Cancel

Open app

Search

Greyhound Rock Beach Access

4.9 (20 reviews)

Greyhound Rock Beach Access Photos

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Greyhound Rock Beach Access

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Abandoned broken surfbort.
Carl F.

Eating day-old cold pizza while basking topless on a beach in January with no one but two seals bobbing in the ocean to see. Could I be any more California? JK. I wasn't topless. pervs. Or was I? Maybe I'm bluffing. Maybe I'm not. No one will ever know but me and those creeper seals... but speaking of bluffs, they got 'em here and they're real and they're spectacular. Park at the top of the bluffs- there's a handful of picnic tables and the overlook spots with picnic benches. There's also 2 bathroom stalls that are pretty close to putrid so go somewhere else or plan on doing your business in the ocean. There's a short brisk walk down to the beach that will end up being a long and arduous walk back up due to it's steepness, though it's paved pretty much the whole way down. And to be fair, I'm pretty out of shape so maybe it was just me grasping for my Camelback water straw. It's super dog friendly and even in January it had to have 80-something degrees out. Parts of the beach can be tricky with those waves that love to creep up and soak your shit, so be mindful of where dry sand lies and know that you may have to make a mad dash across some parts of the beach where the ocean hits to the bottom of the bluffs. You'll see plenty of birds, few bugs, maybe a giant fish head (the size of a human head with super spiky teefs), perhaps a sea lion rib bone, not a lot of kids, abandoned broken surfboards, a lone sea kayaker, a few surfers, some fishermen, and a sparse collection of people minding their own business. If you're daring, you can get past this jutty bluff to a pretty private area with just you, your devices, a secret waterfall, and a pair of peeping tom seals. If you go in the water, know that the waves are especially tricky in their voraciousness. One second you're soaking shin-deep in pretty steady waves and 10 seconds later a bevy of monster waves may knock you on your ass, drag you completely under, scrape your bum on the sand, and whisk your lone and prized hair tie away whilst soaking all your clothes and playing you for the fool that you are. Enter: Instant nude beach + clothes drying on a nearby hot rock. It's quiet, the sights are gorgeous, and believe it or not my t*tties got a pretty decent tan... on January 24th. California, man. I can dig it.

Janis M.

Found this magical spot on one of our random adventures (where we drive around until we "feel" a location calling to us), and I am so happy that we stopped the car for this one! I can see why there aren't much reviews for this beach, as from the top, it looks like there is absolutely nothing to see. There is a sign that says Greyhound Beach, a decent parking spot and, like, 2 picnic tables overlooking the ocean. DON'T LET THIS FOOL YOU! Park you car. Put on a hoodie (you will definitely need one), and walk down the steep hill. Once you get to the bottom, you will not regret it. It is just breathtaking! If you keep walking to the end (towards the right) you will come to some rocks that stretch out into the ocean. We stood there and played Mickey Mouse in the Sorcerer's Apprentice while the waves crashed into the rocks! Even our dog enjoyed it! We got some great shots and also came across a photographer taking beautiful shots of a family. One of my favorite beaches!

Janelle S.

Stunning! Not a far drive from Shark Fin cove is this hidden gem. The descent down and the hike up make the views and seclusion well worth it! There's plenty of parking and a couple picnic tables but it's obvious you'd want to be down by the water with your toes in the sand. Can't wait to come back.

Beach to the left of the trail heading down
Caroline S.

This is a dog-friendly hidden gem, just a little down the road from Santa Cruz and you can avoid the crowds present at nearby beaches. This large beach features a couple miles of clean, sandy beach along the shore. It also has tide pools and a large rock, just offshore, which you can climb at low tide. Other reviews mentioned a "long, steep" trail leading down, but it is actually short (at less than 0.2 miles), and only a little steep (just over 100ft of elevation gain). It's an easy walk, but could be tiring if you're carrying a lot of gear. There are several benches, the trail is paved, and although parts get wet, it has a rail where it's slippery. The beach can be inaccessible in a few places at high tide. Parts of the beach have large waves with strong currents, so I would not recommend swimming. Keep your dog on-leash, and you can enjoy a beautiful walk along the ocean, with the possibility of spotting seals or whales. This is a little-known hidden gem, and you might be fortunate enough to have the place all to yourself. Your walk back up will take about 5 minutes, with just over 100ft of elevation gain. I recommend checking the tides before your visit, and coming when it's close to low tide. There are pit toilets and trash cans in the parking lot but no running water. When driving down the coast, look for a small brown sign on the right shoulder of highway 1 that says "coastal access," and shortly after you'll see a paved road to your left with a large parking lot. You will not see the "Greyhound" sign until you get close to the trail. GPS coordinates for the lot: 37°04'48.0"N 122°15'52.3"W. Large, free parking lot but no parking 10pm-6am.

