A 6,000-Acre Protected Marine Area
What Is the La Jolla Ecological Reserve?
The La Jolla Underwater Park and Ecological Reserve is a 6,000-acre protected marine area off the coast of La Jolla, San Diego, established by the City of San Diego in 1970. It contains the La Jolla State Marine Reserve, the Marine Life Refuge, two underwater canyons (La Jolla Canyon at 600 feet deep and Scripps Canyon at 1,000 feet deep), and four habitat types: rocky reefs, sandy flats, kelp forest, and submarine canyons. Fishing and collection of marine life are prohibited.
A guided kayak tour is the most accessible way to experience all of this, paddlers explore the reserve’s habitats, sea caves, and marine life from a stable sit-on-top kayak with a local guide. Book online or call (858) 454-1010.
Kayaking the La Jolla Ecological Reserve
The reserve stretches from Scripps Park at La Jolla Cove north across La Jolla Shores to the edge of Torrey Pines State Reserve, covering roughly 6,000 acres of ocean bottom and tidelands. As a “look-but-don’t-touch” refuge, it has become one of California’s most popular destinations for snorkelers, scuba divers, and kayakers.
What makes it ideal for beginners: the ocean floor at La Jolla Shores slopes gently out to sea, and the rocky reefs and kelp beds keep the surf small. The result is some of the calmest, clearest water on the California coast, perfect for first-time kayakers, snorkelers, and scuba divers.
On our guided La Jolla Sea Cave Kayak Tour, paddlers regularly spot California sea lions, harmless leopard sharks, bright orange garibaldi, dolphins, shovelnose guitarfish, and more, all from the deck of a stable sit-on-top kayak. No experience is necessary, and tours are suitable for all ages. For paddlers who want a closer look, San Diego Bike and Kayak also offers guided snorkeling tours in the reserve.
Prefer to explore on your own? Kayak rentals are available for experienced paddlers.
How to Visit the La Jolla Sea Caves
Our guided tours concentrate on the three westernmost sea caves. Entering the caves is forbidden to the general public, but tour guests can enter accompanied by a certified guide on our two-hour La Jolla Sea Cave Kayak Tour. No experience is necessary, and tours are suitable for ages 5 and up.
The seven sea caves of La Jolla have a long history and remain one of the most photographed natural features on the California coast. They sit within the boundaries of the La Jolla Ecological Reserve, which is protected by state law. The removal of marine life, shells, and archaeological artifacts is prohibited.
Lobster trapping is permitted by license from October through March, which is how the sea cave Shopping Cart earned its name. Local La Jolla restaurants often feature spiny lobster harvested from the kelp beds just offshore. Lobster trapping in and around the reserve is closely regulated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife(opens in a new tab).
The best way to experience these naturally formed sea caves is by kayak. Book your La Jolla Sea Cave Kayak Tour to explore them up close with a certified guide.
La Jolla Canyon and Scripps Canyon
Beyond the gentle slopes of La Jolla Shores, the ocean floor drops into two underwater canyons that make the reserve a globally significant marine habitat.
La Jolla Canyon descends to roughly 600 feet and is filled with marine life. Its proximity to shore is the reason gray whales can often be seen migrating just offshore during the winter migration season, typically December through April.
Scripps Canyon is about one mile long and joins La Jolla Canyon offshore. Its vertical walls begin at roughly 80 feet and drop to 200 feet, with the canyon’s axial depth reaching about 1,000 feet. Adjacent to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography(opens in a new tab), it is one of the most-studied underwater canyons in the world. Its steep walls and dense marine life also make it a popular advanced dive site.
The same conditions that produce these dramatic underwater canyons also create some of California’s calmest surface waters, the gentle slope and offshore reefs keep waves small, making La Jolla Shores an ideal entry point for divers and kayakers exploring the reserve.
