Gualala Point Regional Park is a regional park on Gualala Point at the mouth of the Gualala River in Sonoma County, California, south of Gualala. The 103-acre park is maintained by the Sonoma County Regional Parks Department.
This oceanfront park in the northwest corner of Sonoma County borders the Gualala River and Mendocino County. Located on both sides of Highway 1, the park features an expansive beach and estuary, where the river meets the sea, and a small, forested campground along the river. Trails connect the beach and campground to coastal bluffs and to The Sea Ranch community just to the south.
The park is popular with day hikers, beachcombers, picnickers, birders and whale-watchers, yet is rarely crowded. A visitors center is open most weekends and includes information on North Coast history, Native Americans, the Gualala River, and the marine environment. Seasonal fishing is available on the Gualala River.
Gualala Point Regional Park features a small campground set among the Gualala River redwoods on the east side of Highway 1.
The ceremonial posts in the meadow at Gualala Point Regional Park were created by wood carvers from the Sakha Republic in far northeastern Russia.
Gualala Point Regional Park offers 2.9 miles of trails along coastal bluffs and above the Gualala River.
Hours
Summer: 6 AM to sunset
Winter: 8 AM to sunset
Accessibility
Paved, wheelchair accessible trails and accessible camping area. All-terrain wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Onsite park staff will assist with the check-out/check-in process.
The last of our wheelchair-accessible Sonoma coastal trails is located just shy of the county line, in Gualala Point Regional Park. After you pay the parking fee, continue on the park road towards the visitor center. There’s accessible parking near the visitor center, and from there, a short paved path leads over to the back of the building. Although there’s a picnic table on the back lawn, there are many more secluded options along the trail.
From the visitor center a wide paved trail leads past a cypress grove and out to the beach access area, before it loops around past the accessible restrooms, and passes another more secluded accessible picnic table. It’s a nice 1.5 mile round-trip stroll on a level asphalt walkway, but if you want a coastal view you’ll need to take the short out-and-back hard-packed dirt trail near the visitor center. Just bear left when you reach the cypress grove until the paved trail dead ends at the viewpoint. Although the trail that leads out to a second viewpoint is not accessible, you’ll get a nice ocean view from the first vantage point. And if you’re not up for the longer walk, then it’s the perfect choice to top off this trio of wheelchair-accessible coastal trails.
