I am heavier and less active. I have arthritis in my knees and 2 repaired ACLs tears in my past. Stairs are my enemy. My arch nemesis. I trained for a few weeks leading up to this trip to make sure I could handle the stairs. 391 stairs counted and verified down then up. Yes, I even counted the baby stairs lol. Down was pretty easy. Up was also.... Pretty easy. I was tired. I was out of breath. My calves BURNED. My knees were shaky. My face was red as a tomato. But I did it. And it was well worth the treck. read more

See all

A must-visit, but visit during the week; the parking lot is very small. There is a very steep, but very well maintained, stairs that go from the parking lot to the beach. The west part of the beach is sometimes clothing optional, so watch out for that. The sand is actually not black; it's dark gray. read more

See all

A part of our Marin Headlands 31 mile hike adventure. The black sands are striking and I especially like the specks of turquoise that highlight the sand. Gorgeous to witness in person. Please come and create your own adventure. read more

Wonderful and marvelous... A real treasure of a beach with incredible views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate bridge! The downside is you have to spend about 30 minutes to get there. read more

We missed the parking area for Hawk Hill and decided to check this place out before circling around again. I'm glad we did. It's a pretty steep staircase going down but once you get down to the beach, it's nice quiet with subtle ocean waves. There's a slight smell due to some of the leftover rotting skeletal remains of some big whales. The walk up is lots of steps. Take it easy!! Recommended hike. The whole thing takes about a 45-hr unless you want to spend the day. read more

Beautiful views! Mini hike! Black sand...oh my!! I made the trip to Sausalito to Black Sands Beach today. I wanted to beat the heat (supposed to be another triple digit heat day in Vacaville), and avoid the July 4ty traffic/crowds. What better way then to go the day before?!? My plan worked out in my favor!! I arrived around 11:15am and was able to find parking in the smll parking lot. The beach had very few people. It was quiet, with the exception of the sea gulls and the sound of the ocean waves. The water forecast: very cold and cloudy! But, I enjoyed myself!! :) I appreciate the reviews about the long, steep, stairway down! It wasn't too bad going down. The trip back uphill was killer! It was a hike and a nice way to get a cardio workout in before heading back in the car! There's a small stack of a bathroom in the mini parking lot. Make sure to have sanitizer handy! I'm going to come back on a sunny day :) read more

See all

If heaven was a beach, I tell ya! Black Sands Beach would be IT. What a beauty it is! The black sand is amazing but it's those white waves that will do it to ya. I've come to realize that I'm obsessed with the beach. I'm sure many people are, but I'm on a journey to explore every beautiful beach that this state has to offer. Will that actually happen? Probably not. But, I'm having so much fun in the process. Black Sands Beach is one of those special beaches that you kinda want to keep all to yourself. It's located off of Conzelman Road which is already quite a trek in itself since it's a windy one way road that you'll have to take to get there. Once you reach the parking lot, you better hope that you can find parking. The parking lot is small and fills up quickly, which means that you should get here at the crack of dawn to secure a spot. There are restrooms at the parking lot and a few hiking trails that you can take that will connect you back to the beach parking lot. The trek down to the beach is about .2 miles and all downhill. Keep this in mind if you are planning on lugging anything down there. What goes down must come back up. And it's a steep decline, so probably best to bring something other than flip flops to wear to avoid slipping. But it's so worth the trek and early rising. This is the most secluded beach that I've been to in Marin County. Probably because it isn't as easily accessible as the others, and I like that. On a Saturday afternoon, there was practically no one at this beach when I was there. It is a nude beach and I did see a few nudies, but they were way on the other side minding their business as I was minding mine. The waves are so calming and the sand is super soft and clean. I feel like this is the only black sand beach that I've seen in the Bay Area and it's marvelous. It's super peaceful here and one of the few Marin beaches that is actually warm enough to get in the water. A few things to note: there's a large crow colony and you will find some ants in the sand. The crows aren't super aggressive and for the most part, you'll find them in the beach enjoying the water too. But don't leave your food out or small items unattended because they will take them. Also, the ants aren't terrible but there were some that made it onto my beach blanket. Just don't keep food out and you should be fine. The views of the coastline are magical and the small crowd will make you feel like you have this beach all to yourself at times. A feeling that I often live for since I'm a super beachy bum. But yeah, please enjoy this stunning beach. It has quickly become one of my favorites and I promise that it'll become yours too. read more

