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    Bowling Ball Beach

    4.7 (47 reviews)

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    Bowling Ball Beach
    John D.

    That's Ball Folks! Technically part of Schooner Gulch State Beach, Bowling Ball Beach (B³) is aptly named for its large, round concretions. B³ is located in the northern section of Schooner Gulch, as there's a cliff that separates the two halfs. While you can technically walk around this cliff, it's not advisable to do so. Just make sure you take the South Trailhead to get here; otherwise, it's pretty easy to turn around and get to where you need to be. Hint: If you get on the beach pretty quick, then you're at the wrong place. You need to schlep for a bit and hit some stairs before you arrive at B³. The Good: *Pretty great beach and the concretions are def really cool. *Concretions aside, it's a really nice stretch of beach that's perfect for picnic or whatever nonsense your heart desires. The Meh: *No Restrooms *Beach is kind of hidden with no real signage. However, just put in "Bowling Ball Beach" into your Waze® or Google® and it should get you there. *The stairs to the beach are in rough shape (esp towards the end) and not advisable to bring older folks, disabled or really young kids--unless you plan to carry them. The Ugly: *If you're really set on seeing maximum concretionage, you need to check the tide charts ahead of time or you might be SOL. We didn't get to see them all, but even seeing a few is still really neat. TLDR: Check your tide charts and prepare to be inspired.

    Sandee L.

    How cool is this place? There's only one other place in the world you can see these spherical concretions: half a world away in New Zealand! Make sure you go during low tide, or around there. Otherwise, you will not see the bowling balls! The hike there is easy. It's only about a quarter mile, then 20 or so stairs. The hard part is the very end from the stairs to the beach where you'll have to navigate down through some questionable driftwood. The rickety ladder that others have mentioned is no more. But don't worry. If I can do it, so can you! BBB is located on the right side of Schooner Gulch State park. If you follow Google maps, it will take you to some residential house. Either the inhabitants of that house are super annoyed with all the tourists poking around their yard for access, they're super helpful, or maybe both, but they've put a huge sign in front of the property: "*arrow pointing left* Bowling ball beach 0.3 miles". Once you get there, parking can be tough. It's side of the road parking that can only fit about 6-7 cars. Is it worth all the fuss? Absolutely.

    Michael N.

    My wife, our frenchie, and I took a day road trip to check out Bowling Ball Beach. Make sure to plan ahead and check the link below for low tides https://tides4fishing.com/us/california/point-arena While almost arriving to our destination, I got confused with the directions. I didn't see any sign that said Bowling Ball Beach so we got lost and past the beach accidentally. When you drive by, you will see cars parked on the side and that is where you would park for the beach. There are two trails to take. Make sure to take the north trail which will lead you to the beach. The trail is short, maybe about half a mile. Once you see the stairs below, it will lead you to the beach. Keep walking north til you see the bowling balls, you can't miss it! The scene was wonderful and great for pictures. Definitely check this place out during a one day trip or a weekend getaway.

    Sandeep R.

    As noted on most reviews, I'd recommend taking a look at 1-website to checkout before visiting https://www.tideschart.com/United-States/California/Mendocino-County/Bowling-Ball-Beach/Weekly/ before visiting. In all honestly, we were able to view the wonderful "bowling ball" shaped rocks without a "low tide" and so I'd recommend visiting this place anyways. Pro-tip It's highly likely that you won't find network on your phone when you visit here and hence it can get a tad tricky to navigate to the beach. Note that there are 2 different trails and it's the second one that leads to the "Bowling Ball Beach". The first trail leads to the "Schooner Gulch State Beach" (We took this trail by mistake and ended up walking for ~10 minutes to end up on the wrong beach). Also, the trail that leads to the "Bowling Ball" beach can be termed as "Moderate" as it does need you to navigate through a trail of steps which may not be well suited for all accessibility levels. I'd absolutely recommend visiting this place to experience one of the many wonders of nature

    Stacey H.

    Check the tides and make sure to only make the trek here during low tide! You will see the parking lot from Highway one, there are two signs that say park facing south only. Once parked, go to the Northern most part of the parking lot and there will be a trail head there. Follow the path through a meadow and then down a set of stairs. Once down the stairs head north and you will slowly start to see the rock formations that look like bowling balls. When we arrived, it was considered low tide but it was still rather high. We could see part of the formations but if you came when it was really low it would be spectacular. We still enjoyed taking many photos and found a few abalone shells.

