Sea Ranch Beach Activities

Tide Pools

Tide pools abound along the Sea Ranch coast. The most accessible are found at Stengel Beach and Walk on Beach. Visitors who arrive at low tide are likely to see an abundance of colorful sea anemones, sea stars, crabs, and mussels.

Caution: Before setting out, check with rangers or lifeguards that conditions are safe for your planned activities.

Marine Life

Harbor seals are common along the north Sonoma County coast. Watch for them to poke their white-whiskered heads out of the water or lounging on the beach or rocks. Sea Lions prowl the waters along the coast, only occasionally stopping at Sea Ranch. More often they are seen to the north at Barking Rocks. Whales are common along the waters close to shore during their spring migrations when mother whales want to keep their young near shore. Bluff Top Trail is a favorite place to watch for the whales.

Shorebirds

Birders enjoy watching a wide range of shorebirds along the rocky points and sandy beaches at Sea Ranch. Among the birds that have been spotted along the coast are Brown Pelican, Brant Goose, Kingfisher, Heerman's Gull, Whimbrel, Willet, Killdeer, and Sandpiper.

Diving

Diving is possible at all five of the beaches at The Sea Ranch with public access, but the distance from the parking lot to the beaches deters some SCUBA divers. Free diving for red abalone at the beaches is usually successful. Divers wisely avoid days with big surf. Shell Beach and Stengel Beach are two of the favorites for free divers.

Fishing

Anglers have good success fishing from the rocks along the northern Sonoma County coast. As always, use great caution and keep at constant watch for sleeper waves. Catches often include cabezon, rock fish, eels, and halibut. Among the popular baits used here are abalone guts, shrimp, mussels, and anchovies.

Hiking the Bluff Top Coastal Access Trail

The 3-mile hike from Sea Ranch to Gualala Point Regional Park makes an interesting adventure. The trail is an offshoot of the trail to the Walk on Beach trail. Hikers find themselves on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific coast with great views of off-shore rocks formations, beaches, and coves. Once at Gualala Point Regional Park, visitors can spend hours exploring everything from beaches to the visitor center. Read all about the park: Gualala Point Regional Park.

Surfing the North Sonoma Coast

Surfing Black Point Beach

Black Point Beach attracts a number of surfers to its reliable break. Waves are known to be consistently well-shaped, especially when the swells arrive from southwest. Black Point is probably best for intermediate level surfers. Sharks are always a concern.

Gualala Point Beach

Surfing Gualala Rivermouth

When the winds are from the east and groundswells from the southwest, conditions at the mouth of the Gualala River, to the north of Sea Ranch, sometimes generate good waves. Both right and left breaks offer plenty of excitement. Surfers are cautious of rocks, sharks, and rip currents.