O the beauty and how wonderful it is to walk along the coast of California. A beautiful place for real Gorgeous rock formations such as tafoni sandstone, honeycomb shapes and holes in the rocks. Long time in the making, these geological wonders. Stop to observe and take some pics Really serene walking on the trail and seeing the gentle sway of the wildflowers and feeling the cool breeze read more

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Great park to walk along the coast line with interesting rock formations! Wild flowers in a spring is an added bonus! read more

Salt Point is an unsung gem of the Northern California coast - incredible to believe that this place wasn't completely teeming with people during our mid-July trip, but we probably encountered fewer an 20 people on the Salt Point Trail. We were staying in Woodside Campground, but had free entrance into Gerstle Cove Campground and access to the coastline. This is where Salt Point Trail begins. Prepare for the deteriorating visitor center and closed bathrooms by arriving ready to go with map in hand. We disembarked around noon and spent about 3.5 hours meandering through the bluffs and tidepools to Stump Beach and back. This is with someone averaging about a mile an hour & using a hiking pole. Everyone had a great time and gratefully no injuries or nuisances occurred! After a late lunch break, I went back to Stump Beach and continued the hike to Fisk Mill Cove - this area is currently closed, but the Bluff Trail from Stump Beach is accessible with some light bushwhacking. I wore jeans and hiking shoes to avoid the poison oak; always remember to check for ticks. The views are entirely worth some lite prep and effort. Enjoy! read more

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We explored Salt Point State Park this past weekend and so happy we did. While it took us a bit to get to the trail, the flowers in the meadows were in beautiful bloom like a carpet of yellow, red, purple and white. We hiked up to Stump Beach and back. Saw a couple of does on the trail, and what spectacular views. Be sure to check yourself for ticks, as I found two on my sweatshirt after the hike. I had no experienced this at some of the hiking trails up further north in Gualala, but it would definitely not keep me from returning again. read more

Great CA state park. Well maintained and site was excellent!!! Park is close by to many attractions and beautiful coastal nature. Highly recommend!! read more

Salt Point State Park - Site we were in. - Parks Near Me - Jenner, California

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This is my fiancée's favorite spot in California. And now is one mine as well! He decided to propose here and I must say the photos couldn't have been better. The entire area is the most gorgeous scenery, with the roaring ocean and right behind is a dense forest. No matter where you're coming from the drive there is stunning. It's usually pretty quiet with only one or two other groups. The rangers are so kind and keep the park looking its best. If you're looking for a spot quieter than Bodega Bay, this is your spot!! read more

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Make sure not to get confused between the Pygmy Forest in Salt Point State Park and the Pygmy Forest in Discovery Point. They are about 2 hours away from each other. I liked this trail because it was both challenging, scenic, and had good signage. We went up the Central Trail from the parking lot next to the Ranger Station and took a left to get to the North Trail. There is a pretty good incline so you will get a good workout! I liked this way because it was well-shaded and you can see the stark difference between regular redwoods and evergreens and the Pygmy Forest. You know when you hit the Pygmy Forest because the soil changes and there is so much sky overhead (plus the signs). I thought the change was really interesting and worth the visit. We then headed back down the Central Trail to the parking lot. It took about 1.5 hours to get through 3.4 miles of trail. There were also really interesting wildflowers but hardly any animals. I recommend checking it out - it's a fun hike and interesting natural occurrence! read more

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Camping in the California state park system can be frustrating, white with six month in advance reservations often required, crowds, no hook ups in most places, and the occasional bureaucratic idiocy of things like randomly canceled reservations for no apparent reason. Seriously it happens a lot. Still, California is "hated" by most of the country for a reason - - among them, our absolutely breathtaking natural resources, beautiful coast line, relatively mild weather, and just space! Salt point State Park is well enough off the beaten path to preserve a lot of the natural beauty of the area; unlike areas closer to civilization, this little spot just off Highway one she is relatively lighter camping traffic than most places. Every couple of years, my family and I head up this direction, with two camping options: gristle Cove, which is a top and Oceanside promontory, or the Woodside campgrounds, on the other side of Highway one. Both are great campgrounds, with decent amenities like flush toilets and shade in most camp sites. The real story here is the northern California coast line. Everywhere your point your camera looks like a postcard, with waves crashing against rocks, tide pools, and unique honeycombed sandstone rock features here. The hike along the coastal trails offer breathtaking views, and if you are properly licensed, there are some pretty awesome fishing and diving opportunities in the immediate area if you know what you're doing. There's plenty of wildlife here, ranging from harbor seals to tide pool creatures, small salamanders in the forest departs, foxes, birds of prey, and more plants then you can probably name. The weather can swing wildly here even in a single day, with fog, sunshine, calm, and strong winds all a possibility... Even in a single day. Cell phone service is hit or miss here, and if you're looking for a nearby grocery store, you're going to have a bad time. But unlike other beach camping that is closer to civilization, you would be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful and desolate spot along the California coast. The only noteworthy exception is that if your campsite is fairly close to the highway, you will hear a bit of road noise as lumber trucks and other folks zip up and down a two lane Highway 1. read more

