So. Many. SAND DOLLARS!! It's mind blowing - every few feet there's another one, and another one,…read moreand another one!! And this is probably the first California beach I've ever had all to myself! I think I saw 1-2 other people and that was it...fantastic!! I visited in March as part of my Redwoods trip...it's easy to get to along the Redwoods Coast - highly recommend if you're in the area. It was cloudy, cold, and windy - but that made it even more gorgeous! Very cozy...I loved it! The colors were dramatic and waves were angry - such a mood!! To get to the beach, you have to walk over a stretch of sand dunes dotted with clumps of beach grass. And then it's wide open beach after that. Lots of shorebirds, sand dollars, and shells to keep you occupied. There are looming mountains off in the distance. So photogenic! There's a small-ish parking lot (I didn't see any bathrooms) with a gate that indicates the entrance to the beach walk. Before you get to the parking lot, there's a yellow sort of gate area that they close at a certain time every evening - there are plenty of signs to tell you what time it closes and don't get caught behind it after hours or you'll have to call the cops and get towed! Apparently, down the other road to the right of the gate takes you to a boat ramp and horse staging area. Be sure to make a stop at the nearby Mad River Bridge too - you can miss it!! Totally worth it - especially since you're already in the area (see my bridge review - it has a cool history and views)!

This beach hold many memories of bon fire nights with friends along with star gazing nights…read more Beware this beach is open sunrise to sunset so make sure to park outside the fenced area if you want to stay after closing. Also be careful when waking in the areas where folks have bon fires by the beach, there are many sharp objects such as construction nails and such especially since people prefer to use wood pallets for bon fires. Back in the day there way no fenced area so it was fairly easy to stumble on rocks or sharp grass back to the car especially if a friend had too much to drink. Once in awhile you will see dark objects bobbing their heads in the water. Don't be too alarmed it might be a seal. I wasn't sure at first but I made sure to zoom in on my camera ;-)

Easy parking and much easier walk to the beach then other ones in the area. Great location and our…read moredogs loved to run and dig!

I had a few free hours to myself during a recent trip to Arcata so I searched for a beach near me…read more Mauren Beach was less than a 10 minute drive from my rental house, so I set off. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to find, how short the walk is from my parking space and how clean the beach is. There were a few people along the beach as well as a few surfers in the water. Polite dogs and their walkers would stroll by on occasion. I thoroughly enjoyed lounging in my chair and reading while the sound of the waves calmed my soul. I look forward to returning on my next visit to the area.

My son brought us here since it's one of the places the college kids hang out at…read moreThere was a small lot which led to a gorgeous trail covered in trees When we emerge from the trees, it was the ocean with the most insane view ever It's a walk, not a hike so very easy I could see why the kids like to hang out here When we went, it was mostly families, but I imagine it changes later in the day Definitely check this place out. It was gorgeous. A completely different view of the previous hike I had done in Trinidad

We go up to Eureka about once a month, especially in the summer, and are always trying to find new…read moreplaces to explore. Everyone kept saying that Trinidad has some very nice scenic beaches to explore. So we did an eeny meeny miney more and ended up picking College Cove. People definitely were not lying about the steep downhill trek to get to the beach. Some parts at least had stairs, others I pretty much had to crab crawl down to avoid slipping and falling. However as said it is definitely doable, just a bit of a pain. Once you reach the beach you stand in awe and amazement at all of the rock formations. We went on a Wednesday morning around 11 a.m. and there were other people there as well. By the time we decided to head out an hour later there were more and more people showing up. It's no fun BTW trying to stand to the side on your trek back up while people are trying to come down at the same time. There were a ton of starfish on the far left of the beach. Not much for seashell finding or small beach rocks. The beach was pretty clean, nice to not see litter on the beach like some other beaches. It's not that terribly big of a beach either, my guess is it's likely more quiet earlier in the morning vs mid morning and afternoon. With so many different beaches in Humboldt, there really is no need to go back to this one. Despite the beautiful rock formations (which you can find at a lot of northern west coast beaches), and the starfish, I feel what you get for the trek down isn't all that worth it.

Little close to the road and 30.00 is a bi steep o camp on your own land. (Public)…read more But is Perfect for a one nighter.

I didn't get to spend a lot of time here. But I needed to kill an hour as I was headed to…read moreCalifornia Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport. This beach is off the 101 and really close to the airport. The facilities are minimal and they allow camping on the beach here at Clam Beach. It is also dog friendly. I enjoyed taking a moment to walk around and take in some fresh ocean air before heading out on my flight home.

Beautiful coastal trail! I hiked a tiny portion of it while on my vacation…read more The path is well marked, and is accessible from multiple access points in the McKinleyville area! #HammondTrail

This beautiful trail runs along the coast starting on the border of North Arcata and South…read moreMcKinleyville towards Trinidad! I used to bike it many years back but now I prefer to walk from Mad River beach until I get to McKinleyville/Trinidad sometimes. I love the ocean view along with the pastures of cows, blue herons, white cranes and various other random lizards, snakes, birds and insects walking around. Recently I have witness a Jerusalem cricket , blue herons, white cranes, a fox, peacocks etc

This place is such a beautiful place to go hiking, to take your four legged friend, or to go…read morehorseback riding. There are the Ma-le'l Dunes North and the Me-le'l Dunes South, both of which have lots of different trails. We hiked around in the the sand dunes on a trail that led to the beach and it was a beautiful hike. It was nice to hang out on the beach and watch the waves. You can walk along the beach and it's nice that there isn't many people around. We also hiked up the dunes to where the spruce trees met the forest. It was fascinating to see trees in the sand and where the dunes and the forest meet up close. This was such a fun place to explore! There is plenty of parking. There is a bathroom near where you park and doggy bags. Please bring your own doggy bags and leave no trace! This is a beautiful place worth exploring!

We went to the South dunes. North dunes was closed…read more It was pretty nice where my kids rolled around the sand. Unable to sled down with a cardboard box though.

3-4 parking spots, stairs are in good repair, the do get a little steeper at the bottom. The beach…read moreis on the small side and has a coastal creek running into the ocean

For a short and beautiful stop, park right before the beach at Tepona Point! So much dramaread more

How the heck did I forget to review this glorious beach considering I was the one that put this bad…read moreboy on the map!? Have you ever been to Thailand? If not, this is that kind of beach that reminds me of something you would see in Thailand. It's just one of those beauties that is all natural and untouched. It always takes my breath away as I pass through the entry trail. Cool Things: - Parking isn't difficult to find if you just drive along the coast - You may see horseback riding here - It is such a peaceful place to take a long walk that seems to never end My hubby and I would come here almost everyday when we first moved out here. I must say, this was one of those places that gave us the kind of self-reflecting we needed to provide us self-healing. Truly, I am grateful to live so close to this dreamland.

Quick little drive from Eureka and plenty of space to share a beach front. Love to go there for a…read morequiet day at the beach.