Agate Beach

Sue-meg State Park (formerly Patrick's Point)

Humboldt County

Agate  Beach, Humboldt County, California
Agate  Beach, Humboldt County, California

Agate Beach

Sue-meg State Park (formerly Patrick's Point)

Humboldt County


Agate Beach

Agate Beach is one of the key attractions in Sue-meg State Park (formerly Patrick's Point). The park is 25 miles north of Eureka along the rugged Humboldt County coast. Rugged Patrick's Point juts into the ocean with several great vista points and spectacular scenery. Beautiful Agate Beach spreads just north of the point, accessed by a trail from the day use area near Agate Campground.

Visitors to the beach come for the scenery, to stroll along the sand, and to search for agates. Semi-precious agates are polished by the motion of sand and water. Agates are usually formed inside cavities caused by bubbles in volcanic rock. As the volcanic rock erodes, agates are released into streams and are eventually washed into the ocean and onto beaches.


map of Agatge Beach at Patrick's Point State Park, CA

Jade and jasper are also sometimes found on the beach. Collecting stones at Agate Beach is allowed, but visitors are limited to one armload per person.

Agate Beach is not recommended for swimming or wading. The ocean is too cold and dangerous. Visitors should be wary of strong undertows and sleeper waves.

Nearby Beaches

Palmer's Point Beach

At the south end of the state park is Palmer's Point Beach, a favorite for those who enjoy exploring tide pools. A parking lot at the end of the road is the trailhead for a steep path with some steps leading down to the beach. Visitors will encounter boulders strewn across the beach, hence its old name of Cannonball Beach.


Big Lagoon Beach, Humboldt County, CA

Big Lagoon Beach

Big Lagoon Beach

Agate Beach connects to the north with Big Lagoon County Park Beach. The sand stretches northward forming a spit between Big Lagoon and the Pacific Ocean. The lagoon is popular for smallcraft boating and for fishing. The beach itself is wide and rather unremarkable. Dogs off-leash but under voice control are allowed the county beach. A campground is situated alongside the beach and lagoon. There is a $5 entrance fee per vehicle. Restrooms are located in the campground.

Sue-meg State Park, Humboldt County, California

Sue-meg State Park

Patrick's Point State Park is only 640 acres, but every corner of the park has something worth exploring. A ragged coastline, meadows, forests, beaches and recreated Yurok village known as Sumeg are among the features which attract so many visitors each year.



Caution: Check with rangers or lifeguards that conditions are safe for your planned activities.

Most of the forests in Sue-meg State Park are made up of Sitka spruce, red alder, Douglas fir, western hemlock, and pines. In the spring wildflowers burst into bloom along the edges of the meadows. Among the animals that roam through the forests and meadows are black bears, raccoons, and deer.

Patrick's Point State Park Renamed Sue-meg State Park

In 1851 Patrick Beegan was an early homesteader on the land Native American's had called Sue-meg for centuries. The land became known locally among other settlers as Patrick's Point and led to that name being adopted for the state park.

In recent times it has been pointed out that Beegan had been implicated in the murder of a Native American boy and then later led a raid on a Yurok village, killing many Yurok residents. In 2021 the California State Park and Recreation Commission agreed with the objections of the Yukok people to the name of Patrick's Point and voted unanimously to change the name to Sue-meg State Park.

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Ocean Safety

California State Parks and Recreation cautions that "large surf, cold water temperatures, backwash, sudden drop-offs, pounding shorebreak, and dangerous rip currents can turn what seem like safe activities such as playing near the surf line, wading, or climbing on rock outcroppings, deadly." Learn more about ocean safety at CA State Parks: Ocean Safety