Salt Point State Park - Parks Near Me - Jenner, California

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This park has beautiful ocean views, and is not far from Fort Ross State Historic Park. I would give it a five, but since it has no showers, I'm giving it a four. We camped there recently and had a really great time. The Gerstle Cove campsites have a fire ring with grill, picnic table with small wood larder, and tent site. There are no showers here, but flushing toilets and sink in the restroom, water spigots, dumpsters, and a campground host that sells wood. There is a cell phone tower by the Gerstle Cove Ranger Station, I had four bars while in the campground. The wind picks up around noon, so don't leave things out that can blow away. One day, the wind was extremely strong and our tent supports broke, so if the wind picks up, collapse or drop your tent/canopy down. This is a rugged section of the coast, with rocky coves and tide pools. There is one Sandy beach, Stump cove, that you can hike down to. Had the weather been warmer, this would have been a great spot to have a beach day and picnic. Be warned, there is poison oak in this area! On the hike down to Stump Beach, there was a lot of it. We were able to avoid it, but don't grab or brush against vegetation you are not familiar with! This is a pretty remote spot, so if you want to save money, bring all supplies with you. There is a small store not far from the park with drinks, snacks, some produce, meat, drinking water, briquettes, and brewed coffee. Near fort Ross, there is a larger store with a deli and espresso coffee drinks. It has a pretty good selection, but some items were pricy. Fill up your tank, because gas on this part of the coast was about 20% more. read more

Found this beauty through a friend. She recommended the hike was a gorgeous one so I made it a must. Located off Hwy 1 Gorgeous views with the ocean crashing into each other. The structure of the rocks were like no other as they are formed into salt rocks. You can also boulder or fish around the area. Peep out of my photos! Perfect day hike. read more

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One stop you should make at Salt Point State Park is Gerstle Cove. There will be a sign along Hwy 1 that states Gerstle Cove Campground. There is a booth at the entrance where you will have to pay $8 to enter and park. At the end of the parking lot is the trail that leads you to beautiful viewpoints of the ocean and the famous Tafoni formations this park is known for. Lots of photo opportunities here. It does get chilly and windy along the ocean so dress appropriately. read more

Salt Point State Park - Gerstle Cove - Parks Near Me - Jenner, California

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The location of the park is great - close to the beach with amazing views as you walk along the ocean. We also enjoyed our hike through some of the trails learning about the trees and plants in the area - but this is definitely not my favorite state park to camp at. We were camping here a couple months ago and the campsite was in pretty bad shape. The wooden food storage locker, attached to the picnic table, was literally falling apart and covered in spider webs. We couldn't use it at all. We walked around some of the other campsites after people checked out of them. Several sites were in the same condition, although ours was definitely the worst. read more

Salt Point State Park - Campsite picnic table and deteriorating food storage locker - Parks Near Me - Jenner, California

I had not camped at Salt Point in many many years & when looking for a family camping trip for my kids & grandkids, this campground came to mind. I once stayed at the Woodside sites in the past but it was much too crowded with sites close together so chose the Gerstle Cove section which is smaller & some sites are well spaced. So glad to make this decision as most the sites were quite nice. Our site was spacious , but did not have many trees so when the wind kicked up, we were quite chilled. The kids loved the huge field/meadow next to us to run around in. The short hike to the coast is beautiful and once you arrive at the water, you'll be blown away by the pure beauty. Please note this is not a beach and not advisable to get too close to the waters edge. The best beach nearby is Stump Beach which is in a cove and has sand. My family took the short drive there and I opted to hike (approx 1.5 miles each way). The views from the hike were absolutely spectacular! The water color is beautiful, the sandstone remarkable and once in a while you'll spot a sea lion sunning on a rock. There is also a nature center at the campground which the kids loved and a short walk down to a rocky beach. read more

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Salt Point State Park is absolutely amazing! The views of the coast are breathtaking, the sandstone rocks are like no other, and you can see harbor seals at times. Salt Point State Park is a 6,000 acre park so there is so much to see. We went really early and saw harbor seals. I have heard the sunsets are gorgeous from this park, although I have never seen them myself. This is a beautiful place to go hiking. People also go camping and fishing here as well. I would recommend dressing in layers and possibly having either a beanie, a hooded jacket, and/or ear muffs because the cool weather and strong winds made my ears really cold so it's good to come prepared. read more

