Surf spot

Big Rock

Forecast conditions and map view for Big Rock in USA, California, San Diego County. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, California, San Diego County
Coordinates: 32.8251, -117.2815

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)	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.8	0.9	0.8	0.9	0.9	1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.2	1.1	1.1	1	1	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6
Wave direction	SSW	SSW	SSW	SW	S	W	W	WSW	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	WNW	WNW	W	W	W	WNW	WNW	WNW	WSW	W	W	W	WNW	W	W	W	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW
Wave period (s)	11.8	11.4	11.3	11.3	10.3	6	6.5	9.7	4.5	4.7	4.5	5.2	5.3	5.5	5.8	5.8	5.8	5.7	5.6	5.9	6.2	6	6	5.7	4.8	5.1	6.5	6.3	6.2	5.8	5.8	9.6	10.9	12.8	10.9	13.7	13.6	13.4	12.6	12.4	12.2	12.1	11.9	11.7	11.5	11.3	11.2	11.8	12	11.8	11.7	11.6	11.4	11.1	10.9	9.1
Wave energy (kJ)	186	160	148	110	77	34	37	59	26	32	29	46	50	58	80	76	83	94	82	90	73	67	61	42	26	33	57	55	59	51	43	84	104	135	104	143	150	158	165	161	153	159	156	157	153	148	145	121	111	113	104	96	87	94	81	64
Wind speed (km/h)	8	5.6	8.3	14.5	14.5	12.1	8.8	6.5	6.6	6.8	7.3	12.4	15.1	12.3	7.6	5.9	6.8	8.6	9.4	14.6	16.1	13.8	9.3	8.4	8.3	6.8	3.7	11.8	14.6	11.8	7.7	5.4	4.7	4.2	3.3	9.5	15.1	12.6	9.4	9.2	7.2	6.1	5.9	10.5	16.9	15.1	11.5	10.1	8.3	8.7	8.1	12	16.6	11.8	10.5	7.9
Wind direction	SCross	SSWCross	SCross	SSWCross-on	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WOnshore	WOnshore	WOnshore	WSWCross-on	SCross	SSWCross-on	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SSWCross	SSWCross	SCross	SSWCross	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SCross	SCross	SSWCross-on	SGlassy	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WOnshore	WGlassy	WNWGlassy	WGlassy	WOnshore	WOnshore	WNWOnshore	WNWOnshore	NWCross-on	NWCross-on	NWCross-on	NWCross-on	WNWOnshore	WNWOnshore	WNWOnshore	NWCross-on	NWCross-on	NWCross-on	NWCross-on	NNWCross-on	WNWOnshore	WNWOnshore	WNWOnshore	NWCross-on	NWCross-on

Big Rock is a well-known surf spot in San Diego County, California, located along the North County coast near Carlsbad/Leucadia area. It’s named after the prominent offshore rock visible from the lineup.

Surf description

Wave type: Mostly a reef/point-style break with fast, powerful waves.
Best swell: Works best on solid southwest or west swells.
Wind: Typically prefers light offshore winds, often easterly or northeast in the morning.
Wave character: Can offer long, racing walls with the potential for barreling sections, especially when conditions line up.
Skill level: Generally considered advanced to expert due to the speed, reef, and sometimes heavy takeoff.

Conditions

Tide sensitivity: Often best at medium to lower tides, though this can vary by swell size.
Crowds: Can be crowded when it’s good, as it’s a respected local spot.
Hazards: Shallow reef, rocks, strong currents, and possible impact with the reef at low tide or bigger surf.

Overall vibe

Big Rock is a classic Southern California reef break: quality over consistency. When it’s on, it can produce some of the better waves in the San Diego area, but it’s not a beginner-friendly beach break.