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Salt Point State Park
Nearby Parks:
Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve
Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve
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| State Park Contact Information: |
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Salt Point State Park
Phone: 707-847-3221
Reservations: 800-444-7275
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Area Accommodations
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Reservations: 
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| State Park Overview: |
| Rocky promontories, panoramic views, kelp-dotted coves, and the dramatic sounds of pounding surf; open grasslands, forested hills, pristine prairies, and pygmy forests- you can experience all of these coastal wonders within the Salt Point State Park. With 20 miles of hiking trails, over six miles of rugged coastline, and an underwater park, you can enjoy a variety of picnicking, hiking, horseback riding, fishing, skin and SCUBA diving, and camping. The weather can be changeable along the rugged Northern California Coast. Even summertime can be cool as fog hugs the coastline and ocean winds chill the air. We recommend layered clothing for your visit.
Sandstone and TafoniEver wonder where the streets of San Francisco came from? Sandstone from Salt Point was used in the construction of San Francisco's streets and buildings during the mid 1800's. If you look closely at the rocks at Gerstle Cove, you can still see eyebolts where the ships anchored while sandstone slabs were loaded onboard. Quarried rocks can still be seen scattered along the marine terrace north of Gerstle Cove. Look for the drill holes along the edges of the rocks that were used to separate the large rocks into smaller slabs.
Tafoni is the Italian word for cavern. It is a natural phenomenon that is common along the sandstone near the ocean's edge at Gerstle Cove and Fisk Mill. Look for a honeycomb type network carved into the rocks forming pits, knobs, ribs, and ridges. |
| Nature of the Area: |
| Land Plants and Animals
As the terrain rises northeast of Highway One, coastal brush and grasslands blend into lush growths of bishop pine, Douglas, fir, madrone, tan oak, groves of second growth redwood and quiet meadow areas. At the top of the coastal ridge, at about 1,000 feet elevation, there is a large open "prairie" where elk once grazed. At Salt point's highest elevation, you will find pygmy forests where stands of pygmy cypress, pine, and even the normally gigantic redwood grow only to stunted sizes. This is caused by the combination of a highly acidic soil that is lacking in nutrients and a hardpan layer just below the soil surface. Similar stands of pygmy forest are found all along the Pacific Coast from Monterey County northward to Mendocino County.
Black-tailed deer, raccoons, coyotes, bobcats, gray foxes, badgers, striped skunks, and dozens of varieties of rodents such as squirrels, chipmunks, and field mice are native to this area. Bears and mountain lions occasionally range the area, although visitors rarely see them.
The forest, grassland, and ocean's shore host a huge variety of birds. Look for pelicans, ospreys, woodpeckers (including pileated), and oyster catchers. Be wary of Steller's jays and ravens who ravage unattended campsites in search of food.Marine Plants and AnimalsBull kelp thrives along the Pacific coast. In April, no kelp is visible from the shore, but its growth has already begun. Attaching to rocks with a holdfast, it will grow up to 10 inches per day as it reaches for sunlight at the ocean's surface. In August, the water is dark with the lush kelp forest that provides homes for numerous varieties of rock fish and marine organisms.
Sonoma Coast is famous for its red abalone. This slow-growing aquatic snail is an important part of the intertidal community. It takes an abalone an average of 10 years to reach a diameter of 7 inches.
Gray whales can be seen between December and April as they migrate southward to their breeding and calving areas along the coast of Baja California and then return to their summer feeding areas in the Bering Sea.
Gerstle Cove is an Underwater Reserve where no form of marine life may be taken or disturbed. The boundaries are marked with a yellow pole on the north end and yellow paint on the south. |
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| Camping: |
| All campsites, with the exception of our overflow camping, are equipped with a fire-ring, picnic table, and food locker. The campgrounds have drinking water and restrooms but no showers. A dump station is not available.
The family sites and group campground are on our reservation system from March 15 to October 31 by calling 1-800-444-PARK (7275). November 1- March 14 they are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The walk-in sites, hiker/biker sites, and overflow camping are on a first-come, first-served basis year round- no reservations are available for these sites. Campgrounds consistently fill on weekends from April 1 to the end of September. Reservations are strongly recommended. For campground maps please see link to the left, but keep in mind that specific sites cannot be reserved.
FAMILY SITES:
Two main campgrounds are available at Salt Point State Park. Gerstle Cove campground is situated atop the coastal bluffs on the ocean side of Highway One and offers 30 family campsites. Woodside Campground, with 79 sites, is located on the east side of Highway One.