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Overall, the campground is great. Each site is spaced out just right enough leaving you with just enough privacy. However, if your site is next to the restroom such as ours (site 15) it may or may not affect the foot traffic. It wasn't too bad for us as we had campers who had the curtesy to walk around. Accessibility to the coast is not as close as you think, but a good hike will get you there. There are a few things I don't like. Their spigots are none threaded. The only threaded spigot was at the camphost site. At the time there was no host present and the spigot was shutoff without a knob. Bring pliers just in case as you may need it. I on the other hand did not bring pliers and our spigot adapter was near to useless but with patience we prevailed filling our fresh water tank. Another annoying thing was the loop road was narrow and seem to be one directional as the majority was entering one way. It may not be a problem for everyone, but keep in mind some sites are angled the opposite direction which makes backing in challenging. For travel trailers, I recommend booking sites along the outer edge of the loop. Watch out for their security guard. Don't take his advice or comments seriously as he does not know what he is talking about and would just waste your time. Also, there's no dump station. The closest dump station would be in the Bodega Bay campgrounds that I'm aware of. If I would have known so many things I was clueless about, my stay would have been more pleasant. Camping is not always having your way. I've managed to make the best of it and would gladly return. read more

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Very, very beautiful park. Salt Point trail is the best. It is along the ocean. In spring, there are a lot of pretty wildflowers on the meadow one side, the other side is amazing blue Pacific Ocean. Several points, there are seals. They are so cute. We had a nap on the meadow. So relaxing. Some portions have poison oak. If you are sensitive like me, watch out! read more

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Wild, mossy, and filled with fantastic mushrooms. Quiet and peaceful. Relatively easy and quite an off the beaten path feeling hike. read more

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Beautiful beaches, very close to the campground. Campsites are good size, bathrooms are clean. We did face a scary scene when few kids in our group were attacked by yellow jackets, fortunately there were helping campers nearby with alcohol wipes and some medical knowledge but other than that we loved our stay there. There are nice seafood places close to the campsite that we explored while coming back read more

Salt Point State Park - Beach close to the campsite - Parks Near Me - Jenner, California

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One of the most pleasant and surprising places you can visit. Where do I begin. Let's start with the rangers and everyone running the park. They are so lovely. Their passion and knowledge is infectious. They are very sweet, kind and welcoming! We toured Stump Beach all the way to the Chinese Gulch. Learned about so many California Native Plants and the different animals and sea life in the area. The campground at Gerstle Cove was very clean and spacious. The reservation we made allowed up to 8 people. Bring plenty of firewood, it's $6 a bundle sold by a local at the entrance. You will need lots of wood because it gets pretty cold. Put away your food, hide it in a car or in the box they provide you. But if you use the box they provide you put a heavy box in front for further protection. These animals are wild and they are hungry. They tore up a box and ate our nuts. Do not feed the animals, it messes with the eco system. Overall a super fun, family friendly, water activity friendly environment. I recommend staying at Fort Ross Lodge after your camping adventure if you have a long journey home. It's a great place to relax and recover. Also it's mostly cold and windy and drizzly so pack layers and be sure you have elevation from the ground when you sleep. The bathrooms in the morning can get kind of backed up, shout out to the people who use the bathroom for the toilet only.. no joke, people try to shower in the sinks and it's a complete waste of water and very inconsiderate to all the other people who actually need to use the toilet. There are outlets in the bathroom. There's no hand soap, but plenty of toilet paper and it was pretty clean overall. Quiet time 8pm onwards, but the campgrounds are so spread out it's very peaceful. read more

Salt Point State Park - Parks Near Me - Jenner, California

One Independence Day weekend my other half was traveling abroad and I had to figure out what to do. Well...I wanted to go camping, I decided a couple days in advance, but to my surprise every campground in the 3-hour vicinity of the Bay Area was booked...except for this one last spot here at Salt Point State Park! I booked it immediately and the next day headed up there...along with my dog! The drive up the Sonoma/Mendocino coast is stunning. The further north I got, the foggier and more damp it all got. And once I got to the campground, I could barely see the neighboring tent! But I wasn't discouraged by this...I was excited to spend a few days hanging out by myself and just doing...nothing...nada! The campground itself is equipped with a basic toilet/wash house but no showers. The nearest grocery store is about a 10-minute drive away and features the most basic things that will keep you alive. I suggest though to bring everything you need...and just stay put. There's some nice walks in the area; walks along the cliffs, tide pools as well as a nearby redwood forest. The little town of Jenner is also worth a visit; especially the one cafe by the beach where they have great sandwiches. The cafe is called Aquatica. read more

Such a beautiful park! We brought our hammock and spent the day here. The water is almost crystal clear, you can visibly see the rocks at the bottom of the ocean. Plenty of beautiful hikes in the area. I will definitely be returning here the next time I want a peaceful getaway read more

