Right Beaches › California › Whitethorn
Black Sands Beach (298 Dolphin Dr)
4.8★ · 126 Google ratings · Whitethorn, California
✓ Parking✓ Short walk✓ Restrooms
At a glance
Parking
270 ft away
Walk
270 ft · 1 min
Restrooms
Yes · 175 yd away
Water
57°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Tide
3 ft range today
Length
1.7 miles of shoreline
Sand
300 yd from the water to the back
Crowds
Quietest Wed 8am
Map of Black Sands Beach (298 Dolphin Dr)
1
2
1Parking270 ft from the listing2Restrooms175 yd from the listing
Guide
Good to know
Visit for dramatic coastal scenery and solitude
The black sand beach backed by redwood forests offers stunning views with few crowds and excellent sunset opportunities.
Plan for a challenging drive
The winding mountain road takes 45 minutes each way with steep grades that require good brakes and low gear.
Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes
The beach is covered in rocks and pebbles rather than soft sand, causing foot pain in sandals.
Do not enter the water
The waves are dangerously powerful with unpredictable currents and a sign warning that people have died here.
Conditions
How it is right now
Air
60°F · mostly clear
Water
57°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Waves
6.8 ft · 10 s apart
Wind
3 mph from the N
Shelter
Cross-shore · wind running along the beach
UV index
6 peak today
| Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 06:24 | High tide | ↑ |
| 10:21 | Low tide | ↓ |
| 16:51 | High tide | ↑ |
Last updated Sep 4, 5:36 AM.
Crowds
When it gets busy
| 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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QuietBusy
Practical
Plan your visit
📍 298 Dolphin Dr, Whitethorn, CA 95589
🅿 Parking 270 ft from the listing
🌊 Water 270 ft away, about 1 min walk
🚽 Restrooms 175 yd away
Nearby
Other beaches close by
800 yd away · shorter walk
1.6 miles away · shorter walk
1.7 miles away
8.5 miles away · shorter walk
19 miles away · shorter walk
22 miles away
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Questions
Common questions
Where do you park at Black Sands Beach?
The nearest mapped parking area is 270 ft from the listed location. Positions come from OpenStreetMap, not from review text.
How far is the walk to the water at Black Sands Beach?
270 ft in a straight line from the listing to the mapped shoreline, about 1 min. Soft sand and dune make the real walk longer than the straight line.
Does Black Sands Beach have restrooms?
Restrooms are mapped 175 yd from the listing.
When is Black Sands Beach least busy?
Google visit patterns put the quietest hour at Wed 8am and the busiest at Sun 1pm.
Measured from OpenStreetMap, public aerial imagery and live conditions data, and counted from visitor reviews. Every source, in full.