WALK-IN SITES:
The walk-in campground is located in the Woodside Campground and offers 20 sites which are located 1/3 to 1/2 mile from the parking area. Dogs are prohibited in these sites.
HIKER/BIKER SITES:
Ten sites are available for campers on foot or bicycles. These sites are located behind the ranger office near Woodside Campground.
GROUP CAMPING:
This camp is located on the ocean side of Highway One and accommodates a maximum of 40 people and ten cars. Dogs are prohibited.
OVERFLOW CAMPING:
A day use parking lot located below Gerstle Campground is available for self-contained vehicles only. No tent camping or open fires are allowed. No restroom facilities or drinking water are available. |
| Trails: |
| There are over 20 miles of hiking and equestrian trails to explore in Salt Point State Park. Trail maps are available at the entrance station. |
| Picnicking: |
| Fisk Mill Cove is a day use area that provides picnickers with paved parking, picnic tables, small upright barbeques, restrooms, and drinking water. Additionally, the bishop pines in this area provide protection from the spring and summer winds. You can take a short walk from the north lot for a dramatic view of the Pacific Ocean from Sentinel Rock's wooden deck.
Stump Beach is another picnic area that offers one of the few sandy beaches north of Jenner. There are a few picnic tables near the parking lot and a primitive toilet with no running water. A 1/4 mile trail leads down to the beach.
South Gerstle Cove also has picnic tables, a primitive toilet, and a beautiful, exposed view of the ocean. |
| Fishing and Hunting: |
| Fishing:
Fishing is permitted throughout the area with a valid fishing license, with the exception of Gerstle Cove Marine Reserve. The rocky coastline at Salt Point provides many excellent ocean fishing opportunities. Using bait of squid, shrimp, mussels, or smelt you can catch lingcod, cabezon, rockfish, and greenlings while fishing from the rocks. Be careful to stay back from the waves reach, since the rocks can be slippery and the ocean is rough. |
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| Area Accommodations |
| B&Bs / Inns | | Village Inn & Restaurant - Delightful, historic 11-room Country Inn recently restored to yesteryear's charm. Spectacular views of Russian River & Redwoods. Specialty dinner restaurant, full bar & award winning wine list. | | Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant - A landmark Sonoma Russian River Wine Valley Bed & Breakfast Inn and Restaurant
| | Hope-Merrill & Hope-Bosworth Inns - Facing each other across Geyserville Avenue are the charming Queen Anne Craftsman style Hope-Bosworth House and the strikingly restored Eastlake Style Victorian Hope-Merrill House. | |  | Aurora Park Cottages - Calistoga, CA
More than a B&B - Aurora Park Cottages is your private vacation retreat at the top of Napa Valley. Located in a country setting in beautiful Calistoga - the spa capital of California. FREE CHAMPAGNE AND CHOCOLATES! Please tell us you found us on www.stateparks.com and we'll have some chilled champagne and chocolates awaiting your arrival at Aurora Park Cottages.
Web Site: http://www.aurorapark.com |
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| Related Links: |
| The Parks of the Sonoma Coastal Region in California - Description of the State parks at the Sonoma Coast in Northern California ... pooling, fishing, diving and a sandy beach. Salt Point State Park is located on the rugged northern California coastline ... | | Salt Point State Park, Sonoma County - Information on individual northern California dive sites. ... County Abalone Kayak Diving Dive Clubs Dive Log Links Salt Point State Park Salt Point State Park is a popular destination for campers and ... | | Trees and flora at Salt Point State Park, Sonoma Coast, California; Stock Photography and - Trees and flora at Salt Point State Park, Sonoma Coast, California; Stock Photography and Fine Art Photo Gallery of the Northern ... of Fort Bragg, Mendocino, Salt Point State Park, Noyo Harbor ... | | Evening light over coastal bluffs at Salt Point State Park, Sonoma Coast, California; Stoc - Evening light over coastal bluffs at Salt Point State Park, Sonoma Coast, California; Stock Photography and Fine Art Photo ... of Fort Bragg, Mendocino, Salt Point State Park, Noyo Harbor ... | | Day 16 Salt Point State Park to Samuel P. Taylor State Park, CA - Tom's bicycle tour continues south along the Northern California coast past Fort Ross, Jenner, the ... Day 15 Van Damme State Park to Salt Point State Park, CA Day 16 Salt Point State Park to ... | | Day 15 Van Damme State Park to Salt Point State Park, CA - Tom bicycles south past Point Arena, Gualala to Salt Point State Park ... State Park, CA Day 15 Van Damme State Park to Salt Point State Park, CA Day 16 Salt