Backyard Destinations

The Jim Morrison Cave is a hidden gem in LA County tucked high up in the mountains in Malibu.

It’s rumored that singer Jim Morrison from The Doors used escape to the cave and write.

It’s a beautiful space painted in pink and full of graffiti.

To get to the cave, you’ll have to drive on Pacific Coast Highway and turn onto Corral Canyon Road where you’ll drive up for five miles. These five miles are on winding incline, which may be challenging for some vehicles, but the view going up is quite incredible.

After five miles, you’ll hit unpaved road, which will lead you to a free dirt parking lot. As you drive onto the dirt path, look to your right for a trail – the Backbone Trail – that runs somewhat parallel to Corral Canyon Road. That’s the trail you’ll want to take, not the one in front of the parking lot. DON’T take the trail in front of the parking lot! Basically, you’ll be heading east on the Backbone Trail from the lot/dirt road.

You can either park along the left side of the dirt path or in the lot. If you choose the latter, once you get down, turn around and walk toward the exit. The path will diverge into the exit and an inclined path on the left. Take the one on the left.

The trail is less than a mile to the cave and it’s moderately easy. There’s a little bit of incline but it’s not too bad, even if you’re not in the best shape.

It’s really easy to miss the Jim Morrison cave because it’s tens of feet off to the left of the trail. If you wind up at a labyrinth and some big rocks, you’ve gone too far.

Heading up along the trail, the cave is located to the left, a few hundred feet or so before the labyrinth. Keep an eye out for a small, inconspicuous path that leads to a big boulder, and that’s the way you’ll want to walk.

You’ll then have to wiggle your way through a narrow opening between some rocks and climb up through what is popularly known as “the birth canal.”

I did this hike with some friends on a Sunday in the middle of the day, and the cave was kind of packed.

Despite the crowd, we were able to sit in on a trio jamming with their guitars and being filmed. It was nice to listen to music at the end of the trek 🙂

The Jim Morrison Cave, also called the Corral Canyon Cave, is great hike to add to your LA bucket list. In addition to a rewarding area at the end of the trail, you get stunning views of the mountains and a pleasant outdoor experience.