See all

The review is for Black Sands Beach Via Julian Trail. 1st hike of the year!! Gorgeous coastal trail for January! The weather was perfect. Green everywhere and it's 2miles down and 2 miles up. I love how it leads you to the chocolate beach. I can't say it was black because it did not resemble the one in Maui but definitely a site for sore eyes. read more

See all

Found another beautiful beach with black sand or small small rocks! Went hiking here from Hawk Hill. It's about a 4 mile hike or there is a small limited parking area by the beach BUT you have to go still go down a flight of a lot of steps so bring some folks to help carry things. At the parking lot, there is a public bathroom but I would hate to go up all those stairs! We came here on a Saturday hot day 76 degrees but it felt hotter! There was no overcast. It was actually too hot of a weather in this area and since there is no shade. Usually, it's cool or misty here. Nice view of the Golden Gate Bridge on a nice clear day if you go up the trail along Conzelman Rd back to the Hawk Trail parking lot. Too bad we could not hang out for awhile at the beach since we were part of a hiking group that day. We will be back but i don't think we will do the trail again because of the steps going up. [44th/100] read more

See all

Nice hiking path ending with a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. Few people having a nice time and picnics. read more

I just recently came here for the first time and loved it. I've been in the area to hike before but never to this beach (there's also another beach located in same area). It wasn't a busy day since it was a Monday afternoon. The parking lot is very small so just be aware. I'm not sure how busy it can get some days. I loved how secluded it was and the weather was perfect. My only dislike was the walk down I just wasn't aware or prepared for the steep hike down and back up at the end. So next time I know. Make sure you bring proper shoes or don't have heavy items to carry like we did. Going uphill in Birkenstock's, carrying bags and chairs wasn't the best lol. If we could post videos I'd share the path. Overall I would come back here (just not pack a lot). read more

Black Sands Beach - Beaches Near Me - Sausalito, California

See all

Wanted to take a hour or so drive towards Montery Bay,bjust to spend a little time relaxing and watching the water while talking. It wasnt a bright sunny day so we thought perhaps the beaches would be less crowded. That was true there were not large groups of people there. Unfortunately the people that were there were loud rude filthy mouths and the beach had seen better days. Trash and BBQ food everywhere. My last destination for another beach day. read more

I would totally come back here! My current obsession are hike-in beaches and this one is a true hidden gem. I love Marin County and GGNRA in general. Endless hiking trails and amazing views. In your GPS, just enter Black Sands Beach. It will lead you to the Parking lot on Conzelman Rd (Upper Fisherman's Trail). There are limited parking spots so go early if you can. We left the beach around 1 pm on a Saturday and let's just say there were no spots and some people were making their own parking spots in various places. From the parking lot, it's about a 10 min walk descending down...about 250 steps. Sure it's fun going down and seeing the views, but just remember that when it's time to head back. For a more challenging hike, (using the same directions), park earlier near Hawk Hill. Take the Julian trail or Coastal Trail to Upper Fisherman's trail. We loved our stay. We brought lunch, a blanket, music and sat in a secluded area (when coming down the steps, we ventured left). Fresh air guaranteed. Bring sunnies, a hat and dress in layers. You will see some fishing and fishing & sail boats too. If you plan touch the water, be aware of the currents. Want to climb rocks- there are a few (can't miss them) climb with caution. Notes: Some like to bare all here, so please be aware Views of: Pt Bonita Lighthouse, Lands End, Baker Beach (on a clear day especially) Signs say no dogs, but we saw at least 3 when we hiked. There is one bathroom at the start of the trail/parking lot. No wash area so bring wipes and hand sanitizer. (when we went, the door wasn't shutting all the way either so buddy up and man the door if you can) bring a mask- trails can get narrow Bring a blanket and lunch- picnic all day! If you have time, when leaving, you can visit Pt Bonita Lighthouse. (the road leaving will lead you there, just follow the signs) read more

See all

Small parking lot right by the beach. But that is okay because you can park along side the road. The road leading to the beach is one-way this is helpful because you might lose signal as you get up the mountain so having a one way road prevents you from getting lost. Just be aware there are a lot of steps to get down to this beach. You will be parking at the very top of the mountain and need to climbs down stairs to get to the water. Going down the stairs isn't too bad it's climbing up that is rough. I had to take several rest breaks. The sand at the beach isn't your typical sand it's black color hard pebble like sand so it will hurt if you walk barefoot on the beach. But the water is a beautiful blue. Its a great view and would recommend going at least once. read more

