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About Bowling Ball Beach in Point Arena, California

Bowling Ball Beach is located at the northern end of Schooner Gulch State Beach. If the tide is out it’s hard not to notice the large round rocks that resemble bowling balls as you walk along the beach. This area of the state park is great for tidepooling and the rocky features are only exposed when the tide is low (a negative tide is best) so consult tide charts before your trip. This is a popular place for professional photographers to set up tripods and get sunset shots of the bowling balls.

At the far north end of Bowling Ball Beach there’s a surfing area known as Whiskey Shoals (near the mouth of Ross Creek) which is more accessible for surfers from the Moat Creek Public Access.

For Bowling Ball Beach there is a parking area alongside Highway 1 across from Schooner Gulch Road.

From the parking area there are two trailheads. The northern one goes to Bowling Ball Beach and the southern one goes to the main beach at Schooner Gulch Beach. Unfortunately, the northern trail is subject to erosion where it descends the bluff so it’s sometimes closed.

Address
CA-1 & Schooner Gulch Rd
Point Arena, CA 95468
Phone
707-937-5804
Park Name
Schooner Gulch State Beach
Other Names
Saunders Reef, Ross Creek Beach
Owner
State Park
Pet Details
Dogs allowed on leash
Fees
Free parking
Activities
Photography, Fishing, Surfing, Picnicking, Tidepooling, Beachcombing, Hiking
Amenities
Tide Pools, Driftwood, Toilet, Trails, Fossils
Map of Bowling Ball Beach
The Sea Ranch, US
10:38 pm, March 28, 2024
temperature icon 48°F
L: 48° H: 53°
Feels like 45.12 °F overcast clouds
Wind gusts: 3 m/s
UV Index: 0
Precipitation: 0.03 inch
Visibility: 10 km
Sunrise: 7:04 am
Sunset: 7:34 pm
Humidity 95 %
Pressure1015 mb
Wind 3 m/s

Nearby Beaches

Moat Creek Beach

1 miles away

Moat Creek Public Access has a small rocky driftwood-covered beach along the Mendocino County coast. Surfers call the area...

View beach

Hearn Gulch Beach

1.2 miles away

Hearn Gulch Beach in Mendocino County is in the deep protected cove called Saunders Landing, an old schooner mooring...

View beach

Nearby Attractions

Nearby Lodging

Reviews

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Rated 5.0 out of 5
June 12, 2023

Go at low tide. These rocks are real.

J Shein