Redwoods, Blue Coast

Hike Shell Beach to Pomo Canyon Redwoods on Sonoma Coast

Hike Pomo Canyon for Redwoods on the Sonoma Coast

Red: redwoods. White: wave ripples on sandy beaches. Blue: the Pacific. Combine all of the Sonoma Coast's best features on a this 6-mile (round-trip) hike from Shell Beach to Pomo Canyon.

Start at Shell Beach (arrive early for best chances of getting an easy parking space). Cross Highway 1 (carefully!) to the Pomo Canyon trailhead (aka Dr. David C. Joseph Memorial Trail) and ascend the coastal hills, topping out at a gorgeous northern vista of the Russian River emptying into the Pacific.

Descend into Pomo Canyon for its major highlight: a pristine, tranquil old-growth redwood forest where patches of sunlight sneak through the tall canopy and fall like fairy dust to the ground. (October 2020 Update: Multiple environmental campsites are here, along with picnic tables, but camping is currently not allowed at Pomo Canyon; check the Sonoma Coast SP website for updates.)

Hike among the redwoods at Pomo Canyon on the Sonoma Coast

Return the way you came and head down the set of wooden stairs to Shell Beach. Low tide brings tide-pool sightings of hermit crabs, sea stars, and giant green anemone clinging to rocks. Red, white, blue, and you!

Check out these Sonoma County Trip Ideas

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: In the episode "Secrets of Sonoma County" Weekend Sherpa co-founders discuss their adventure hiking at Pomo Canyon. And they share a story about their back-in-the-day camping trip, which involved a late-night visit from a mountain lion!

Shell Beach on the Sonoma Coast

Start the hike at the Shell Beach parking lot, which is 7 miles north of Bodega Bay on Hwy 1. The Kortum Trail runs north and south; for the route mentioned, go north toward Goat Rock and Blind Beach. Shell Beach is dog-friendly. Watch for high tides! No dogs in Pomo Canyon.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

    View
  2. Hike the Oursan Trail alongside Briones Reservoir in the East Bay

    Opt for Oursan

    Hike the trail less traveled in the East Bay's Briones Regional Park. The Oursan Trail is pure serenity on a wide hiking path skirting the northern shores of Briones Reservoir.

    View
  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

    View
  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

    View
  2. Lace Up for Lacy

    Lacy Park in San Marino is a hidden gem that may very well be the most pristine green space in greater Los Angeles, and a concealed pair of nearby stairways makes it all the more appealing.

    View
  3. Hiker amid trees at Oak Glen Preserve in Yucaipa Southern California

    Apple of Your Eye

    That fall feeling is definitely in the air and on display at the Oak Glen Preserve. Apple orchards and colorful leaves are a bonus, as are the apple cider donuts and slushies you can enjoy post-hike.

    View
  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

    View