Address: 3799 Westshore Rd, Bodega Bay, CA 94923
Bodega Head Trail State Park is in Sonoma County and situated on a small town called Bodega Bay. Bodega Head shelters the bay and harbor from the power of the Pacific Ocean and is about four miles long and one mile wide. Bodega Head is good for people who enjoy sightseeing, nature walking, photography, hiking, whale watching, or simply watching the sunset. Bodega Head has two trails which are family friendly and the trailhead protects both the North and West sides of the Bodega Harbor from the Pacific storms. Bodega head bluffs and cliffs have a 360 degrees views of the Pacific Ocean with the deep blue seas. There are 2 parking lots available onsite which are the upper area which is less maintained road and the lower area which is made up of sand and rocks with large potholes. There is no admission or entrance fee to visit the State Park. And no drones are allowed in Bodega Head.
The East Trail is a 1.7 mile loop that passes through the southern coastal bluffs of Bodega Head. While the west trail is a 1.2 mile loop that leads to the coastal bluffs and overlooks the view of the Horseshoe Cove. Bodega Head is one of the great spot to Whale Watch by the west trail parking area.
Bodega Head is about 1 hour and 30 minutes drive (77 miles) from San Francisco to Bodega Head State Park via US-101 North. But we came from Napa area (Yountville area) which only took us about 1 hour drive to Bodega Head. We passed through a couple of towns, local stores along the way such as the Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery, Estero Cafe, Valley Ford Supermarket. The cool place that we made a stopped over and ate is the famous “Bodega Bay Oyster Company.” We had our late lunch and ordered the famous “Kumamoto” bbq oysters, clam chowder, shrimp tacos and garlic bread.
We also passed through the popular Bodega Bay “Spud Point Crab Company” which is famous for its signature clam chowder. Bodega Head is about 3 minutes away from Spud Point. We made a right turn at the end of the road and drove up on a two-way, winding, narrow paved road. We had to be careful and paid attention to the other oncoming cars driving downhill and leaving the area. The large parking area was very busy since it was almost sunset and made up of sand and gravel with large potholes.
Overall, it was a fun, beautiful place to watch sunset with a 360 view of the Pacific Ocean with the deep blue seas. We enjoyed and experienced the power of the ocean as the waves crushed at the huge rocks and mesmerized by the beauty of nature at sunset. There were other hiking trails available at Bodega Head that you can explore with the entire family.
Tips: Watch out when you are driving uphill towards Bodega Head as the roads are narrow, slightly winding and two-way streets. Always watch out for oncoming traffic and pay attention to cars coming in and out of the parking space. There are public restrooms onsite but without a sink, so bring your toilet paper and hand sanitizer.. Bring binoculars to see all the different species of birds, wildlife and whale watching. Parking lot is made up of sand and gravel (unpaved) with large potholes. Watch out for dangerous cliffs and bring a jacket or sweater as the weather changes.
Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about Bodega Head State Park after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.
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