An estimated 22,500 people access the beach at Dije each year. Dije Court provides access stairs from the coastal bluff down a set of steep steps. Crossing the railroad right-of-way at many locations, riprap (big boulders and rocks) on the beach side makes it difficult to access the beach. Plans for a beach access path or small bridge will aid in getting over those rocks.

At Dije Beach you won't find ramps for access nor showers. Like Laguna Beach beaches to the north, San Clemente beaches also are set on flat, sandy coves below houses perched on the steep hills and cliffs. As a result, not every beach can be reached by those challenged with knee, joint, and and ambulatory problems. Like Laguna Beach in Orange County or Long Beach in L.A. County, the houses were built prior to the California coastal commission guidelines on coastal construction. Current examples of beach front projects under the auspices of the coastal commission include public beaches at Montage Resort in Laguna Beach, Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara, Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes and Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay. At all these recent developments you'll find beach parking, usually some restrooms, and several offer incredible facilities, depending on the requirements of their local community to supply them for the benefit of the public. 

Dije Beach requires parking in available spots, then walking down the steep steps to the beach. Once at the bottom, you'll also need to cross the Amtrak railroad tracks (be careful), and then going down a set of big rocks to the small sandy shore below. This may not be for everyone. Popular with locals in the houses above and especially surfers, Dije Beach is not really private, since trains pass by and passengers can look out and watch you, the scenery. But in terms of finding some quiet time where you don't have to talk to anybody, unless you live in San Clemente, it is a good choice for finding your isolated space.

Located north of the San Clemente Pier, San Clemente is making upgrades to the beach access at Dije.

Upgrades include: repair damaged stairs, enhancement of Dije Court which is a public right-of-way 12,444 square foot lot consisting of 1,900 square feet of paved area for the stairs and 10,544 square feet of landscaping from the bluff top at Buena Vista to the Coastal Trail at the toe of the bluff. Landscaping on the bluff adjacent to the access stairs consists of non-native ice plant, Algerian ivy and grasses.

Surrounding development on Buena Vista consists of low-density single-family residences. The Dije Beach Access is a designated Beach Access Point #4 for the Pico/Palizada area in the San Clemente Certified Land Use Plan (LUP). According to the LUP, this beach is one of the more popular surfing beaches in the City; however, this access point primarily serves adjacent residential areas. There are approximately ten on-street parking spaces on Buena Vista. The nearest public beach parking lot is located at North Beach with approximately 250 metered off-street and 100 metered on-street parking spaces.

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