Jade Cove
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| Jade Cove | |
|---|---|
 Jade Cove in southern Monterey County | |
   | |
| Location | Monterey County, United States |
| Nearest city | Gorda |
| Coordinates | 35°55′4.5″N 121°28′54″W / 35.917917°N 121.48167°W |
| Governing body | California Department of Parks and Recreation |
Jade Cove is located in the southern area of Big Sur on the California central coast.[1] It contains the only concentrated underwater deposit of quality nephrite jade in the world.[2] Individuals are permitted to collect as much jade as they can personally carry using hand tools up to 90 feet (27 m) deep offshore.
There is a very steep 0.1 miles (0.16 km) trail from the Plaskett Campground to Jade Cove that ends in a rope-assisted drop to the beach. The beach can be dangerous during high tides and storms.[3] The cove is 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Sand Dollar Beach and just over 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Gorda.[4] Shore access is open daily from sunrise to sunset and is only available for day use. Swimming and wading are not recommended due to dangerous surf conditions and strong rip currents.[5]
