Frequently Asked Questions About Salt Point State Park
What kind of wildlife can be found in Salt Point State Park?
Salt Point State Park is abundant with many animals, such as black-tailed deer, badgers, bobcats, coyotes, chipmunks, gray foxes, mice, and squirrels. Mountain lions, bears and raccoons also like visiting this area.
Are there designated RV camping spots in Salt Point State Park?
This state park has 109 designated camping zones, ranging from walk-ins to expansive spots that can accommodate RVs. All the camping spots are complete with picnic tables and fire rings.
Do you have to reserve a camping spot at Salt Point State Park and what is the cost?
Making reservations to get a camping spot at this site is not compulsory. Guests who want to make a reservation can do it online. The cost of reserving space is about $10.
Are pets allowed at Salt Point State Park?
Pets can access Salt Point State Park. However, they can not go to the beaches or trails and must be on a leash throughout the stay. They must be in a vehicle or tent at night.
Is Salt Point State Park accessible for disabled visitors?
This state park supports equality and is fully accessible for disabled people. It features handicapped parking spaces, easy trails, ground-floor restrooms, ramps and handles. Disabled guests can also request guided tours.
RVshare
How To Get There
The park is located about 95 miles north of San Francisco off of Highway 1, almost equidistant from the towns of Jenner and Gualala. The road there is narrow and extremely winding, so drivers will want to plan for at least 2.5 hours to get there from the city. Keep in mind that cell phone service will be spotty inside the park and in the areas surrounding it, so be sure to download offline maps ahead of time.
Doran And Westside Regional Parks
Location and Contact
Dorian Park: 201 Doran Beach Road, Bodega Bay, CAWestside Park: 2400 Westshore Road, Bodega Bay, CAOperated by Sonoma County Regional Parks
- Sandy beaches at Bodega Bay
- Fishing, boating, picnicking
- Doran: 112 reservable sites, 20 first come, first served sites
- Westside: 38 reservable sites, 7 first come, first served sites
- Doran: 1 Hiker/Bicycle site, 1 group site
- Fire ring, picnic table, cleared area for tents
- Restrooms, showers
Fees: $35 – $37 per night Fees include 1 vehicle and one tow per site, additional vehicles $7 eachDogs on leash allowed, $2 per dog per night
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Porto Bodega Marina & Rv Park
1500 Bay Flat Road, Bodega Bay, CA 875-2354 Porto Bodega Marina & RV ParkFacilities: Full service marina, club house for group use, restrooms with hot showers, sanitary dump station, market, bait and tackle shopRV Sites: 18 waterfront sites with full hook-ups,14 water view sites with full hook-ups, 13 RV sites with full hook-ups, 13 waterfront dry sites all sites with picnic table and burn barrelRates: $$
Northern California Camping
When Is The Best Time To Visit Salt Point
The north coast is cool and windy any time of year. Most people visit in the summer and the campgrounds and day use areas do fill up on the weekends. Salt Point is great to visit in April and May when the spring wildflowers are out.
Read More: Get the full downlow on all CA parks with this complete California State Parks list.
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Salt Point State Park: The Complete Guide
Enveloping over 6 miles of rocky coastline in Sonoma county and with 20 miles of hiking trails, Salt Point State Park has no shortage of activities for visitors. A variety of wildlife can be found in the underwater section of the parka favorite for scuba diversas well as the many open grasslands and forests that help dot the landscape. If it’s views youre after, Salt Point offers sweeping panoramas of the Northern California coast accented by hidden coves and massive rock formations accompanied by crashing waves and salty air.
Stillwater Cove Regional Park
22455 Highway 1, Jenner, CAStillwater Cove Regional Park is located mid-way between Fort Ross and Salt Point. The park features beaches, fishing, kayaking, and picnicking. It is operated by Sonoma County.