Cathy C.

Well let me tell you... this place is absolutely gorgeous... you definitely get your workout in one you take the path down to the beach / cove... it's not bad going down but coming back is intense and I love it. . Great cardio at an incline and rewarding. .. great place to sit with a loved one or watch for whales and seals... the waves crash and thrash violently here so be careful. . Other than that enjoy it. .. PS being your own TP fir the bathrooms lol

Mateo M.

Absolutely love this location, it's a beautiful place to go and get away from the stress of daily life.

Beautiful hidden beach, take the paved path down to the beach. Steep but gorgeous waves and view.

See all

Photo of Suki M.
542
765
3028

6 years ago

Helpful 16
Thanks 0
Love this 18
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 5
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Used to be able to drive all the way down to the beach when I was a teenager lol. 50 yrs ago dang. No 55 yrs ago !

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Carl F.
4835
2933
20326

11 years ago

Helpful 28
Thanks 1
Love this 32
Oh no 1

7 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 1

8 years ago

Helpful 12
Thanks 0
Love this 11
Oh no 0

14 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Paul N.
293
1480
4275

13 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0
Photo of Caleb S.
72
151
96

8 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Paige C.
52
89
20

18 years ago

Helpful 7
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Cathy C.
29
77
121

11 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Mateo M.
47
53
33

12 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of AMY M.
0
22
3

10 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

12 years ago

Nice bluffs as well as sandy beach. Good (but steep) pathways.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

13 years ago

I love this magical beach for reasons I will just let be a mystery for now... :)

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Ask the Community - Greyhound Rock Beach Access

Is this a dog friendly beach?

Yes sir I had 2 huskys thank God they would basically pull you up that steep trail with my ice chest it was Hella fun back in those days especially after a few cold ones the trail definitely make your heart ❤️ skip a beat gots to be on leash… Read more

Are bonfires allowed on this beach? Is it typically foggier around this area compared to Santa Cruz beaches?

I don't think so but have seen a few during 4 July bring a small Webber and don't get to crazy always take your trash Pepole take care of this place definitely a gem

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

Review Highlights - Greyhound Rock Beach Access

I would highly recommend this beach if you're just stopping by off of Highway one in Davenport/ Santa Cruz/ Pescadero.

Mentioned in 4 reviews

Read more highlights

You might also consider

Verify this business for free

People searched for Beaches 1,989 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

Verify this business

Davenport Beach - The relics of the Davenport Pier at low tide

Davenport Beach

4.4(161 reviews)
8.1 mi

Favorite beach. Love the walk to and around. Took my wife there for the first time a few months…read moreback and she loved it

OMFG...I finally made it to the swing at the Davenport Beach?! :D…read more I did not read any reviews about this spot before coming here. I just bookmarked for a couple of years, and I finally visited it. My boyfriend and I along with his doggie were having a day out in Santa Cruz. I told him that we should visit this place so that we can swing on the beach. He was down for it, but once we found the way to get down to it--he said, "No way, I'm doing that." I *did* not let that stop me from going down there to experience the swing though. My boyfriend and his doggie stayed at the top of the cliff and watched me climbed down to the beach. Yes, it was pretty treacherous. Thank goodness there was a rope with knots to hold onto. Otherwise, I don't think I would be able to do it successfully without that lifesaver rope. Thank you so much to whoever secured that rope there! Also, I do want to point out I did this in a dress and flipflops?! Crazy right.. Then again.. I'm crazy, I do admit it. ;) There were a four gals and guys down there chilling. I asked them if there was another way to get in and out of here, but they confirm that that was the only way in and out. I got to swing on the swing and took some videos. The swing looked cool from the photos that I seen, but it doesn't swing well straight. It does swing sideways. Lol... It took me about 7 minutes to go down and about 4 minutes to climb back up. I know this because my boyfriend recorded me. Lol... I'm very grateful that I was determined to do this despite the company that I had didn't want to do it. Years ago I let someone that I was with who didn't want to do it influence me to also not do it when we visitied Alamere Falls so I won't let that happen anymore. If there is something I want to do, it's okay to do it alone when other people don't want to do it. That's on self-love, baby! There is two parking areas. We initially parked in the one right across the post office, but then we follow this group to the other one right next to it because it was closer. We walked across the railroad tracks and found the opening to the climb to the beach. I was sore for a few days afterwards in my legs from climbing the side of the cliff, but oh gosh... It was so worth it!

Photos
Davenport Beach - Engagement photo | By Luke Cunningham

Engagement photo | By Luke Cunningham

Davenport Beach - Engagement Session | 1985Luke Photography

Engagement Session | 1985Luke Photography

Davenport Beach - Waterfall flowing out of cave

See all

Waterfall flowing out of cave

Waddell Beach - Steep steps to get to beach level.

