Address: Salmon Creek, Jenner, CA 95450
Goat Rock Beach is located in Jenner California which is about a 2 hours (84 miles) drive from San Francisco, California. A huge arched sea stack connected to the land by a narrow isthmus, the flat-topped rock is said to have derived its name from goat herds that grazed nearby more than a century ago..
From Bodega Bay we drove through a series of narrow, curvy winding roads with a beautiful view of the coast and a lot of smaller beaches to take pictures. While driving on CA-1 North after we passed Shell Beach we and saw the signage stating ‘Goat Rock Beach”. We made a left on the Goat Rock Road and drove for at least 20 minutes through another curvy winding road. As we passed the gate entrance, we drove on a downhill road and took the narrow road to the left towards the parking lot of the Goat Rock State Park. If you take the road to the right it will lead you to Goat Rock Beach where the sea lion sanctuary is located. We were surprised that the road to Goat Rock was narrow and both ways were taking turns or giving way to oncoming cars. The narrow road that led to the parking lot is made up of gravel, sand, and rocks so we drove slowly. There were a lot of parking spaces available and a public restroom on site. We took a lot of pictures along the area and even saw the famous Archstone Rock from a distance with the waves crashing through the rock. There were a lot of people laying or relaxing on the beach and we watched a few surfers riding the waves. But we were cautious as the waves were very strong around the area.
Overall, Goat Rock Beach is a very unique, and a good place to unwind or have a picnic on the beach with a gorgeous view of the Archstone Rock from a distance.
Tips:Â Drive slowly as the road going into the parking area is a one-way road only. The parking area and the road are made up of gravel, rocks, and sand. There is a public restroom available near the parking area. You can also see the Archstone Rock from the distance at the parking area. The entrance to the Goat Rock State Park is after the Blind Beach overlook. There is a lot of smaller vista points that are good for a photo opportunity along the way to the Goat Rock.
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