See all

Quiet beach with great views of the Bay Area. There aren't many black sand beaches that I'm aware of, and I was curious to see what it looked like. The sand was definitely darker, but it wasn't quite black. I lucked out and arrived on a beautiful and sunny day in November, and the beach wasn't busy around 3:15pm on a Saturday. If you're coming from the SF side, you'll likely have to battle through some of the Golden Gate Bridge vista point traffic, but it wasn't too bad at that time. They have a small parking lot at the top of the beach area, and it seemed like people also parked along the side of the road. There aren't any bathrooms once you walk down to the beach, so make sure you use the bathroom at the top/parking lot. I would recommend you wear sneakers and bring a pair of flips flops once you get down to the actual beach. There are a lot of steps on the way down, and it was a little sketchy trying to walk down with flip flops. The views along the way are beautiful (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=lmpWTSzn_Y94zWcMcROdUQ&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=sg2EcDbvDvvWrMxSU3KQYA&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=1t_4vGVIohjkskISGOXh5A&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=e753_gNRptDxZTjLGSApvA&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=vFWAxdY47nFasOXBZV43pQ&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg). Although the distance is 0.2 miles to walk down, it took about 10-15 minutes since it was a steep hike in parts. It's recommended that you check the tides before you going on the beach since the water can come up pretty high; however, you should be able to see where the water level is on your walk down. There were a few people fishing at the end of the waves, and they may have been fishing for crab since there was a little box/cage at the end of the pole. The sand was soft and fine, and I had a great time walking up and down the beach for a bit. Note, the area to the west over the rocks is considered a clothing-optional beach. read more

See all

If you have bad knees or a bad ankle, the "small" hike is not for you! The small "hike" of steep stairs is not that long but packs a punch! Also, it is a nudist beach. Extra tip: Lighthouse nearby closes at 3:30pm. read more

Black Sands Beach - The sand - Beaches Near Me - Sausalito, California

This beach is gorgeous ! We parked at the top of the hill and made the trek down to the beach. And by trek I mean a ton of steep-ish stairs on the hill. Tip- don't walk down unless you can get back up, aka , small children who need to be carried up (likely) would make for a really tough trip back up the stairs. It was about a 10 min walk down and 20 min walk back up accompanied by some sweat and heavy breathing ( LOL ) The Beach itself is beautiful and truly has black sand. It was sunset and the tide was high, but we were able to splash around a bit in the ice cold water. I definitely would come back for a day trip with a picnic and bottle of wine to bask in the sun and enjoy the views. read more

See all

The parking lot is small so be there early. Bring water and wear comfortable shoes. The way down to the beach was easy but coming back up was a work out. Great ocean views! read more

See all

Gorgeous view and is rarely too crowded. It is clothing optional to the left of the stairs. There is a trail and steps that lead down to the beach. It takes about 10 minutes to hike down and about 15 to hike out depending on how quick you are. If you are at least moderately conditioned the hike back up is a very pleasant little workout but it can be a bit intense for some folks I've seen out there. read more

See all

Drove up here one evening with a friend and it was a little confusing with the small roads, hills, and traffic, especially in the dark, but our directions took us in the right direction and we managed. The parking lot for this beach is really small, but there is a bathroom. We also discovered that there is a pretty long and steep hike down to the actual beach so we only made it halfway before it got dark, but it looked beautiful from afar too! We also got the pleasant surprise of the absolutely stunning view of the Golden Gate, the ocean and the city on our way up. We were not expecting to see that passing by and we were so glad there was parking available. Definitely plan to visit earlier in the day and plan ahead for the walking! read more

Pretty beach, but a bit of a trek to get there! Google maps wasn't very useful in finding the exact location, but it does provide an approximate location. You know you're there when you see a small parking lot along with a bunch of cars parked alongside the road. There's a bathroom at the parking lot and beside it, a sign telling you how long the hike to the beach is. Getting to the beach is the easy part because it's all downhill stairs. Climbing back up was a pain in the butt (literally). That all said, the beach is very pretty and everyone was pretty spaced out. I saw some people fishing and some people picnicking. read more

See all

5 minutes from the crowded Marin Headlands vista point, on a curvy one way road is a hidden gem. You park at the Upper Fisherman's parking lot. Be careful, once you pass it, you can't turn back because of the one way road. There's enough parking for about 10 cars and there's also a restroom on the lot. The walk down is nice and easy. Seems longer than the 0.2miles the sign posted though. And the beach is big and empty. Not sure what kind of weather phenomena was happening, it seemed really hot and sunny at the parking lot but when we got to the beach it was cloudy. Lol. I didn't see any nudity, but heard it happens. Going back up is... uphill, for about 15 mins. Not too bad at all. It's a good beach to get away a little bit and enjoy the ocean. read more

