Shell Beach to Bodega Head
The next access south is at
Shell Beach, a rather small, partly stony cove that doesn't seem to have any seashells, but is a good spot for viewing tidepools. The coastal
Kortum Trail, which starts at Goat Rock Beach, runs past here southwards to the next major location at
Wrights Beach (6.5 miles in total), one of the few locations where a fee is charged for entry, though limited free parking is available along the very short approach road. Wrights Beach also has a nice, tree-lined campground - some of the 27 sites look out directly towards the Pacific. The surface is a mixture of sand and shingle, beneath 80 foot cliffs with houses built on the edge, part of the small community of
Ocean View. The sands end at a rocky area of cliffs, terraces, tidepools and a small island (Hogback), all inviting exploration though guarded by a 'Dangerous Rocks' notice; in general all the state park is quite highly regulated, and any possible hazard is marked by a warning sign. The rocks (
Duncans Point) can be seen in safety from above by a short loop road, that also overlooks the next section of the coast to the south, where the cliffs are even lower, allowing CA 1 to stay very close to the edge. For 3 miles the highway passes small sandy coves, shoreline access points and scattered houses as far as
Bodega Head, at the south edge of the park. Here, a sandy promontory extends southwards for several more miles, crossed by various trails, and ending at a high, rocky headland. Like
Point Reyes, this land lies on the west side of the San Andreas Fault, which runs across the sand dunes into Bodega Harbor to the south. Part of the promontory is privately owned, including University of California Marine laboratory, Bodega Harbor and residences from Bodega Bay. The peninsula also has the longest sands in the park - 2 mile
South Salmon Creek Beach, another place where dogs are not allowed.