Point State Park to Samuel P ... | | Salt Point State Park - Garth Hagerman's photographs of Salt Point State Park in Sonoma County, California ... Links Nature Photography by Garth Hagerman Salt Point State Park Salt Point is located in Sonoma County ... | | Patricia's Various Hiking Pictures: Salt Point State Park (California) - Patricia's Various Hiking Pictures: Salt Point State Park (California) To the picture index To my hiking page To my NBA page Salt Point State Park [July 1999] Patricia Bender patricia@dfw.com Not ... | | Geology of Salt Point State Park, CA - THE GEOLOGY OF SALT POINT STATE PARK Salt Point State Park provides the visitor spectacular vistas of the ocean, with rugged ... GEOLOGIC PROCESSES AT SALT POINT STATE PARK Salt Point State Park ... | | Salt Point State Park, Sonoma Coast, California - ... the coast just after a big storm can be a wonderful experience. Salt Point State Park offers a great setting for such an outing. ... Ross | Ocean Cove Salt Point State Park | Stewarts Point* | ... | | Salt Point State Park - Salt Point State Park embraces a rugged stretch of coastline in what is known as the Sonoma coast. Located along Highway 1, Salt Point is north of San Francisco. Here the shoreline is pictured... |
| Area Attractions: |
| Underwater Park
The park includes one of the first underwater parks in California, Gerstle Cove Marine Reserve, where marine life is completely protected. The cove affords shelter for the hand launching of small boats and divers come to the cove to explore the wonders of the undersea world.
Marine life can be experienced on land during low tide in the rocky intertidal zone through tide pool exploration. When exploring these areas remember that many of these organisms can be damaged or destroyed by even the simple act of turning over a rock and exposing the animals to the sun.
Diving
Along the North Coast many divers become entangled in kelp. Those that can calmly free themselves survive but tragically, several divers drown every year in this same situation. The truth is, most entanglements can be easily avoided.
The vast majority of kelp along the North Coast is Bull Kelp (Macrocystis sp.), which is quite slippery and does not tighten up on wetsuits. In watching seals and otters swim through the kelp effortlessly and without incident, we can learn a valuable lesson about being as streamlined as possible while diving. The problem for divers usually comes when they snag items that are not streamlined with the rest of their bodies. The most notorious culprits are dive knives, fin buckles, and snorkels.EquipmentDive KnivesIronically, strapping a dive knife to your calf while free diving is more likely to get you INTO trouble than out of trouble. They are notorious for catching hold of the kelp on ascent and, if strapped on the calf, can be difficult to reach. If you feel more comfortable free diving with a knife, consider strapping it to your arm or thigh where it is less likely to catch and much easier to reach if needed.
Fin Buckles There are several reputable fin companies which offer dive fins without buckles. If you prefer fins with buckles, consider taping over the buckles once you have them sized to your foot. While diving near kelp make a visual check of your fins and feet before every ascent to be sure that they are clear.
SnorkelsSnorkels getting caught in kelp can compound the diver's problem. The snag often pulls the diver's mask from the diver's face. This floods the mask, obscures the diver's vision, and induces panic. Snorkel entanglement is usually caused by not being aware of your surroundings. One of the key rules of diving is to be aware of what is around you at all times. On ascent, always look up, watch where you are going and be aware of what is around you from every direction. Avoid the thick kelp canopy near the surface, but if you must break through it, lead with your hands.Safety Rules
The easiest way to avoid kelp entanglement is not to dive in it. If you are not an advanced diver, stay in clear areas or on the fringes of the kelp forests. Do not dive in kelp if visibility is poor. If you become entangled, DO NOT STRUGGLE and resist panic. Find where the kelp is caught and calmly untangle it.Training DrillsConsider practicing a kelp removal drill while you are diving. At depth, when your lungs are telling you it is time to surface, imagine that your fin becomes entangled in kelp. Can you reach down and free it, or remove your fin if you had to? Would you remember to put your hand on your weight belt buckle and be ready to drop it if needed?
The vast majority of drowned divers are recovered with their weight belts on. Doing drills like this will teach your mind not to panic in a real emergency. Practice it- it could save your life. |
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