Lower Trestles
Lowers
Now
Thu Nov 5 · 12–3 PM forecast
3–4 ftwaist to chest
Best tomorrow · Fri 6
Compare bothNothing good left today.
Best tomorrow · Fri 6, 6 AM to 12 PM Pacific.
then the tide gets too low
2–3 ft · thigh to waist
Small waves for a shortboard; light offshore wind is grooming them.
Lower Trestles surf guide
The famous Trestles A-frame and WSL Finals venue, packed with top surfers · 3 things to watch
Lower Trestles guide
The famous Trestles A-frame and WSL Finals venue, packed with top surfers.
- Good for
- Advanced and pro surfers on shortboards.
- The wave
- Peaks over cobblestones: the right runs long, the left is short and hollow.
- Watch for
- A packed lineup of top surfers.
- Cobbles and urchins underfoot.
- Crossing the tracks is illegal; go under the bridge.
- Best when
- Best on a S to SW swell (180°–230°) with NE offshore wind, at mid tide (about 1.5–4 ft).
MoreLess about Lower Trestles
Shortboards at 3–8 ft. Most consistent in spring and summer.
Park by Cristianitos Road in the State Parks lot or on the street, take the trail about a mile, pass under the Trestles Bridge, then walk south along the sand past Uppers.
The dirt path from the old highway steps over the tracks to save time. It's illegal, trains come fast, and people get ticketed there.
It hosts the WSL Finals and will hold surfing at the 2028 Olympics. Booties help on the cobbles in winter, and there is no water at the beach.
- Local tip
- New to it? Start on the inside and work toward the main peak over a few sessions. Sit wide, wait your turn and never drop in.
GOOD TIDE TODAY8:35–10:50 AM2:30–5:00 PM
Guide updated October 2026
Spot research: WannaSurf, Surf-Forecast, TrueSwell, American Surf Magazine, San Clemente Guide, Stab, Surf in San Clemente, Deepswell, World Surf League, YoSurf, California State Parks, Wikipedia, SurferToday, OC Register, Fun Orange County Parks, Los Angeles Times, BikeHike and DayTrippen.
Send a spot correctionNo cam for this spot yet.
Live buoy Red Beach Nearshore
- WAVES
- 3.2 ft
- PERIOD
- 13s
- FROM
- SW 234°
- WATER
- 75°
Observed 1:00 PM · 1 hr 23 min old
7-day surf
SB shortboard · LB longboard
Thu 12 PM · now
3–4 ft · waist to chest ·
7 mph onshore · tide 0.8 ft falling
Swell near the beach: 3.4 ft every 13 s from SW
| Time | Surf | Rating | Wind | Tide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 12 AM | 4–5 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 3 mph offshore | 0.6 ft and rising |
| Thu 3 AM | 4–5 ft | Shortboard Good, longboard Fair–Good | 5 mph offshore | 3.1 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 AM | 4–5 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good | 6 mph offshore | 5.5 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 AM | 3–4 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair | 3 mph cross-onshore | 3.5 ft and falling |
| Thu 12 PM | 3–4 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 7 mph onshore | 0.8 ft and falling |
| Thu 3 PM | 3–4 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 8 mph, gusts 10, cross-onshore | 2.0 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 PM | 3–4 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 5 mph, gusts 11, offshore | 4.4 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 PM | 3–4 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 6 mph, gusts 15, offshore | 3.0 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 AM | 3–4 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 8, offshore | 0.9 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good | 3 mph offshore | 2.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair | 5 mph offshore | 5.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair | 2 mph, gusts 7, glassy | 4.2 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor | 7 mph, gusts 8, onshore | 0.7 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor | 8 mph, gusts 10, cross-onshore | 1.0 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 8 mph, gusts 17, cross | 3.9 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair, dark hours | 7 mph, gusts 8, offshore | 3.6 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair, dark hours | 3 mph offshore | 1.4 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair | 3 mph offshore | 2.5 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 9 mph, gusts 12, offshore | 5.7 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 4 mph, gusts 5, cross-onshore | 4.9 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 4 mph, gusts 5, cross-onshore | 1.0 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor, longboard Poor | 7 mph cross-onshore | 0.2 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 8 mph cross | 3.2 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 4, offshore | 3.9 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 1.9 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair | 6 mph offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 7 mph offshore | 5.4 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 1 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 5.4 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph cross-onshore | 1.5 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor, longboard Poor | 8 mph cross-onshore | −0.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair, dark hours | 6 mph cross-offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 4.0 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 4, offshore | 2.4 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair | 6 mph offshore | 2.2 ft and rising |
| Mon 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair | 5 mph offshore | 5.1 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair | 0 mph, gusts 2, glassy | 5.7 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 6 mph onshore | 2.2 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor | 7 mph cross-onshore | −0.4 ft and falling |
| Mon 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair, dark hours | 3 mph cross-offshore | 1.5 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 1 mph glassy | 3.8 ft and rising |
| Tue 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 2 mph glassy | 2.8 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair–Good, longboard Fair–Good | 3 mph offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Tue 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair | 2 mph glassy | 4.7 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 1 mph glassy | 5.8 ft and falling |
| Tue 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph cross-onshore | 2.9 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor | 5 mph cross-onshore | −0.1 ft and falling |
| Tue 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 3 mph cross | 0.8 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair, dark hours | 2 mph glassy | 3.3 ft and rising |
| Wed 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair, dark hours | 1 mph, gusts 2, glassy | 3.1 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Fair, longboard Fair | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 2.4 ft and rising |
| Wed 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Fair | 2 mph glassy | 4.3 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 2 mph glassy | 5.7 ft and falling |
| Wed 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Shortboard Poor–Fair, longboard Poor–Fair | 6 mph onshore | 3.5 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 PM | Waves unavailable | Shortboard Unavailable, longboard Unavailable | 7 mph cross-onshore | 0.4 ft and falling |
| Wed 6 PM | Waves unavailable | Shortboard Unavailable, longboard Unavailable, dark hours | 6 mph cross | 0.4 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 PM | Waves unavailable | Shortboard Unavailable, longboard Unavailable, dark hours | 1 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 2.7 ft and rising |
Today’s tide
GOOD 8:35–10:50 AM2:30–5:00 PM
San Clemente · feet above low water
Swell
Wave forecast checked against the live Red Beach Nearshore buoy.
Updated 2:03 PM · CDIP/Scripps, Open-Meteo and NOAA.
Common questions
Is Lower Trestles good for beginners?
Not really; it suits surfers with some experience.
What tide is best at Lower Trestles?
It’s best at mid tide (about 1.5–4 ft).
What swell works at Lower Trestles?
A S to SW swell (180°–230°) is best, with NE offshore wind. It picks up swell from SSE to WNW (165°–285°). Most consistent in spring and summer.
What board should I ride at Lower Trestles?
It’s mainly a shortboard wave, best at 3–8 ft.
What should I watch out for at Lower Trestles?
A packed lineup of top surfers; cobbles and urchins underfoot; and crossing the tracks is illegal, so go under the bridge.