    Lynn C.

    Unique stop while in the area! Definitely need to check the tides as the best time to see the "bowling balls" are at low tide. This meant getting up early when we visited in August. Plenty of parking off the road. It's a mini hike to get down, which includes stairs, but would consider it fairly easy. Once you're on the beach, you'll head north and then you'll see the bowling balls. Fun to just walk around and explore!

    Seth F.

    A really cool beach that doesn't see much tourist attraction. It is literally on the side of the road and not near any heavily populated areas. If you are up near Gualala, California, first why, then go see this beach. The biggest catch is to see the rocks you have to go during low tide which in Summer months can be 8-9AM, although if you get there around 11 you should still see some of the rocks the water may be coming after you. Be prepared. Also, know the area. This isn't a southern California beach so the water is cold, depending on when you arrive it can be wet, foggy, overcast, etc. I'd bring a jacket if you see its overcast. Parking is available but only facing south and only wide enough for about 8 cars to park. On the opposite side of the road facing north, there is a dirt road you can park. Once parked there are two trails that technically lead to the beach north and south. The south is the easiest and leads you to a wide-open beach with lots of driftwood and maybe some surfers, who don't like wet suits and the possibility of whale watching. The catch is you have to climb over very slippery rocks to get to where the north trail spits you out. If you go on the south trail be careful climbing over these rocks. During low tide, there are tide pools and hidden anemones. Pro tip: Try to step on sand or green algae avoid the brown. If you take the north trail it will lead you directly to the correct side of the beach. The north trail does experience some erosion and can be closed. When you get to the beach you'll have to shimmy down the rockface down to a giant patch of driftwood. Be careful. Be prepared. Wear appropriate footwear. Once on the sand, you'll see the rocks in the north but it is a bit of a trek to see them. The walk is nice and lots of room to spread out in case there are other people. Along the way, there are tide pools, rock structures, some marine wildlife, all the good stuff. Overall, it's is a great beach. There are no bathrooms, no free doggie bags, no-frills. Literally, on the side of the road. But you'll see some crazy cool geological formations and might see an anemone or to. This place isn't usually crowded.u

    Stefani T.

    Excellent time and a great way to spend a couple+ hours on your own or with loved ones. I was surprised at how much there was to do in this little stretch of beach. Parking is right off the road and can easily be passed by if you're not using Google maps. Worth finding and you'll most likely have this beauty of a beach to yourself.

    Ivy S.

    Well, we missed the Bowling Balls. Apparently you have to come in the weeee hours of the morning in order for the tide to be low enough to actually see them. If I had known that I may have put the effort into see actually getting up but no, Im really not that type of person. We did however have a lovely afternoon. It was windy as all hell. It was so windy that when the sand blasted us it was like being actually sand blasted. It stung! There is a little trail that at times seems precarious but easily manageable even if you're carrying stuff. On a clear crisp day its such beautiful landscape. We laid on a blanket and drank some beers. We explored the rocks and crevices along the shore. The beach is wide and spacious. There were quite a few other families meandering about and its big enough for everyone. It was a very fun adventurous day.

    Interesting Cliffs
    Angelica F.

    This is a beach worth seeing. It definitely makes you wonder. It's quite a phenomenon! Add it to your 'must see' list. Tips: 1-website to checkout before visiting https://www.tideschart.com/United-States/California/Mendocino-County/Bowling-Ball-Beach/Weekly/ 2. Lookout for the parking area by the road. Easy to miss. It's on the south bound side. 3. Go to the trail entry at the very last end of the parking spot. You will see a small sign. 4-be ready to do a hike... it's not too far, but be ready to do some minor climb over huge driftwoods towards the end of the trail. 5-just in case, wear a wind breaker, a pair of glasses and a mask in case it's really windy. You can brave it without these items on a windy day, but you might be clearing sand off your eyes and mouth before you get to where the rocks are. 6-careful walking on mossy rocks during low tide, literally 'slippery when wet'. 7-of course, take your cameras

    Irina V.

