Le'ala Shoreline, Protected shoreline in Tutuila Island, American Samoa

Le'ala Shoreline is a protected coastal area on Tutuila Island featuring rocky formations, tide pools, and surge channels along the Pacific Ocean. The landscape displays volcanic structures of basalt and tuff layers that shape this rugged shoreline.

Leʻala Shoreline was designated a U.S. National Natural Landmark in 1972, and the landmark covers 35 acres (14 ha). The designation rests on the exposed geology: a young basalt flow inter-bedded with layers of tuff, which show how wave action has eroded the coast.

Petroglyphs carved into the coastal rock at Avaloa Point, near the Leʻala Shoreline, are the visible trace of early Polynesian presence on this part of Tutuila. Visitors reach the site on foot along the coast; the carvings sit on the rock face beside the surge channels and tide pools.

The Leʻala Shoreline Trail starts in Vailoatai and runs 3.2 miles (5.1 km) roundtrip, climbing steeply in and out of old volcanic craters before meeting the Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary Trail. Taputimu Tide Pools nearby can be entered at low tide.

The 3.2-mile roundtrip Leʻala Shoreline Trail starts in Vailoatai, climbs in and out of old volcanic craters, and ends where it meets the Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary Trail. Petroglyphs lie on the coast at Avaloa Point, near the shoreline.