for its incredible waves, the most famous being "Killer Dana". "Killer Dana" was known as a "brutal" right hander wave that was located at the

headland A headland, also known as a head, is a coastal landform, a point of land usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends into a body of water. It is a type of promontory. A headland of considerable size often is called a cape.Whittow, Jo ...

, very close to Doheny. The wave attracted people all over to watch, surf, and live by the surf breaks of Dana Point, boosting the areas economy, but most importantly, culminating in both a rich culture and deep respect for California's natural ecosystems. The first talks of the installation of a

harbor A harbor (American English), or harbour (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can be moored. The term ''harbor'' is often used interchangeably with ''port'', which is ...

right at the headland shocked and angered the residents of Dana Point. The idea was first heard in 1964 when it was said the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce was seeking government and military assistance for the installation of the harbor. Despite local outcry for the waves, culture, and local ecosystems, the wave was killed on August 29, 1966, along with a large part of the city's culture and natural ecosystems. The installation of the harbor changed the surf at Doheny's beaches but its vibrant surf lifestyle still remains strong. The

surf break A surf break (also break, shore break, or big wave break) is a permanent (or semi-permanent) obstruction such as a coral reef, rock (geology), rock, shoal, or headland that causes a Wind wave, wave to Wind wave#Wave breaking, break, forming a ...

in Doheny is known to be a beginner level spot while its neighbor break Strands is considered experienced. It's well-known for its consistent reef break and long rides (on good days can be 300m). There are four "takeoff spots" within Doheny: * "Boneyard" * "Doheny Rivermouth" * "Second Spot" * "The Hammer"

Amenities

Recreational uses

The beach covers an area of and includes a day use

surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...

beach at the northern end, as well as campgrounds in its southern area. The beach is one of California's most popular camping grounds and attracts over 850,000 people per year. The beach has

tide pool A tide pool or rock pool is a shallow pool of seawater that forms on the rocky intertidal shore. These pools typically range from a few inches to a few feet deep and a few feet across. Many of these pools exist as separate bodies of water only ...

s and a

visitor center A visitor center or centre (see American and British English spelling differences), visitor information center or tourist information centre is a physical location that provides information to tourists. Types A visitor center may be a Civic c ...

with several aquariums.

Ecology

The beach is home to several types of marine life, such as

abalone Abalone ( or ; via Spanish , from Rumsen language, Rumsen ''aulón'') is a common name for any small to very large marine life, marine gastropod mollusc in the family (biology), family Haliotidae, which once contained six genera but now cont ...

anemone ''Anemone'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Plants of the genus are commonly called windflowers. They are native to the temperate and subtropical regions of all regions except Australia, New Zealand, and ...

, several types of

sea bass Sea bass is a common name for a variety of species of marine fish. Many fish species of various families have been called sea bass. In Ireland and the United Kingdom, the fish sold and consumed as sea bass is exclusively the European bass, ''Dic ...

crab Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura (meaning "short tailed" in Greek language, Greek), which typically have a very short projecting tail-like abdomen#Arthropoda, abdomen, usually hidden entirely under the Thorax (arthropo ...

s, the

common dolphin The common dolphin (''Delphinus delphis'') is the most abundant cetacean in the world, with a global population of about six million. Despite this fact and its vernacular name, the common dolphin is not thought of as the archetypal dolphin, wit ...

harbor seal The harbor (or harbour) seal (''Phoca vitulina''), also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. The most widely distributed species of pinniped (walruses, eared sea ...

kelp Kelps are large brown algae or seaweeds that make up the order (biology), order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genus, genera. Despite its appearance and use of photosynthesis in chloroplasts, kelp is technically not a plant but a str ...