    The trailhead to the bowling beach is so easy to miss. Once you find the parking lot and park your car, make sure to take the trail furthest from the bridge because most people (even us) take the one that takes you to Schooner Gulch State Beach because it is well marked whereas bowling bowl beach is not marked. This was our second attempt to see the bowling bowl beach because our first attempt was not successful. On our first attempt we stopped by because we were driving by but we came at the wrong time (during high tides). We came when the tide was -0.52 ft. These bowling balls come from the cliff. This is known as "concretion." Can you believe that these concretions that look like beach balls eroded from the sandstone beds? Super cool, if I may say so. This natural wonder is something you don't want to drive past if your in the area.

    Katherine S.

    Tips: 1. Go during low tide in the morning. Please google for times. 2. Don't be discouraged by no ladder to the beach. After the steps end, there is a tire you can easily step off down onto beach. Ok for kids. Took my 2 year old no problem. 3. Wear shoes instead of sandals. There are lots of flys and kelp along the beach. Rocks are also slippery. 4. Bring a jacket. It gets cold, especially in the morning. 5. Carry expensive camera equipment in a backpack so that it's easier for you to climb down to beach. When you get there: There's a sign that says PARK FACING SOUTH. There are 2 trails. Take the trail in the north. Walk along the path until you reach wooden steps leading down to beach. Walk north along the beach until you see the bowling balls. If you go during high tide, walk north until you see 2 large wooden logs.

    Wendy W.

    We went there twice. The 1st time's low tide hour was 4:30 am. We couldn't make it. The next week after that, the lowest tide was 10:30 am. We made it. Although the road was narrow but it's worthy to visit this place. I noticed that there is a similar place in New Zealand. Should visit Bowling Ball Beach without paying excessive dollars. Love it.

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    3 years ago

    I have lived here since 2008 and Mendocino County for 30 years. This is still one of my favorite places to go and to take visitors.

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    We're beach snobs. This one is amazing! Had it all to ourselves one sunny Sunday recently, and it was magical. Perfect for the kids!

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Bowling Ball Beach

    Review Highlights - Bowling Ball Beach

    Make sure you're there for low tide so you don't miss out on the full potential the the bowling balls offer.

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    Schooner Gulch State Beach - Schooner Gulch State Beach

    Schooner Gulch State Beach

    4.0(1 review)
    3.5 mi

    Schooner or Later…read more This is the southern half of the more popular "Bowling Ball Beach." However, to be fair, Schooner Gulch & Bowling Ball Beach are in essence the same place, except for the large--but really awesome--rock outcropping*** that separates the two areas. After you've parked the north trail will take you to the more popular BBB and the south trail will take you the more spacious and less popular Schooner Gulch. The Good: *It's a beach! Pretty standard Cali beach you'll find along most of the PCH but that's not a bad thing. *Awesome rock formation that reminds me of a dinosaur skeleton. *Really short walk from the "parking lot." *Dog-friendly *Fishing allowed *Surfing allowed The Meh: *Not a traditional parking lot, as the only parking is the side of the PCH, and it's not very clearly marked where to park. If you're coming from the north (Pt Arena) then you'll most likely see cars parked on your right side (unless you're super early), and if you're coming from the south (Gualala) it's directly after you cross the bridge (look for the concrete roadway) on your left. If that's too confusing then just put "bowling ball beach" into Waze and it should work. The Ugly: *If you miss the "lot" then you'll have to find someplace to tun-around and that's always a trick endeavor on the PCH. ***navigating over/around the rocks would be a foolhardy endeavor, and is not recommended.

    Photos
    Schooner Gulch State Beach - Schooner Gulch State Beach

    Schooner Gulch State Beach

    Schooner Gulch State Beach - Schooner Gulch State Beach

    Schooner Gulch State Beach

    Schooner Gulch State Beach - Schooner Gulch State Beach

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    Schooner Gulch State Beach

    Gualala Point Regional Park

    Gualala Point Regional Park

    4.2(52 reviews)
    10.4 mi

    One of my favorite beach parks on the coast! Beautiful trail through the cypress grove with…read morestunning views of the ocean and Pelican Rock. Plenty of driftwood along the wide beach, and the view of the town in the distance adds a nice touch.