Waddell Beach

4.4(30 reviews)
0.7 mi

I LOVE to take trips down Highway 1. Local day trips often just take me anywhere from Bodega Bay…read moreup north to Monterey down south, but most times just from the stretch of Pacifica to Santa Cruz. And when I cruise down leisurely down this glorious highway, I won't just gun the vehicle and go from destination to destination. I like to randomly stop at little towns, beaches, roadhouse eateries that's dotted along the way. There are so many beaches on highway 1. I'm still exploring around myself. Pulled in onto this beach as they had a big parking area on the cliffside. This is in-between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay, super close to the road that you can take to go to Big Basin. This is not a lying around type of beach. It is very raw and very windy for some reason. Lots of seabirds on parts of the beach, lots of stranded seaweed and due to the wind, lots of white water surf. And a big attraction here actually is due to the surf and wind conditions. Lots of surfers and wind-surfers here that it'll catch your eye even from the highway. Wind surfers are these skilled and brave souls that go out in rough seawater with a parachute like apparatus connected to them, as so they can take flight and take leaps almost at bird level. And they are able to surf more waves without being pounded by rough waves, as they are able to jump from wave to wave via air/wind. Even tho it was too windy for me to sit out there for longer than 30 minutes, it was a blast watching these guys bounce and float around in what would otherwise be dangerous waters. I'm eventually going to knock out all the beaches from Santa Cruz to Half Moon Bay, and this one was a special one to knock out.

Such a beautiful beach! It was very windy and cold and I imagine it's like this all the time. But I…read morestill enjoyed my 2 mile walk along the beach. This place has bathrooms and parking. It's pretty big so I can't see it getting crowded.

Photos
Waddell Beach - Vibe

Vibe

Waddell Beach
Waddell Beach

See all

4 Mile Beach - Cool tunnel

4 Mile Beach

5.0(1 review)
11.5 mi

Enjoying this secluded beach starts with a small concrete parking lot with severely damaged uneven…read moresurface and plenty of dips, and no actually "spaces" (just find a way to make your car fit)... an adventure for your car! The trek from there involves following a dirt path among plantlife and walking down a rocky hill, even crossing over train tracks along the way... only a quarter mile, but feels a lot longer (Is that why they call it "4 mile"?!?). It's all worth it once you lay eyes on the beautiful sandy shore, And the moment you enter and step onto the sand, there's a small pond to your right with ducks! What a pleasant surprise to be found at the beach :D On a Sunday afternoon, there were just a handful of visitors, couples and families stretched out on their mats or little tents, enjoying the sunshine and sound of the waves. Surfers doing their thing on the water. A few dogs running free. Surfboards sitting inside a small cave-like tunnel, a cool formation along the mudstone cliffs, that you can actually go inside. A piece of advice, on a windy day, be prepared for sand to blow onto your belongings, especially if you have food or drinks, you may want to have your back to the wind to prevent the sand from ruining a good meal while picnicking. But it's easy to shake off your blankets and tents and such, so don't be afraid to get a little dirty as you lie in the sun and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. One thing I did not like is that there is no cell service here (T-Mobile). But other than that, I loved everything about this place. And if you're not a big fan of all of the crowds closer to the Boardwalk but you want to be near the water, Four Mile Beach is definitely worth checking out.

Photos
4 Mile Beach - Rocky area

Rocky area

4 Mile Beach - Pond with ducks

Pond with ducks

4 Mile Beach - Beach

See all

Beach

Boony Doon Beach - Beach sign

Boony Doon Beach

4.0(9 reviews)
8.6 mi

Absolutely appalling. A nude beach -- with zero warning signs posted anywhere. How is this even…read moreallowed? We saw families arriving with young children, completely unaware of what they were walking into. Two different families set up early in the morning, only to pack up and leave within the hour -- we quickly realized why, I'm sure they didn't want their family around all this. Nudity shouldn't be allowed on a public beach with zero warnings. As noon approached, the beach filled with fully nude adults, many of them elderly. Even if they stayed in their own area, they were still completely visible to everyone on the beach. It was disturbing and frankly disgusting. We didn't have kids with us, so we stayed a little longer, but it ruined our Sunday morning. There should be clear, visible warnings -- this should not be allowed in a public space without them. I attached pictures of the signs...not a single warning or disclosure that nudity is allowed.

First time in the area, very beautiful hike and views. We took the trail from shark fin cover and…read morefound this beach. Had no idea it was partial a nudist beach. Until we saw them from above (no big deal) we thought it was cool. We kept on with our hike and on our way back we see a 3some going on. Two guys and a woman. Broad daylight, there's kids and families to the left of them about 100 feet but it's an open concept so I'm sure it was visible to them. Just wasn't expecting to come across that on a Monday evening. Rules should definitely be enforced specially since it's also gonna be a family beach.

