Hardy Creek Beach

Hardy Creek Beach in Mendocino County is located where Highway 1 turns inland and heads north never to return to the coast.

The beach is in a small cove where Hardy Creek flows down from the hills behind it. Winter waves have pushed driftwood and larger drift logs to the back of the cove and many photographic rocks stand tall in the surf.

South of the beach you can see Hardy Rock which is shaped like a shark fin and has a rock arch that is visible when viewed from the bluff (there’s a shoulder parking area along Hwy 1 near the rock). North of the beach there are several more towering sea stacks. Beyond those rocks the coast and 401 forested acres behind it make up the Cape Vizcaino Property which is owned and managed by a non-profit.

For access to Hardy Creek Beach, look for a narrow parking area right at the bend in the highway where it goes goes away from the shoreline. A steep trail drops straight down to the beach from this spot. A “No Trespassing” sign half-way down this trail probably scares off those that weren’t already turned back by the steep access. The beach below the mean high tide line is public property, we are unsure about the rest of the land.

The coastline north Hardy Creek gets too rugged for roads so the highway turns inland and follows a serpentine route that is sports car heaven. That creates a vast wild area along the coast with no highway passing through it. This area is called The Lost Coast and is largely protected by Sinkyone Wilderness State Park and various properties managed by the non-profit Save The Redwoods League.

Address

Shoreline Highway
Westport, CA 95488

Fees

Free parking along highway

Activities

Beach Exploration, Beachcombing, Photography

Amenities

Sea Stacks, Rock Arch, Driftwood, Creek, No Facilities

Links

Tide Chart
Water Temps
California Coast Weather Averages