Black Sands Beach

Backed by steep grassy cliffs and is studded with occasional large boulders, Black Sands Beach has a length of approximately 800 metres. A short drive west of the Golden Gate Bridge, it sits between Point Diablo Light and Point Bonita Lighthouse in Bonita Cove.

Facing broadly south, it’s well worth tackling the dirt path that leads to Black Sands Beach. Not only are there some great views back to San Francisco from its wooden steps along the way, but it leads to a great stretch of black sand devoid of the crowds of elsewhere on the California coastline. The journey down the 250 steps takes around five minutes.

The beach thins considerably at high tide times, although there’s still more than enough space to lay down a towel. The secluded western side of the beach is sometimes used by naturists. The parking lot only has enough space for around 12 cars and there are no on site facilities to speak of – bring all you might need, as well as hiking gear – the Marin Headlands offers some spectacular signposted walks.