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This review is strictly for the day use experience of the Park-no camping for me-so read on if you're a casual visitor to this area. Having the California state parks pass has been a great way for me to visit any and all parks this year. Salt Point had been on my radar for a while and what better time to head out this way than during a long holiday weekend? So that's exactly what my boyfriend and I did last Saturday over the 4th of July long holiday. It's a TREK to get up here from East Bay but the bucolic drive through Petaluma, Valley Ford and eventually Bodega Bay is lovely. I could feel my blood pressure drop once I crossed the Sonoma County line! I'd highly recommend leaving early and making some stops along the way. We stopped in Jenner for lunch, then Fort Ross before heading up to Salt Point. Although not too far, miles wise, it took about 40 minutes from Jenner. Windy roads and epic scenery await! Once you cross in to the official parkland areas off Highway 1, you will see signs for various campgrounds. After some research prior to the trip, I decided on the Gerstle Cove day use Area. There is a day use fee and a staffed kiosk (they waved me in when I displayed my pass) and easy to follow signs for the parking. While there is a campground here, simply follow the signs to the coastal area lots. There are some short paths along the bluffs at Gerstle Cove but no serious hikes. However, the cerulean water, rocky coast and crashing waves make this a spectacular stop along the coast. Part of this is a marine sanctuary with protected waters. Surprisingly while we saw signs indicating the camp grounds were full, there was barely anyone just here for the day use area. I suppose the long drive is discouraging-but look at the pictures and decide if it's worth it (it is!) Being we had other stops in Jenner, the Sonoma Coast and Bodega Bay, we didn't venture further north to other entry points of Salt Point. I've read there is a nice rhododendron Preserve, a Pygmy forest and other accessible coastal areas. Next time, we'll leave even earlier and make a whole day just of this park. From what I was able to visit so far, I'm giddy for this lesser known but gorgeous state park! read more

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My husband and I camped here with some friends in July and we loved it so much, my husband and I came back 3 months later to camp again. We camped in the Woodside area both times. This area is beautiful with a stunning view of the night sky. Not TOO far from the beach, and if you're lucky you can see the adorable seals sun tanning on the rocks. There are several faucets for running water around the campground and the bathrooms are nice and clean. No cell service, which to me, is a bonus, but something I think people should know before heading up here! Our time spent here has always been so relaxing and we look forward to coming back for many years to come. Consider this place for your next camping trip. It's truly something else. read more

Outstanding weekend at Salt Point. We drove up Friday night, and camped in the Gerstle Cove campground. We had a reservation, so when we got there we could just choose any site that was open, and the ranger even stopped by our site to check us in. The campground has bathrooms with running water, and there are also spigots throughout. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, and wood storage for food. There is a 0.3 mile trail from there to the cove itself, which is lovely, and leads to the coastal trail network heading north. We hiked 3.5 miles out to Sentinel Rock (north), with stump cove as the midpoint. The trail was really varied, from sweeping vistas, to sandstone formations, to pine forest. On Sunday we went across HWY 1 and hiked up through the redwoods to the Pygmy Forest. Lovely woods, and because it had just rained there were a ton of people foraging for mushrooms. The park is about an hour north of Bodega Bay, and is well maintained. Most of the time we had the trail to ourselves, and the quiet and surf were deeply refreshing. A great park with lots of hiking options. read more

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Raccoon Commander: The laast huuman hass goone to sleeep. Masks on. We STRRIKE NOWWW! Flock of Raccoons: GGRR-WWOOO! At 3am we could hear the fang and claw of several raccoons trying to tear into the food tent. Fortunately, those wascally waccoons only pillaged a bag of Safeway Select cookies, leaving the Pepperidge Farms cookies untouched. SUCKERS! In hindsight, it might have been better to have left a few goodies out, so they wouldn't have made such a ruckus. A group of close friends and I camped at Salt Point Park--north of Bodega Bay--for the second year in a row over the Memorial Day Weekend. The winding drive up HWY 1 is nothing short of beautiful, unless you get motion sickness because your asian-racer-driver-friend is ruthless and you find yourself blowing chunks in front of the cows who graze by the side of the road, but I'm not bitter. There are both walk-in and drive-in spots at the Woodside campground we stayed at. The walk-in spots, which are 1/3 of a mile from the parking area, are first come first served. No phone reservations. So for last second planning, this place is great because you can go up on a Friday or Saturday and snag a spot during peak season. That's a tip. I'm sharing tips with y'all. Site 15 is particularly good for privacy. - Each campsite includes a picnic table, fire pit and wooden food pantry. - Flushing toilets and sinks on the premises, with coin operated showers a 10 min drive away. - Firewood can be purchased for about $5 a bundle from the ranger station. - Cell phone coverage is useless, but there's a general store nearby with a pay phone. - Lots of trees shade the walk-in sites, with the drawback that stars aren't easily visible. - Fort Ross, Sandy Cove and Fisk Cove are attractions nearby worth a visit *ahem* FREE Here's more tips to make YOUR stay more pleasant: - Sitting on a rock isn't comfortable. Bring a chair for the campfire so YOU don't feel GUILTY when YOU inadvertently take MINE - Invest in camping plates, utensils and a mug, so YOU don't feel GUILTY when YOU inadvertently take MINE - Blank blank blank blank blank, so YOU don't feel GUILTY when YOU inadvertently take MINE (kidding, I got nothing but love for my homies) Hikes included a stroll to view the pygmy forest which was AMAZINGLY . . . lacking. I found banana slugs mating more riveting. I'd skip that particular walk and instead do a coastal hike to watch the ocean waves crashing against the shore and discover the marine life as the tide pulls away. This view of the Sonoma Coast--ranging from sandy beach coves to steep bluffs and sandstone cliffs--was worth the price of admission alone. p.s. Two of the raccoons followed me home and returned the Safeway Select cookies. They're playful furry things and are currently sleeping in a box in my closet. It's only when I vacuum that they get feisty. read more

