Surf spot

Salt Creek Heroins

Forecast conditions and map view for Salt Creek Heroins in USA, California, Orange County. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, California, Orange County
Coordinates: 33.4834, -117.7292

Metric
Metric	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00
Wave height (m)	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5
Wave direction	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	S	S	S	S	W	W	W	SW	SW	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	SSW	WSW	W	W	SSW	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Wave period (s)	11.8	11.7	11.3	11.2	11	10.9	11	11	4.5	4.8	5	8.8	9.8	5.5	5.8	5.8	6	5.7	5.8	5.5	6.2	6.4	6.4	6.6	6.7	13.7	9.6	5.8	6.8	13.4	13.3	13.1	14.3	14.2	14.1	13.9	13.8	13.7	13.4	13.3	13.1	12.9	12.8	13.6	13.3	13.3	12.4	12.3	12.2	12.1	12	11.9	11.8	11.7	11.3	11.2
Wave energy (kJ)	144	134	132	122	99	104	99	99	17	24	27	52	57	28	30	38	45	45	40	32	25	24	20	20	19	66	35	18	25	83	88	93	111	118	125	131	129	134	139	144	141	145	142	124	118	118	118	108	99	98	90	83	76	74	69	68
Wind speed (km/h)	8.1	8.4	7.2	13.9	14.1	11	6.6	5.8	8.3	6.4	5.1	11.6	13.6	11.2	5.8	7	7.8	8.2	5.9	14.9	17.9	15.1	10.7	10.5	8.8	7.9	5.8	13	14.4	12.2	6	6.1	5.4	3.6	3.5	11.1	13.8	10.9	6.6	4.7	3.3	1.1	2.6	11.4	15.6	13.3	7.7	3.3	4.1	3.4	3.3	11.3	14.5	13.4	6.6	3.4
Wind direction	SSEOnshore	SSEOnshore	SSEOnshore	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SCross-on	SOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SSEOnshore	SEOnshore	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSEOnshore	SSEOnshore	SEOnshore	SEOnshore	SEOnshore	SOnshore	SCross-on	SOnshore	SSEOnshore	SSEOnshore	SEOnshore	SSEOnshore	SSEOnshore	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSEOnshore	SOnshore	SEOnshore	SGlassy	SSEGlassy	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SCross-on	SGlassy	SGlassy	NNEGlassy	WNWGlassy	WSWCross	WSWCross	WSWCross	WCross	WGlassy	NWGlassy	NNWGlassy	WGlassy	WCross	WSWCross	WCross-off	WCross	SSWGlassy

Salt Creek Heros / “Heroin’s” is a well-known surf zone at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point, Orange County, California. It sits along one of the most famous surf stretches in Southern California and is part of the broader Salt Creek reef-and-beach setup.

What it’s like

Wave type: Mainly a reef/point-style break with a mix of sand influence depending on swell and season.
Wave quality: Can be very good when conditions line up, offering long, fast, and powerful right-hand waves.
Crowd level: Usually crowded, especially when it’s pumping, since Salt Creek is a popular regional surf spot.

Best conditions

Swell: South and southwest swells tend to light it up best.
Wind: Offshore or light northerly winds are ideal.
Tide: Often works best at mid to lower tide, though this can vary.
Season: Late summer through fall is often the most reliable period for quality surf in Orange County.

Character

Power: More powerful than many beginner-friendly beach breaks nearby.
Speed: Can be quick and hollow, especially on larger swells.
Shape: When it’s working, the wave can offer clean walls and long rides.

Skill level

Generally better suited to intermediate to advanced surfers.
Can be challenging because of:
strong crowds
fast waves
reef/rocks in the area
shifting conditions

Hazards

Shallow reef and rocks
Crowds and localism
Strong currents on bigger days
Occasional rips and exposed sections depending on tide and swell

Nearby context

Salt Creek is one of the signature surf beaches in Orange County, close to other notable breaks in Dana Point and Laguna Niguel. The area is known for its scenic cliffs and high-quality wave potential.