Black Sands Beach

A beach well worth exploring

This is a large, mostly west-facing, black sand beach with offshore reefs just north of the town of Shelter Cove. Black Sands Beach is a picturesque and relaxing.

The black sand that covers the beach and has given the spot its name is very unusual.

The beach is a 3.5-mile stretch of coastline 45 miles south of Eureka in Northern California.  

Directions:  
As visitors decend down the road into Shelter Cove they will need to turn right onto Beach Rd, which dead ends at Black Sands Beach. There is a sign indicating they are at the King Range NCA and the main parking is up top. Visitors will need to walk down the sidewalk to the beach access.    

Disabled parking is located immediately at the beach access point. The main parking lot has restrooms, a drinking fountain, and interpretive panels about the geology and other information about the area.  

PLEASE NOTE:
For beach goers, prudent respect for the unpredictability of the ocean, as well as an awareness of current tide and surf conditions, is strongly advised.