Moss Street Beach

What it’s like

Moss Street Beach is a short stretch of sand with rock along the waterline. The Coastal Commission’s access guide lists the stairs at the end of Moss Street under the name Moss Point and marks the spot for wildlife viewing. A California Coastal Trail guide calls it Moss Point and Moss Beach.

Woods Cove lies to the north, with stairs at the end of Diamond Street. Ruby Street Park sits at the west end of Ruby Street, just north of the Moss Street stairs. The Coastal Commission describes it as a blufftop park with views and a picnic area. Victoria Beach lies about half a mile south in a straight line, with its own stairs off Victoria Drive.

The streets above the stairs belong to Woods Cove, where older beach cottages stand next to newer contemporary homes. Addresses on Moss Street show up in the Woods Cove listings on realatrends.com.

Getting there and parking

Moss Street runs west from Coast Highway and ends at the stairs. The Coastal Commission lists stairs to the beach and on-street parking. It lists no lot, no restrooms and no beach path, so plan to park on a nearby street and walk to the end of Moss Street.

The free Coastal Route trolley runs from North Laguna through downtown to South Laguna. Check the city’s trolley page for the stop nearest Moss Street before you ride. For permits, lots and street rules across town, see the parking guide and the getting around guide.

Beaches north of Aliso Creek close between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Moss Street falls in that group.

Rules and safety

Moss Street Beach lies inside the Laguna Beach State Marine Reserve. California Fish and Wildlife describes the reserve as the shoreline from Abalone Point south to Goff Island, and it names Woods Cove Beach among the reserve’s beaches. Moss Street sits one cove south of Woods Cove, well north of Goff Island.

The reserve has one rule that matters on the sand: it is unlawful to injure, damage, take or possess any living, geological or cultural marine resource. That covers live animals and rocks. Fishing is not allowed in the reserve. Swimming, wading, boating, diving and surfing stay allowed unless a sign says otherwise.

On beaches where dogs are allowed, the city requires a leash of 6 feet or shorter. From June 15 to September 10, dogs are allowed only before 9:00 a.m. and after 6:00 p.m. The Coastal Commission’s file has no dog information for Moss Street, so read the signs at the top of the stairs.

Check a tide table before you go down. The Department of Marine Safety answers questions about tides and surf.

Good to know

The stairs are the only route the Coastal Commission lists to this sand. The next stairs south, at Victoria Beach, also have no restrooms listed. The first restrooms in the Coastal Commission’s file south of Moss Street are at Treasure Island, seaward of the Montage Laguna Beach resort.