, California moray,

sea urchin Sea urchins or urchins () are echinoderms in the class (biology), class Echinoidea. About 950 species live on the seabed, inhabiting all oceans and depth zones from the intertidal zone to deep seas of . They typically have a globular body cove ...

octopus An octopus (: octopuses or octopodes) is a soft-bodied, eight-limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda (, ). The order consists of some 300 species and is grouped within the class Cephalopoda with squids, cuttlefish, and nautiloids. Like oth ...

stingray Stingrays are a group of sea Batoidea, rays, a type of cartilaginous fish. They are classified in the suborder Myliobatoidei of the order Myliobatiformes and consist of eight families: Hexatrygonidae (sixgill stingray), Plesiobatidae (deepwate ...

s, several varieties of

shark Sharks are a group of elasmobranch cartilaginous fish characterized by a ribless endoskeleton, dermal denticles, five to seven gill slits on each side, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the ...

s (including the Great White), as well as many other marine life. Several types of birds also live at the beach such as

brown pelican The brown pelican (''Pelecanus occidentalis'') is a bird of the pelican family, Pelecanidae, one of three species found in the Americas and one of two that feed by diving into water. It is found on the Atlantic Coast from New Jersey to the mouth ...

great blue heron The great blue heron (''Ardea herodias'') is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America, as well as far northwestern South America, the Caribbea ...

snowy egret The snowy egret (''Egretta thula'') is a small white heron. The genus name comes from Provençal French for the little egret, , which is a diminutive of , 'heron'. The species name ''thula'' is the Araucano term for the black-necked swan, a ...

, and several other species. The area is known for its mild weather, making Doheny beach especially attractive. Average summer temperatures range in high 70s while winters typically only reach low to mid 60s

Educational program

Doheny State Beach offers year-round interpretive education programs in marine life, bird life, animal life, water quality, insects, and Native American studies.

In popular culture

*The beach is mentioned in several

surf rock Surf music (also known as surf rock, surf pop, or surf guitar) is a genre of rock music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Southern California. It was especially popular from 1958 to 1964 in two major forms. The first is inst ...

songs including the

Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by thei ...

songs "

Surfin' Safari ''Surfin' Safari'' is the debut studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released on October 1, 1962 by Capitol Records. The official production credit went to Nick Venet, though it was Brian Wilson with his father Murry who con ...

" and "

Surfin' U.S.A. "Surfin' U.S.A." is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys, credited to Chuck Berry and Brian Wilson. It is a rewritten version of Berry's " Sweet Little Sixteen" set to new lyrics written by Wilson and an uncredited Mike Love. The s ...

" In "Surfer Joe" by

the Surfaris The Surfaris are an American surf music band formed in Glendora, California, in 1962. They are best known for two songs that hit the record chart, charts in the Los Angeles area, and nationally by May 1963: "Surfer Joe" and "Wipe Out (instrume ...

, Doheny Beach is the favorite hangout of the song's protagonist. Jan & Dean's " Dead Man's Curve" also mentions Doheny, but that refers to Doheny Drive, which intersects Sunset Boulevard near the west end of the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.

Gallery

File:NEW TOWNHOUSES OVERLOOK BUSY DOHENY STATE BEACH. THE TOWNHOUSES REPRESENT ONE OF THE FEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS... - NARA - 557480.jpg, Doheny State Beach in September 1974 File:SNORKLER AND SURFER IN THE WATERS OFF BUSY DOHENY STATE BEACH. NEW TOWNHOUSES HAVE BEEN BUILT OVERLOOKING THE BEACH... - NARA - 557481.jpg, A snorkeler and surfer at the beach in September 1974 File:Doheny State Beach birds.jpg, Various birds picking at seaweed at Doheny State Beach File:Doheny State Beach.jpg, Doheny State Beach in September 2007

References

External links

Doheny State BeachDoheny State Beach Interpretive Association

Aerial Video of Doheny State Beach and nearby Dana Point Marina - 1080P - Sept 2015
{{Protected areas of California, SP 1931 establishments in California Beaches of Southern California California State Beaches Campgrounds in California Parks in Orange County, California Protected areas established in 1931 Surfing locations in California Beaches of Orange County, California