Salt Point State Park - Fisk Cove - Parks Near Me - Jenner, California

For a much-needed R&R, I took a spontaneous weekend road trip to Salt Point State Park, where I know I'll have limited reception, be surrounded by green, and most importantly peace and quiet. This park has a lot of things to see but very doable in a day. This time I got caught in the rain while in the middle of the forest, which added to the adventure. Be prepared for all kinds of weather here. Sun, rain, and wind. There's a $8 entrance fee per vehicle, which is essentially a day pass for visiting any California state park. The park rangers are endearingly helpful and friendly. Main attractions: - Salt Point Trail: Ocean views and crashing waves on this level trail. You'll also find rare and unusual structures on the sandstone that look like honeycomb called tafoni, caused by the ocean salt. - Pygmy Forest and Prairie: Curiously, pine, cypress, and redwood trees in the pygmy forest are more miniature than the trees in the rest of the forest. The easier hike starts from Central Trail, crossing over to the North Trail, and looping back to the Central Trail. On the way back, the rich soil on Central Trail will easily turn into bright orange slippery mud when wet. The signs along the trails introducing the vegetation were both informative and hilarious. They would always end with a sentence "These are poisonous" or "These are not poisonous". Good to know... - Gerstle Cove State Marine Reserve: an "underwater park", so lots of divers. beautiful views and tidepools. - Kruse Rhododendron State Natural Reserve: easy hikes but I didn't see any rhododendron because it was already past spring when I went. - Phillips Gulch Falls: not marked on the map but worth seeing after a rainy season. It's a little hard to find. You'd have to park on the side of the road near where the map says Phillips Gulch and walk along an unmarked path along the coast. Supposedly there's a smaller waterfall at Chinese Gulch, but I didn't try to look for it. If after all this and you still have time and energy left, Fort Ross is a really cool historic park and former Russian establishment that's worth a visit. read more

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One reason why I love the SF Bay Area and will always miss it is simply the abundance of beautiful outdoor recreation areas. The options are plentiful, and I love finding new spots to explore. Recently explored: drive a couple hours north from San Francisco, and you'll find yourself in Salt Point State Park. Salt Point seems to offer a little bit of everything - rock formations, tide pools, coves, woods, fields, and even an impressive waterfall mere minutes from the main road. There are about 20 miles of hiking trails you could check out, or you can even just bring a lunch to enjoy out by the coast. Oh, and definitely bring your camera. The views are pretty sweet. Exploring the area? Here are some tips to make it a legit road trip adventure: -Drive up the 1 and enjoy the windy roads and epic views -Try grabbing some oysters at Hog Island on your way up or back down -Stop by Bodega Bay for some beach time and bites -Follow the Russian River out and spend some time in Guerneville for some time in the woods or a stay in some cottages -Make a slight detour on your way back to do some wine tasting near Sebastopol Ah, yes, I will definitely be back. Word of warning, though: there are definitely some ticks in the grassy areas. read more

