Located near the mouth of the Gualala River, Gualala River Beach is a riverfront pebbly beach. This beach is situated along the banks of the Gualala River and is a part of a historic area known as the Mill Bend, which was recently acquired by the Redwood Coast Land Conservancy. This beach is surrounded by dense vegetation and the Gualala River Bridge is also present nearby. This beach is a part of a region locally known as the "Banana Belt" which has sunnier and warmer weather than other parts of Mendocino County. Gualala River Beach does not have lifeguards. However, the beach has a small craft boat launch and some trails. The beach also allows dogs. Getting to Gualala River Beach is easy - the access trail to the beach is situated just north of the Gualala River Bridge along the western side of Coast Highway / Pacific Coast Highway. There is a free parking lot near the beginning of the access trail just across the highway. Since you need to cross an active highway from the parking lot to access the beach, we recommend being very careful.