Black Sands Beach - Beaches Near Me - Sausalito, California

This beach is really beautiful and there were some seals playing in the water which was awesome to see. What we didn't know we were going to see a bunch of naked people. I'm not sure if this is a nude beach because we saw 0 signs or anything saying that it was. So just in case ur thinking about going and ur not into that then I would not recommend this beach. read more

Black Sands Beach - The walk down to the beach - Beaches Near Me - Sausalito, California

See all

Bit of a drive and walk to the beach but def worth the views. Avoid bringing strollers and wagons due to steps and incline going to the beach from the lot and back. There is 1 bathroom by the small parking lot. I want to say 10 parking spaces total? Beach is clean and sand is so dark. Plenty of opportunity to take pics of the Golden Gate Bridge and water on the way to and from the beach. Please be cautious of cyclists. Be considerate and share the road please. read more

See all

Stumbled upon this beach when I decided to detour from the original hiking trail I was on and it was so worth it. There is a small parking lot and a lot of stairs to get down to the beach but it's breathtaking as you walk down. Considering the small parking lot, I'm really glad I stumbled upon this gem by foot! I would hike this trail again and pack a lunch to enjoy at this beach. read more

Lived in the bay area my whole life but this was the first time I've been to this beach. It's nice and secluded. The trek down to the beach was worth it, IMO, because there are a crazy amount of people at the beach. It could also be that I went on a colder day but regardless it was pretty peaceful. The beach itself is not too long to walk from one side to the other but since there arent too many folks, theres a guaranteed spot to claim. There are also hiking trails around the area too which I'm pretty interested in looking into for next time I'm planning on coming back out. read more

See all

This beautiful foggy morning hike started at the black sands beach parking lot. But it was a lot more hiking in store. Adding into the mix Battery Spencer, under the bridge, to Battery Yates, then up Slacker hill, before descending down to Black Sand beach again. Of course parking lot is full upon returning. Lots of good views, although most were obscured by Karl the fog, darn you!! Karl! At least it made for a cool hike. Lots of flowers, and wildlife. Not a lot of people t gf at time of the morning and with the fog. Was stopped multiple times by tourists, asking where to get the views? Sorry not with the fog, definitely planning a trip back on a sunny day. Lots of history, it's amazing how fortified the whole area was at one time. Definitely more fun with a partner. Pretty moderate overall, just a few short steep climbs. A there and back hike more than a loop. Definitely recommend it or at least parts of it, preferably on a sunny day. Good hiking and cheers. read more

See all

This was hidden gem, I loved the scenery from this beach. Getting to this beach was hard. If you're planning on visiting San Fransisco, I highly recommend this beach. read more

Black Sands Beach - Black sand beach - Beaches Near Me - Sausalito, California

Great place to relax and unwind. You can get a nice workout going down to the beach and one coming back up. read more

See all

A black sand beach not too far from the Golden Gate?? I'm there!! Just beautiful... It's really a hidden gem. Glad other Yelpers shared this place and how to get to this beach. Growing up in San Francisco, I didn't know it even existed. Now I know and I feel quite fortunate to have seen it for myself. You drive past Battery Spencer on Conzelman, go to the left past the roundabout at the top of the hill, go past Hawk Hill and down the one way road. That one way road is such a beautiful curvy drive down and you see the coast. It is amazing. I had to slow to a crawl because I had to film it. It was that nice. Luckily, there was no one behind me.. You will come across a parking lot to the left. There may be 10 or so spaces in the dirt lot. You will see some visitor information and a restroom. That is the only restroom as there is not one down by the beach. The path down the beach can be both easy (dirt) and a little sketchy (rocky) with a long drop off so definitely bring sturdy footwear. I love the walk down and the climb back up. So many vantage points to stop at and enjoy the scenery. The beach itself is quiet and beautiful. There were a couple of fishermen there when we went. There were also a couple of small families coming and going. It's a perfect secluded beach. I almost dont wanna give the secret away. Ha! Just go and you'll see what I mean. Amazing black rock sand. Hard to believe the Golden Gate Bridge is not too far away. It was definitely Marin County at its finest. read more

See all

So cool! it's real black sand! all people comes here for picnic, really nice space, but be prepare to get up with thousands of stairs, it's nice workout too. read more

See all

Such a beautiful beach! It's a pretty steep hike, but it's a really short hike and there's steps to make it easier. The drive there was also beautiful with a few really awesome spots to look out at the Golden Gate Bridge! Definitely recommend visiting! read more

