4 Mile beach launch

Has anyone been to 4 Mile beach (4 miles north of Santa Cruz) recently?
How is the access from the parking lot? How’s the launch/landing?

I know some people get there from SC, to avoid the hike, but it’s almost 8 miles of paddling away.
Any other tips would be appreciated.
 

I would say it's a relatively long hike to the beach, and a bit bumpy, but overall def makeable. I surf there regularly and have always thought it feels very fishy (including very large, kayak-munching fish) -  jokes aside, great kelp beds for rockfish it looks like.

Launch should be fine as long as you stick to <4ft swell days, the south end of the beach is usually flat. Bigger swell than that you get gnarly shorebreak. 4 mile is a swell magnet, i.e. more open water than other SC locations, so any bit of swell will look and feel 3x larger there.

Recently, no. It's been 4-5 years but I've launched there a handful of times. You definitely need a good kayak cart. I have the fat wheelez tires. Part of the time you are on hard packed dirt, sometimes on soft sand. I highly recommend fat sand tires on a cart. I agree that you should only attempt on low swell days. Also be careful because I think there is an MPA near there too.

Thanks guys! I don’t know if I’m checking it right, but it looks like the MPA is for rockfish in deeper water (184ft or more)

I've launched there many times.
The trail varies depending if the park has put down gravel or not that year. Usually its really rugged. You have to park in any allowed parking along the hwy and roll the yak down.
The MPA applies to the shore and intertidal zone at that beach.
Once on the water you are good, and it is legal to transit a closure are with fish as long as you don't have any lines deployed while in the closure area.

I've launched there many times.
The trail varies depending if the park has put down gravel or not that year. Usually its really rugged. You have to park in any allowed parking along the hwy and roll the yak down.
The MPA applies to the shore and intertidal zone at that beach.
Once on the water you are good, and it is legal to transit a closure are with fish as long as you don't have any lines deployed while in the closure area.

Good to know. Thanks! What do you usually target when you fish there?

I've launched there many times.
The trail varies depending if the park has put down gravel or not that year. Usually its really rugged. You have to park in any allowed parking along the hwy and roll the yak down.
The MPA applies to the shore and intertidal zone at that beach.
Once on the water you are good, and it is legal to transit a closure are with fish as long as you don't have any lines deployed while in the closure area.

Good to know. Thanks! What do you usually target when you fish there?

usual bottom fish suspects. Lots of sand outside, but there is structure to be found under the kelp.