Camping
Stillwater Cove Park has 23 individual campsites and a hiker/bicycle site. The campground provides potable water, restrooms with coin-operated showers, flush toilets, and electrical outlets. There is also a dump station. There are no RV hook-ups.Rates: $35 – $37 per night. Sonoma County residents may be eligible for a discount.Stillwater Cove Regional Park Camping Reservations
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Hike Along The Coastal Bluff
The coastal bluff is the most popular hike in Salt Point. It presents not only lovely views, but marine mammals and some pretty funky geology. The wave action on the local sandstone has worked to create a perforated, honeycombed rock texture that is unlike anything else on the California Coast. While walking, keep an eye out for sea lions sunning on the rocks and in the little coves. If you start in Gerstle Cove, you can walk 10 miles one way all the way up to Fisk Mill. So, consider doing a car shuttle or just walk as much as you want and then turn around.
Woodside & Gerstle Cove Campgrounds
Salt Point State Park is on the wild and rugged Sonoma County coast, north of Fort Ross. Along Salt Point’s 9 miles of coastline are inlets, bays, jagged points, sea stacks, caves, and a scattering of sandy beaches. The ocean is too dangerous for wading or swimming, but visitors enjoy an impressive coast, inland trails, and the beauty of the adjoining Kruse Rhododendron State Natural Reserve.
Salt Point State Park Campgrounds – Woodside Campground and Gerstle Cove Campground – are found in two areas. Woodside Campground is inland, divided into two loops, while Gerstle Cove is closer to the shore. Campers at Woodside Campground appreciate the available shade and its distance from highway noise.
Combined, Salt Point State Park Campgrounds have 109 campsites, 30 at Gerstle Cove and 79 at Woodside, including some walk-in tent sites. Other than the walk-in tent sites, all of the campsites can accommodate RVs, trailers, and tents. Gerstle Cove Campground is open year-round, while Woodside is only open April through early September. Gerstle Cove is first-come, first-served October through mid-March.
There is also a Group Campsite at Gerstle Cove Campground and 10 Hike & Bike campsites located separate from the two campgrounds.
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Key Salt Point State Park Campground Regulations
Sonoma Coast State Park Camping
Sonoma Coast State Park extends from Bodega Head to 3½ miles north of Jenner along the Sonoma coast. They have two standard campgrounds:
Wright’s Beach Campground
Wright’s Beach features 27 campsites adjacent to the beach, each with a picnic table, fire ring, and paved parking spur.
Bodega Dunes Campground
Bodega Dunes Campground is at Bodega Bay, spread among the dunes as its name suggests. There are 98 campsites and restrooms with hot showers are available. Each campsite has a picnic table, fire ring, and paved parking spur.
Fees and Reservations
Bodega Dunes: $35 per night, $5 for hike and bikeWright’s Beach $35 per night for standard site, $45 for premium sites
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Ocean Safety
California State Parks and Recreation cautions that “large surf, cold water temperatures, backwash, sudden drop-offs, pounding shorebreak, and dangerous rip currents can turn what seem like safe activities such as playing near the surf line, wading, or climbing on rock outcroppings, deadly.“Learn more about ocean safety at CA State Parks: Ocean Safety
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Salt Point State Park Overview
Salt Point State Park is located on a beautiful coastal promontory about 90 miles north of San Francisco and has two campgrounds. Gerstle Cove Campground is situated atop the coastal bluffs on the ocean side of Highway One and has 30 family campsites. Woodside Campground has 79 campsites is located on the east side of Highway One.
Both campgrounds have large campsites and all have paved parking pads. Each campsite also has a table, food locker, fire ring and grill. Amenities include drinking water and flush toilets. Group and hike/bike campsites are also available.
Salt Point State Park Area Recreation
Salt Point State Park includes 6 miles of the Sonoma Coast and 20 miles of hiking and equestrian trails. The terrain varies from sandy beach coves to steep bluffs and sandstone cliffs. Be sure to check out the large prairie and pygmy forest on top of the coast ridge. Salt Point State Park also has an underwater park if youre into scuba diving! Outdoor recreation includes camping, hiking, horseback riding, biking, scuba/skin diving, boating, fishing, wildlife viewing, horseback riding, and photography.
Sonoma Coast State Park is also located about 11 miles to the south on Highway 1.