See all

Nude beach & black sand was what we were prepared for but finding this place was hard! So when we got to Conzelman Road, we thought we were supposed to park at the first large parking lot, but no, keep driving down to the narrow one way road to the SECOND parking lot (super small). Park there, look to your left, and you will see a bathroom (hole in the ground) and a small wooden sign that says black sands beach. From there you will walk down hill a bunch of steps (0.25 mi) and you will find the beach! Do not, I repeat DO NOT pass this parking lot because it will take you another 10-12 minutes to drive around back up the hill because it's a one way road. Getting there is a hike, so if you feel more comfortable hiking down the steps in tennis shoes I would recommend it, but it is doable in flip flops even for a clutz like me. The black sand is grainy/pebbly and not super fine but it was heavy enough that wind didn't pick it up into our food. The beach is pretty secluded, not crowded, and we only saw one nude guy who decided to park his stuff right next to us and strip. He then proceeded to stare at two young girls walking alone on the beach... Be careful of leaving your belongings in your car because you are far away from your car and one our way back up the hill we saw 3 hooligans trekking down and checking out our belongings. They drove a car with no plates and tinted windows... Beware. Otherwise my boyfriend and I took a nice 1 hour nap on the beach while tanning and ate our sandwiches. We prefer this than the hustle bustle of Santa Cruz beach with loud teens drinking and homeless people. Peaceful and clean. read more

An absolutely beautiful beach and a must see. My wife and I hiked different trails at Marin Highlands and somehow ended up at Black Sand Beach. We luckily stumbled here by accident. The great view persuaded us to break for lunch. We enjoyed our bento watching the boats out in the bay and sea lions fishing. It was a relaxing experience indeed. The change of scenery was what I desperately needed. Due to the line of work I'm in, I tremendously appreciated our visit here. I've always found the ocean to be my therapy when under great stress. read more

See all

Beautiful beach hidden in Sausalito. The atmosphere is excellent. Me and my husband love this beach. Highly recommended if you are looking for some a nice peace and quiet spot. read more

Black Sands Beach - Beaches Near Me - Sausalito, California

See all

A hidden gem in SF! This is definitely one of my favorite beaches. The views are fantastic and it is a secluded beach. One of the cleanest beaches I've visited so far! The trail is less than a mile and has spectacular views all along! read more

See all

I wish I would have known that there is an abundance of stairs. There's a lot of stairs to get to this beach. Going back up can be a challenge if you have weak knees (i know i do). I took several breaks to catch my breath coming back up (my asthma was kicking in). The sand is partially black but it's mixed with rocks. The ocean was a great view. Not a lot of people, I went on a Saturday afternoon. read more

See all

We decided to stop here during our trip to San Francisco. It was a very pretty place for pics. The tide was a little high so I don't know if I recommend swimming. It was a small but heart pumping hike down (to the less active). There was 1 restroom at the very top before beginning your hike down but no amenities once you got to the bottom. Overall 10/10 recommend, the drive was very pretty. read more

See all

Went to this beach on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend and there was very little crowd(considering it was Labor Day weekend and a heat wave). Arrived around noon and there were a couple spots that had just opened up in the small parking lot and there was some parking on the side of the road. Any later in the day and we would've been stuck parking a good walk away on the side of the road and walking down the road. The hike down was not terrible and there are some amazing views. I would warn anyone who plans on bringing some beach stuff(umbrellas, coolers, ect) because the hike back up is tough and can be pretty steep at some parts. Saw some families struggling with their wagon full of stuff heading up the hill. Once you get down to the beach it is clean and beautiful. I will note the sand it not fine sand it is more coarse. This beach is a great little gem if you are okay battling the Golden Gate Bridge scenic road traffic to get to it. read more

This beach has black sand. Ok, I know the name gave it away but still black sand is pretty neat. Also, not too many people know about this beach because we only spotted a few fishermen. You have to hike down to get to this beach. Its a short hike but is a bit steep and you might feel it going up. Towards the bottom there are wooden steps. We loved that it was partially sheltered from wind. I'm not a big fan of wind.You can also see Point Bonita Lighthouse from the distance. We have heard that this beach is clothing optional however, we have been her twice (first time with hubby) and both times everyone was clothed. Black Sand beach is located at Conzelman Rd Sausalito, Ca 94966. Once the road becomes a one way road, you will want to turn left on the first parking lot you see. read more

Black Sands Beach - Beaches Near Me - Sausalito, California

See all