    Lovely campsite. Every single site is shaded. Some are huge, some are tiny, some are practically on…read moretop of each other. Half of them are also right on the river. We had sites 1+2 which were great for a group; 1 was VERY spacious (could have easily fit 4-5 tents). See my notes below - sorry for the incomplete sentences, I was doing this on my phone walking around. The raccoons are ruthless once it's dark out! They swiped food from our picnic table while we were sitting at it, just 5 feet away from it. I had my trunk open and left my car for a few minutes; when I came back they'd grabbed things from the cooler and broken some eggs we had. Be vigilent!! There is a beach nearby, with 4-7 year old kids, it was about a 40 minute walk. They definitely needed a lot of motivation to get there and back, but it was doable! The beach is beautiful, with all this stripped away dead wood that made for fun playhouses for the kids. But the waves are really tough there and there are about a million signs saying don't go into the water, as the sand gets very deep quickly, which creates these death trap waves. We had a dog off leash and someone told me that the rangers are really strict and will actually ticket if your dog is not leashed. *Note that EVERY SINGLE site is very well shaded. I stopped putting this in my notes halfway through when I realized this. F - 1 small tent, 2nd area for medium or large tent only, flat, river view, full shade, v private E - 2 tents,shade, river view, kind private D - two small tents, right on path no privacy, no river view, shaded C - 1 large tent, Right on path. No privacy, River view, shaded B - 2 medium tents A - two medium tents A/B basically like one site 11 - A little sloped, to medium times, no Riverview, kind of private 12 - not very private from the road, two medium tents s but would be tight, shaded but feels more open. No River View 13 - 3-4 of tent spots, isolated from other sites, shaded but feels open, a little bit Sloped, no River view 14 - very small, space for maybe one tent, shaded 15/16 - basically like one campground, very open right off the road, space for three to four tents 17 - space for two to three tents, open but shaded, semi-private 19 - Small, space for one to two tents, right off road 1 - very large for four or five tents 2 - space for 3 tents 3 - space for one or two tents, has the best river view 1-3 all in one line, shaded, on the river. 1 has the most trees 8 - One or two tents 9 - 1 tent 10 - 1 tent 8-10 All close to each other and not very private 8-9 very integrated, could be a group site. But really close to other sites on either side of the road 5-6 small, one tent each, could be a group site 4 - Small, maybe one or two tents. Right on River

    Photos
    Gualala Point Regional Park - Along the bluff

    Along the bluff

    Gualala Point Regional Park - Driftwood

    Driftwood

    Gualala Point Regional Park - Beach walk

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    Beach walk

    Greenwood State Beach

    Greenwood State Beach

    4.8(4 reviews)
    18.1 mi

    A total coastal sanctuary that's off the beaten path. When it comes to beaches on the Mendocino…read moreCoast, Greenwood State Beach is the key to peace and seclusion. It's located in the small town of Elk, so you can expect less crowds. Getting down to this beach requires a short but steepish hike from the parking lot. Keep this in mind if you plan on lugging anything down there. But it's well worth it to pack a picnic because you could literally spend your entire day here. There are restrooms right at the parking lot, and you'll be able to see the beach from the top of the hiking path. Once you make it down to shore, your eyes will be met with the most majestic views of the Mendocino Coastline. This is where shallow white waves meet soft white sand in essence. Where sunny blue skies and picturesque mountain top views conjoin. The sand dunes seem to be endless and you'll feel like you're almost in complete solitude. I love when I have beaches all to myself. Since it's located further down, it has that cove-ish feel, making it nice and warm during the summer. And yes, the water is teal! A beautiful teal. Super clear, clean, and beautiful. It's also the perfect temperature, so hop on it or have fun just getting your feet wet. I brought a bottle of Rosé and a sandwich to this beach and had an amazing little Sunday afternoon picnic here. It was so relaxing that I honestly didn't wanna leave. But alas, I had to get back home. It was my favorite beach stop whilst road trippin' down the Mendocino Coast. It's definitely out there, but if you're driving down the coast, I'd would absolutely recommend that you stop and explore this lovely beach.

    I can't believe I stumbled across this beautiful location on my tour of HWY 1. Make sure to enjoy…read morethe view as it is worth the drive.

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    Greenwood State Beach
    Greenwood State Beach
    Greenwood State Beach

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    Bowling Ball Beach - beaches - Updated May 2026

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