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My latest trip to California gave me the opportunity to do something I had wanted to do for many years - camp overnight at Salt Point. There are two campgrounds at the park - Gerstle Cove, which lies between the ocean and Route 1, and Woodside on the other side of Route 1. The drive-in campsites are $25 (reservations strongly recommended April to October); the walk-in campsites are $15; "hike and bike" sites $3. Each site includes a fire pit, picnic table, and wildlife locker (there are lots of raccoons in the area!). You can buy firewood/kindling on-site ($6/$1), but if you arrive late in the day, supplies may be limited. California campgrounds require no firewood be brought from any further than 50 miles away, in order to prevent spread of invader species bugs; you will find that gas stations and convenience stores close to camping areas sell firewood also. We arrived at the park just after sunset. (By the way, there are NO lights in the campground areas, except for a light on the front of the bathroom building, so be prepared, and bring flashlights.) If you arrive after the ranger is gone for the day, you can self-register your car for your campsite at the entrance to either campground. Unlike many California campgrounds, if you make a reservation here, you do not pre-choose your spot, you pick out your site on arrival. We picked out a site with wide-open views of the sky and admittedly, close to the bathrooms. There are bathrooms, but not showers, available in both campgrounds. The bathrooms are simple (toilet and sink; no mirrors) but clean. There are other campgrounds with coin-operated showers available a couple miles south at Stillwater Cove, or several miles north at Gualala Point Regional Park. In the morning, we used the coin-operated shower at Gualala Point, which was clean, and thankfully, warm. The campsites are spaced far enough apart at Salt Point that they feel at least semi-private, but you can definitely see your neighbors. The parking spots are large enough for 30-35 foot trailers; check the reservation site for specifics. The evening skies at Salt Point - stars so thick in a moonless sky that you felt it was possible to reach up and pluck a few. Clear coastal skies, miles from the closest towns. I live in a major city - I'm lucky to see a handful of stars on the clearest of nights - so for me, it is a great joy to see nights like this. (It also admittedly strongly appeals to my inner outer-space geek.) And aside from what sounded like a horde of raccoons invading the campsite at midnight, looking for any possible remains from dinner, it was an otherwise peaceful and quiet night, the soft sound of surf lulling us to sleep. I was up before dawn, eager to get the early light on the shore (always keeping photography in mind...), and loved the beauty of a little sea haze drifting through the trees. My only other drawback for the campsite - at least the Gerstle Cove side, don't know about the other campgrounds - is that it's windy. But that's how this part of the California coast *is*, so it's just something you should expect. Our problem with the wind didn't affect us putting up our tent, it really was only a problem when we were trying to get our fire started, and the wood was a bit damp-ish, so we kept ending up with a face full of smoke. Next time I camp there, I would make sure my wood and tinder are dry. read more

Salt Point State Park - Gerstle campground - site #15 - Parks Near Me - Jenner, California

Five of us came to Gerstle Cove for an impromptu camping weekend. I'm definitely not a camper but I have to be honest and say my experience at Salt Point was very enjoyable. Pros: Bathrooms- were actually really clean with flush toilets. They came and cleaned the bathroom every morning and the guest staying there during my trip were very respectful and kept it clean. I was pleasantly surprised. Quiet/Relaxing- we had campers all around us but no one was really loud and everyone went to bed at a reasonable hour. Hikes- There is a nice trail to the cliffs/beach. We did the stroll with our morning coffee and it was perfect. Cons: No showers. We had to go to another campsite to take a shower. Drive- be warned.. you may get car sick read more

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When the weather permits, I recommend a trip to Salt Point. Yes, it's quite a drive from the greater Bay Area, and the roads are very windy, but it's worth it. The campground itself is pretty standard.There are fire pits, water faucets, and pretty clean restrooms nearby, as well. We went in June and there were many spots to choose from (though I'd suggest making reservations ahead of time anyway). The campground is about half a mile or so from the ocean, so you are not camping cliff-side, you're camping in the woods. If you want to explore the coastline and cliffs, it's just a 15-20 minute walk through the campground, across the road, and out to the other side. The ocean view is breathtaking. I recommend you go about 30 minutes before sunset to really enjoy the gorgeous colors of the sky. read more

Salt Point State Park - Parks Near Me - Jenner, California

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We had about 15 people camping at the group campsite, and I was very pleased with everything. Ranger Todd, who was a pleasant ranger, helped us when we arrived, moved us to the group camp site, and directed friends who arrived after dark to us without issue. We were fairly isolated, which makes for better camping, as we did not have to worry about being too loud too late, and the nearest people to us were probably a 10 minute walk down the road, and in campers. The trails are not marked in the best way, but the hiking and exploration is fun, the coastline is beautiful, and the camp sites are not bad. The bathrooms actually have toilet paper, which is always a pleasant surprise. The one thing to be careful of is the raccoon population, we had two living in our dumpsters and they are ballsy sons of guns. Enjoy your camping. read more

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One of my favorite Sonoma county hiking spots! (I'm probably biased though because I love tide pools and it's close to Jenner) Lots of interesting history & rock formations -- definitely worth the trip! read more