Sonoma Coast Attractions And Activities
The Sonoma Coast has a chain of charming little beaches separated by rocky points. Among them are some of the most popular coastal towns in the area. Campers at Salt Point State Park Campgrounds are close to some of the most breathtaking scenery along the California coast.
- Visit historic Fort Ross.
- Discover all the trails, beaches and overlooks around Salt Point State Park.
- Stroll around the streets of Bodega Bay.
- Try whale watching from Bodega Head.
- Take advantage of public access trails along the Sea Ranch coast.
- Head out mountain biking along dirt roads.
- Windsurfing and kiteboarding are popular in the waters of Bodega Bay.
- Enjoy the protected south-facing beach at Doran Regional Park.
- Visit dramatic Arched Rock Beach.
- Using caution to avoid sleeper waves, take in the sites at Duncan’s Cove and Rock Point.
- Journey up the Russian River to Guerneville and other favorite spots along the river.
- Drive out to have a look at Goat Rock and spend the afternoon on the adjacent beach.
- Many Sonoma coast beaches are considered too dangerous for wading and swimming, but some sheltered beaches and inlets can be safe under favorable conditions. Always check with park rangers about the safety of a particular beach.
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Entering Salt Point State Park
One way to enter Salt Point State Park would be the Salt Point Parking Area near the center of the land. It’s located along the side of Highway 1 in the Miller Creek area, and you can park or be dropped off here and walk into the park if you’re not planning to camp at one of the campsites. Times range from sunrise to sunset, the exact times changing with the season . Keep in mind that there’s an $8 day-use price for entering, with camping starting at $35 a night for the Gerstle and Woodside areas . You can also take advantage of the 10-vehicle group rate of $200 per night with an $8 addition for each extra vehicle.
Salt Point State Park Per vehicle: $8.0
If you’re planning on visiting Salt Point State Park, the team at RVshare would love to hear about your adventures. Tag the site on social media or send some pictures directly to to let the team in on what you got up to. RVshare might even feature your story in one of its upcoming blog posts.
Camping At Salt Point
Camping:
Two main campgrounds are available at Salt Point State Park. Space is limited and reservations through Reserve California are encouraged.
Gerstle Cove Campground, situated atop the coastal bluffs on the ocean side of Highway One, offers 30 family campsites. All campsites, with the exception of our overflow camping, are equipped with a fire-ring, picnic table, and food locker. The campgrounds have drinking water and restrooms but no showers. A dump station is not available.
Woodside Campground, located on the east side of Highway One, has 79 campsites for tents, trailers and RVs stretching over two loops. All campsites, with the exception of our overflow camping, are equipped with a fire-ring, picnic table, and food locker. The campgrounds have drinking water and restrooms but no showers. All of the sites are located next to some quality hiking trails.
Maximum Camper Length: 31 Feet
Maximum Trailer Length: 27 Feet
Group Campingis located on the ocean side of Highway One and accommodates a maximum of 40 people and ten cars.
Hiker/ Biker: 10 sites for people without a vehicle are available for campers. They are located behind the ranger office at the Woodside Campground.
Overflow Camping: A day use parking lot located below Gerstle Campground is available for self-contained vehicles only. No tent camping or open fires are allowed. No restroom facilities or drinking water are available.
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Cultural And Natural History
This park is named for the formation of salt crystals in the cracks and crevices of the rocky coastline. The native Kashaya Pomo collected salt from this area for many years. They used abalone chisels to scrape the salt off the rocks.
In 1853, Samuel Duncan and Joshua Hendy built a sawmill on a ridge located above Salt Point. A couple of years later, they leased the land to a San Francisco company, which quarried the sandstone. They used the sandstone to create the streets and buildings in San Francisco along with the naval facility at . It is also possible to see drill holes in the sandstone at Gerstle Cove and at the just north of it. In 1870, Duncan sold his property to Frederick Funcke and Lewis Gerstle. They shipped 5,000 cords of wood yearly and used most of the land to graze their cattle.
