Bowling Ball Beach or Schooner Gulch Beach

The most unusual beach in Mendocino County is Bowling Ball Beach, just about three miles south of Point Arena on Highway One. Before you go, check for low tide because it’s only then that you’ll see the so-called bowling balls, lined up like rows of Terracotta Warriors. The “balls” are actually concretions, which are far more resilient than the mudstone that once surrounded them. Over millions of years, this has eroded away under the constant onslaught of the Pacific Ocean, forming the cliffs that line the shore behind the beach and leaving the tougher “bowling balls” behind. A small parking area with two trailheads is on the west side of the highway.