So we had never been camping out in these parts and we had our hearts set on camping at Gualala Point Regional Park or Doran Beach (Which we had never been to either, so I am not sure why we were so dead set on either of those 2 options). Anyways, apparently you cannot make campsite reservations any later than 10 days in advance at Gualala or Doran so we ended up here at Salt Point. BIG PLUS cause you can reserve anytime you want, as long as there is availability! They have 2 main locations to choose from, one close to the cove and one a little further. We had no idea which campsite to go to and we couldn't find the ranger so we decided to wing it, and chose a very comfy spot to camp for the night. (The next day, we left to explore and when we got back the ranger made a big deal and acted as if we didn't pay. I showed her our printed reservation - problem solved). She was very friendly after that exchange. There were families with kids, which was cool because we had our 4 yr old and our 13 yrl old too. We had brought a pinata because it was my son's 4th birthday and we invited 2 other kids to come and bust out that candy! Gerstle Cove was very cool. Lots of rocks and wading pools for kids and adults to explore. There were a lot of abalone divers too. My son adopted a fuzzy caterpillar and named him... well, Fuzzy. We put him back before leaving though. My son wasn't very happy about that, but I am pretty sure that Fuzzy was. I would def come back again. Pros: *Great View on the way there (plus funny free roaming cows on the highway) Idk why cows on the highway are funny to me, they just are. *Great campsites to choose from *Loved Gerstle Cove Cons: *No coin operated showers (we drove to Gualala to take showers) Tips: *Take Dramamine if you get car sick.. the road is long and windy. *Roll up your car windows at night and hide all your food. Throw garbage away before calling it a night. (Hungry Racoon broke into our car and ate all the hotdogs.) *Read signs posted by the bathrooms (If we had read them, we would've known to keep our windows rolled ALL the way up because of hungry Raccoons) read more

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We accessed the park driving thru Cazadero, and only ended up on highway one a relatively short amount. That dumps you out right at Fort Ross. That road was curved and sometimes single lane, but might be a preferable way if you're prone to carsickness. Woodside campground is the inland side of Highway one which is more sheltered than the windier side toward the water. Indeed We found the weather to be very different, warm and comfortable and sheltered there. They are definitely understaffed due to the budget cuts with only one ranger covering several parks. The toilets got a bit nasty after the long weekend, but the garbage was picked up at least once during our stay. All the employees were helpful and friendly. The north side of the park, Fisk Mill was supposed to be open by Jul 1, but when we went there it was still closed so we walked in from the road. The paths were overgrown but we were able to get to some nice vantage points for photos. Its the other area by the Visitors center that's the gem though with great rock formations and incredible views. The hike is flat and not long and there are photo ops every step of the way. Loved it. Lots of purported rock climbing around tho we didnt' see anybody climb nor did we find boulderable rocks without a guide. Next time I'll do my homework as there are supposed to be some good climbing here. read more

Great campgound for the whole family! Minutes away from the Gerstle Cove and Fort Ross for exploring. Salt Point State Park has two campsite--we stay at the Gerstle Campsite area. Our campsites were #27 & 28. We were with three other family so that was perfect for all of us and our tents. Also we were close to the bathroom so good for the kids. No showers but the bathrooms are clean and well stocked with toliet paper. Since it had no shower facility..probably would not be consider a good campground for stays longer then a few days. We stay Friday night and left Sunday and that was more then enough for us to enjoy the camp life there! I did read about the birds around the campsites...and it is true. They were not afraid to get pretty close to our camp. Over all a good campground--just wish it wasn't so far (also 3 hrs driving from Martinez). read more

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Review for lower loop Great scenery, great service from host, sights are smaller but all seem to be enclosed and more private. Very close to fort Ross ( the actual fort) which is great for a free historical excursion. The lower loop has sites that can have roughly 4 tents, ours was good for 2. All in all a great camp site!!! read more

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SALT POINT STATE PARK is located some distance north of the San Francisco Bay area, but it is still close enough for visiting on a routine basis. First, you need to drive north on Route 101 and be very careful about detecting the exit to Route 12 (which goes east-to-west). On three of my 20 or so visits to Salt Point State Park, I took the wrong exit. Anyway, then you need to drive west for a spell, on a route that takes you through Guerneville and then through Jenner. Guerneville, with its inspiring Armstrong Woods, and Jenner its world-class view of the mouth of the Russian River. And then . . . you need to drive north along a rather treacherous part of the legendary Route 1. Eventually, the motorist reaches Fort Ross, and immediately to the north of that is SALT POINT STATE PARK. If you want to stay for the weekend, I recommend FORT ROSS LODGE which unlike the nearby TIMBER COVE RESORT, will not require a loan from the bank just to pay for one fricken' night. SALT POINT STATE PARK is about five miles long, from north to south. A dirt hiking trail hugs the coast, but the intrepid explorer will want to devote the day to scampering among the stone formations between the dirt hiking trail and high tide. The tafoni formations take the form of spheres, knobs, discoid formations (a great disc sits on tope of the Big Triangle, a triangle (about 10 feet tall), elongated structures resembling stone clarinets or saxophones. The stone formations are called "tafoni." Tafoni can also be found in abundance at Pigeon Point and at Bean Hollow State Beach, located to the south of Half Moon Bay. Other stunning places to find tafoni are CAPE ARAGO STATE PARK and SHORE ACRES STATE PARK in Oregon. At Bean Hollow, you can find: (1) Human skull (3 feet wide, 4 feet high) laying flush with surface of stone beach. The skull is located away from the surf and close to the cliff that borders the east side of the beach; (2) Network of diamonds mounted on side of cliff; (3) Huge 12-foot tall formation resembling a monster-ant. The diamonds are in the same cliff as the monster-ant. My landscape photography exhibitions are listed below, and the one at Coyote Point Museum featured my tafoni photographs from SALT POINT STATE PARK. (1) ASUC Galleries, University of California, Berkeley, CA; July 1987. (2) Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley, CA; Dec. 1988-April 1989. (3) Albany Arts Gallery, Albany, CA; Sept. 1991-Oct.1991. (4) Photocentral Gallery, Hayward, CA; March 1992-May 1992. (5) Olive Hyde Gallery, Fremont, CA; July 1992-August 1992. (6) Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center, Hayward, CA; Dec. 1992-Feb. 1993. (7) Coyote Point Museum, San Mateo, CA; Jan. 1995-March 1995. (8) Randall Museum, San Francisco, CA; Dec. 1995-Feb. 1996. read more

