Ohh, Gualala

Coastal camping just got cozy in Sonoma County. Enjoy the sea breeze and take refuge from it too at Gualala Point Regional Park Campground, where 18 sites sit shaded beneath a rich canopy of riverfront redwoods and bay laurels. We recommend sites 1-6 and site 10, where unimpeded Gualala River views make the perfect backdrop for a toasty evening campfire.

Kick back in your tent, kayak the current, or take a hike out to the sea: A forested 1-mile trail from the campground sweeps beachgoers past the visitor center to thunderous waves pounding a sandy windswept shore. For a longer hike, follow one of a handful of paths to the beginning of Bluff Top Trail near Whale Watch Point. This 3.3-mile (one-way) gem parallels the coastline atop headlands sprinkled with windblown woods and yellow bursts of wildflowers. Peer out to sea stacks and down into hidden coves all the way to the turnaround point at the intersection with Walk on Beach Trail. You won’t regret taking it before heading back: This short, 0.5-mile (round-trip) spur traverses a large Monterey cypress grove to a small beach reached by a bluff-top staircase. Ohh Gua-la!

Gualala Point Regional Park Campground  sits on the Gualala River, just south of the town of Gualala on Hwy. 1. It offers 18 individual sites. Reserve. There are also 6 walk-in sites and a shared first-come, first-served hike/bike-in site. Individual and walk-ins $35/night; hike/bike-in $5/person. Day use fee $7/vehicle. Dogs allowed on leash. Bluff Top Trail extends 3.3 miles (one-way) from the park to Walk on Beach trailhead.