Malaga Creek

★★★★★ West of Palos Verdes Drive and downstream from Valmonte and Frog Creek Loop, Malaga Creek carves a canyon (not to be confused with Malaga Canyon up in the hills) through the coastal bluffs down to a narrow, pebbly beach. The canyon is too choked with trees to follow in most places, but an informal trail runs around the top of the canyon, climbing down to the creek in a few spots. A steep service road winds down from the bluffs on the southwest side down to Rat Beach (or rather RAT Beach, as in Right After Torrance) near the spot where the creek runs into the ocean. You can park on the street across from Malaga Cove Plaza, or along Via Almar. But it’s simplest to park at the former Malaga Cove School, now used as district offices. There are several spots where you can walk out to the edge of the cliffs and look across the bay, including a gazebo. Past the turnoff for the road down to the beach, another road continues past the soccer field and basketball courts to a dirt path…