Salt Point State Park
There are a ton of places to camp out over Salt Point’s 6,000 acres of land. During peak season, 78 different campgrounds are open throughout the park, including those right up next to Gerstle Cove. While RV spaces are available, you’re going to be roughing it here since there aren’t really any amenities or hookups to speak of. You can also take your pets with you. Most campsites cost $35 per night save for the overflow camping area and hike and bike trail sites .
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Visit Fort Ross State Historic Park
Fort Ross was originally established as a fur and timber out post for the Russian-American Company. It also served as a stage stop and agricultural outpost for San Francisco. The park has cool exhibits about the native populations and an interesting history of the Russians influence on the white settlement of California. Its located just 12 miles south of Salt Point.
If fact, in addition to Salt Point, there is a ton of stuff to do between Fort Ross and Fort Bragg to the north, which is why this stretch of coastline made our list of the best scenic drives in the state.
Fisk Mill Day Use Closed:
CLOSED- No Restrooms- No parking
Hazardous tree conditions
Pitch pine canker is a fungal disease caused by Fusarium circinatum and can infect multiple species of pine trees. It is currently found in 18 coastal counties in California as well as the south eastern United States, Europe, South America and parts of Asia. In Sonoma county pitch pine canker primarily infects Bishop pines and can cause high rates of mortality. Some stands in Salt Point SP and Fort Ross SHP exhibit 100% mortality creating numerous standing dead trees which pose a hazard to park visitors, staff and facilities. A management plan is being developed to address this problem in order to protect park visitors, facilities and ensure the long-term survival of the Bishop Pine ecosystem.
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Salt Point State Park Camping
Camping in Salt Point is certainly popular on summer weekends and holidays, but its remote location makes it a pretty quiet place to camp the rest of the year. Reservations are strongly advised from mid-March through October, particularly for weekends. But if you can swing weeknights, you can often find shoulder season spots available on the fly. Book your campground reservation at Reserve California.
- Gerstle Cove: 30 campsites and one group site. These spots are sunnier but more windy. The advantage is that they have great access to the coastal bluff.
- Overflow Camping: If you have a self contained RV or van, you can also use the Gerstle Campground day use parking lot. There are no fire pits, bathrooms or water provided.
- Woodside: Upper Woodside has 39 sites and Lower Woodside has 38. Both are in the quiet woods, easily accessible to the pygmy forest but a bit further away to the bluff. This area is also more hilly but most of the sites are pretty level.
- Hike & Bike: There are 10 first come/first served hike & bike spots near the Ranger building at Woodside.
All regular campsites have a fire pit, food locker and picnic tables. There are bathrooms and potable water stations, but no showers or no hookups. The regular campsites are $35, $30 for overflow and the hike/bike spots are $5.
If you have an RV and need hook-ups, try the nearby Timber Cove Boat Landing.
Camping Activities And Facility Information:
Woodside Campground is OPEN
When utilizing the facilities at Salt Point State Park we ask that you remain on developed trails at all times in order to preserve the park’s unspoiled qualities and to avoid contact with ticks and poison oak. Mountain bikes must stay on paved or fire roads, however, fire roads are closed to bicycles from October 31 to April 30. Bikes are not allowed on single-track trails as they cause a great deal of damage to the trail surfaces. Dogs must be kept on leash at all times and are not permitted on the trails or on the beaches. They must be kept in a tent or vehicle at night. For additional State Park regulations .
Picnicking:Fisk Mill Cove- partially CLOSED- no restroom available
The family sites and group campground are on our reservation system by calling 1-800-444-PARK . The hiker/biker sites and overflow camping are on a first-come-first-serve basis. Campgrounds consistently fill on weekends from April 1 to the end of September. Reservations are recommended. Gerstle Cove Campground and Woodside Campground are site specific campgrounds. That means that you will pick your campsite at the time of your reservation.
CAMPGROUNDS: Two main campgrounds are available at Salt Point State Park. Gerstle Cove Campground is situated atop the coastal bluffs on the ocean side of Highway One and offers 30 family campsites. Woodside Campground are now open for camping, with 79 sites, is located on the east side of Highway One.
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