Hearn Gulch Beach(Saunders Landing (Saunders Reef State Marine Conservation Area), Hearn Gulch Coastal Access)

Located to the south of Point Arena, Hearn Gulch Beach - also known as Hearn Gulch Coastal Access - is a small beach with light brown sand. The beach is situated below oceanfront bluffs within a deep cove called Saunders Landing (which was used as a docking spot by transport ships carrying lumber during the 19th century). The beach is surrounded on both sides by lava rocks and the bluff sides around the beach are covered in vegetation. There is a large rock formation present just offshore that has a small archway, which is only visible when viewed from the beach’s left side. 

Hearn Gulch Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities, so plan your visit accordingly. The beach allows dogs on leash. 

Hearn Gulch Beach offers many fun activities including beachcombing, sunbathing, wildlife watching, swimming, tidepooling, scuba diving, paddle boarding, boogie boarding, kayaking, canoeing, boating, and jet skiing. If you are planning to go into the water near Hearn Gulch Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have rip currents. Depending on the time of the year, you can see many animals in the water near Hearn Gulch Beach including seals, sea lions, dolphins, and migrating whales. If you like scuba diving or kayaking, Saunders Reef is a rocky reef that is half a mile away from this beach. This rocky reef has one of the largest bull kelp forests on the north-central coast. The reef and the water around it are home to many creatures including many kinds of interesting marine invertebrates and fishes. The blufftop area above Hearn Gulch Beach offers an incredible Instagram-worthy view of the Pacific Ocean.

Getting to Hearn Gulch Beach is easy - the steep and rocky access trail to the beach is located along Coast Highway/Pacific Coast Highway just north of the highway’s intersection with Iversen Point Road. There is also a free parking lot near the access trail.

There are many attractions near Hearn Gulch Beach. B. Bryan Preserve offers guided tours on land rovers/ trucks within its conservation area that has many interesting and extremely endangered herbivores from the continent of Africa including roan antelope, greater kudu antelope, sable antelope, and grevy’s zebra. The Point Arena Light Station is a historical landmark that has a lighthouse which was constructed in the early 20th century (after an earlier lighthouse on the site was severely damaged by storms) and is over a hundred feet tall. Apart from this lighthouse, there is also an indoor museum which is set in a 19th-century Fog Signal Building - this museum has interesting exhibits offering a unique insight into the property and the surrounding coastal region’s interesting natural and cultural history. The Light Station property also serves as a 23-acre outdoor museum that has many interesting exhibits including a stone labyrinth (which is the westernmost part of a series of public artworks spread across the 39th Latitude known as the "Art Line"), a druid’s circle made from shale pillars, a gazebo from the 1992 Mel Gibson movie Forever Young (which was shot on the light station property), a native plant garden, and a number of interpretive historical plaques and markers present around the museum grounds. If you are looking for another attraction near Hearn Gulch Beach, Point Arena Fishing Pier is a 322-feet long pier which is a popular fishing spot. Depending on the time of the year, you can catch many kinds of fish here including cabezon, rockfish, salmon, and greenling. In addition, the water around the pier is a popular spot among surfers, scuba divers, and kayakers.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Hearn Gulch Beach. Vue Coastal Kitchen offers a pleasant oceanfront dining experience and serves outstanding seafood, steaks, and pasta. Mariachi’s Restaurant offers delicious Mexican dishes including tacos, fajitas, chile Rellenos, and chimichangas. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Hearn Gulch Beach, the modestly priced Gualala Pizza & Bakery offers fantastic pizzas, sandwiches, desserts, and Mexican dishes including nachos, burritos, tacos, tortas, and quesadillas. 

If you are looking for a hotel near Hearn Gulch Beach, there are many great nearby options. If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 4-Star Elk Cove Inn is 35 minutes away by car and offers many amenities including a rooftop deck, a day spa, a beachfront gazebo, a guest lounge, and complimentary breakfast and wine and cocktails. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Hotel Breakers offers an Instagram-worthy view of the North California Shoreline. In addition, the hotel offers many amenities including a restaurant, complimentary continental breakfast, and a walking trail that offers incredible views of the Pacific Ocean. As another moderately priced option, the 3-Star Whale Watch Inn offers many amenities including access to a private beach club, a guest lounge, and weekly wine-and-cheese receptions. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Hearn Gulch Beach, the modestly priced 2-Star The Surf Motel at Gualala offers many amenities including an outdoor area with Adirondack chairs that offers Instagram-worthy views of the Pacific Ocean and complimentary breakfast with homemade pastries.