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Beautiful trails along the coast. Great campsite with clean bathrooms. No showers. Bring baby wipes. ***Please note that when you make a reservation you will be assigned to a specific campsite but spots are on a first-come first-served basis. Each spot includes a fire pit, food locker, and picnic table. Happy Camping! read more

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Nothing bad to say. This place is amazingly beautiful and the water is crystal clear. Even caught a fish off the rocks!

Can I really fit everything I have to say in one review?? It's going to be hard but here goes... Campsites: Two separate areas to reserve space, woodside and oceanside. Definitely choose woodside. It has more trees to guard from strong ocean breezes, much more secluded feeling, much more campsites, closer to all the hiking, etc. We stayed in #54 and loved it. Right across from the bathrooms so sometimes there was noise, but the space was open yet secluded, flat area for tent. #106 is very very cool, you park along the road and have to walk up a little path to the site. Very very secluded, very cool, but there was a huge rock in the middle of the tent area and we didn't have any fancy pads, so we went with 54. #58 looked cool too. Most sites are best for 1 tent, but you can get larger ones that fit 3-4 tents or get sites next to each other if going with lots of people. Hiking/ Site seeing: In one day we saw.... 1) Redwood/ Pine thick forest 2) Pygmy forest (desert like forest, very cool and interesting) 3) Prairie (gorgeous watching it sway in the wind) 4) Sag Ponds (kinda hidden mucky ponds on a very remote path) 5) Ocean Tide pools filled with tons of crabs, starfish, sea lions, and lots more. Remember... that was in one day. 6 hours to be exact. Probably about 6 miles worth of hiking. The first part up to the Pygmy Forest was straight up, but after that it was very easy, downhill and flat. So incredibly gorgeous with so many different areas that you literally can't take it all in. No showers here but they do have some nearby. No mirrors in the bathroom. Weather is like SF in the early morning, evening, and night and Marin by day. Never got too hot (in the middle of July) and never too cold. Fog rolls in about 5pm and it comes fast! So pretty to watch. Even when foggy we were in shorts and a long sleeve top. The fog clears out when the sun goes down and you can stare at the stars. The drive: GORGEOUS. On the way there we didn't stop because we were so excited to get there, but on the way back we stopped like 100 times. "Take a picture of me with the "wild cows" standing on the road!!" "Take a picture of us on the edge of a bluff above the fog!" "Take a video of me sliding down the REALLY cool slide at the Salt Point Lodge!!!!" (SOOO FUN and REALLY FAST!) "Take a picture of the seals lining the bluffs below!" "Look! It's a brewery!, Look it's Korbel!, Look it's Ace Cider!" "Take a picture of me in the freezing cold Russian River trying to scrub off all the dirt so I look semi-normal when we go to all the breweries!" Basically... I had an awesome time here. I'm easily excitable and I felt like I was a kid again. So much to do, so much fun, so much cool stuff to do, just go here. You'll love it. Bring extra blankets for sleeping at night, the first night I was cold and too lazy to get the extra blanket out of the car. Don't forget your smores stuff. They are a highlight of all camping trips. Fire pits come with a grill so you can cook on it. $5 for wood, $1 for kindling. We bought one of each and lasted fine for 2 nights of fires. Store about 7 minutes south with minimal stuff and $11 6-pack of Red Tail. Bring whatever you can. Leave food in your car and you won't have to worry about raccoons. Ranger ladies were really really nice and helpful. When you arrive you drive around and write down campsites you like and then come back with your top 2/3 and then they assign them to you. So it's first come first serve with good sites. If you know what site you want you can probably talk to them and have them reserve them for you ahead of time. We had so much fun rating them. Because by the end we realized they are almost all exactly alike. read more