Photos
Boony Doon Beach - Beach sign

Beach sign

Boony Doon Beach - Nice place to relax.!

Nice place to relax.!

Boony Doon Beach

See all

Coast Dairies - The path from the lot is steep.

Coast Dairies

3.3(10 reviews)
10.0 mi

This beach is picturesque, but dangerous and difficult to access. It's not recommended for children…read moreor anybody who can't handle the steep incline. There's no bathrooms, jellyfish are abundant on the shore and wash up and back with the waves...with violent riptides even near the shore. Out on the rocks people are able to fish for perch, but the whole area is very windy and when lying down you'll be inundated with sand. The parking area is the second one past Laguna when driving north on PCH. It's far easier to navigate the steep cliff going down in shoes. Many of us were barefoot or in sandals and it really slows you down. As such, you're not going to easily get large objects like cool chests down to the beach. You'll not likely want to make multiple trips to the car either. The trash is still a concern as young people leave cans and bottles everywhere. Like some Yelpers have posted, I didn't experience any nudity, nor did anyone ask me to have sex with them, however, I suspect this area is not patrolled often because of it's limited access. I saw people drinking beer without impunity and so it's not hard to imagine, given this beach also appears in nudist beach listings in search results. In my experience, it was younger adults in groups, everyone was dressed. Two people were fishing. There's an arch in the cliffs which leads to another beach to the left, and then rock formations you can carefully walk out on to the right and fish from. It appears high tide covers these areas, so keep that in mind. There were at least 60 people on the beach, so I don't understand the posts about being quiet and secluded, either. This property used to be owned by a dairy company and was ceded to the state, which explains it not having a long public history and the abandoned railroad tracks paralleling PCH. Nobody was surfing or out in the water and that's good, because the riptides are especially fierce and very close to shore. If there's no jellyfish you can walk in the surf washing up but that's about it. I wouldn't recommend going into the water and wouldn't stay on the other side of the arch on the beach when the tide is rising. I also noticed there's no cellular reception, either.

Beautiful, hidden beach with crashing waves and nary a soul. Park at the dusty little lot straight…read moreoff of Laguna Rd on Hwy 1. If you can't find it, the coordinates are (36.986927, -122.156281). From there to the beach, cross the road, go over the railroad track, past the field of poison ivy and down the sandy, rocky ledge. Needless to say, this path is not for the handicapped. The waves are rough and the wind strong; swimming is not advised. But the sand is warm and untouched. Walking further along, there's a lagoon of waste water surrounded by seagulls (and seagull poop!) Along the cliffs at the edge of this small stretch of peaceful and picturesque, tide pools with sea anemones and sea snails can be seen at low tide. This is your chance to go off the beaten track and take the road less traveled. At least until this too becomes popular.

Photos
Coast Dairies
Coast Dairies
Coast Dairies

See all

Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area

Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area

4.0(2 reviews)
7.8 mi

Greyhound Rock is one of my favorite stops along Highway 1. There's lots of parking, the beach…read moreitself is massive, and it's easy to spread out and explore. The tide pools are fantastic, and there's so much marine life to find -- I even saw my first octopus here, which was incredibly exciting. The beach is full of different little areas to wander, and it's a great spot if you enjoy exploring and looking for critters. That said, the access is a real problem. The trail down is very steep and not elderly-friendly at all. The main path has collapsed toward the end, and while there's an alternative route, it's not well set in or particularly safe. The trail is also very overgrown, which makes the descent even more difficult. The park service really needs to address the access issues, because the beach itself deserves better infrastructure.

To me and my BF Joe K, there is nothing better than visiting a coastal town or city along the…read morePacific Ocean. Santa Cruz is one of our favorite vacation spots. And what is even better, we can visit a marine conservation area. While we were visiting a friend who lives in said city, he gave us a site seeing tour of a few of his favorite public beaches that were actually somewhat secluded. Davenport is a nearby town outside of Santa Cruz, where you will find some nice accessible beaches, like Greyhound Rock. It doesn't look like a Greyhound to me, but it is grey. It almost seems like a private beach, because there are less tourists who are aware of this location. There is plenty of parking in the lot with restrooms nearby. It is government protected and mostly the locals seem to make use of the area, because it is a bit out of the way from the more touristy places of Santa Cruz. We spent some relaxing and leisurely time gazing from the look outs and listening to the crashing waves of the ocean. I never get tired of the scenic views, and contemplating and appreciating what Mother Earth has created. I just wish that all human beings were aware of how important protecting this planet is for our survival....

Photos
Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area
Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area
Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area - Tide pools!

See all

Tide pools!

Greyhound Rock Beach Access - beaches - Updated May 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...