Duncan’s Landing

Location: about 4 miles or so north of Bodega Bay.
Snorkeling: Be careful. There are many submerged rocks. Heavy swell is an indication that you may want to bail and go to a more sheltered area in Bodega Bay. Suggest wear helmet when snorkeling. Do not go on the north side, stay to the south side only. Did I say be careful?
Good luck.

Spectacular and worth pulling off for at least a few minutes!
Duncan’s Landing may just be my favorite picnic spot along the Pacific Coast. Having lived in the Sacramento area for a few years, the Sonoma Coast State Beach was a frequent choice for weekends or day trips.
The remote drive between Bodega Bay and Jenner is only about 17 miles, but it is Northern Cali’s best kept secret — and answer to Monterey Peninsula’s 17-​mile drive. All the beauty and grandeur without the traffic or the fee! Duncan’s Landing is a must along the route! Even on the busiest holiday weekends I’ve been able to find a place to park and enjoy the short walk around the loop.
High tide is spectacular. On a windy or stormy day you could be sprayed by the crashing waves. Even in the fog this place is amazing! I have seen, and have the pictures to prove, that the most incredible sunsets can be viewed from Duncan’s Landing!
On sunny, mild days the colors of the water and surrounding point are strikingly brilliant and the view up and down the coast is breathtaking. I’ve always had to tear myself away when it is time to go. I’ve taken so many photos here, and even after moving away they still rotate as my background and screensavers, making me long for a drive along that stunning stretch of Highway.
The beach itself is down a very long set of stairs and it is probably a good idea to avoid it at high tide or in stormy weather. Even on a good day use caution as this is supposedly the most dangerous point along the Sonoma Coast.
Be sure to bring along your picnic basket or cooler and take the time, especially in good weather, to sit and eat your lunch at one of the weathered picnic tables. You may want to bring along enough to share with the plentiful seagulls that make their homes in the rocky cliffs along the shoreline. Warning — keep an eye on your sandwich — they will swoop right down for a bite!

When I was a kid (in the 60s) there was a rocky outcrop signed «DEATH ROCK.» Evidently many people and had been swept off this area. The state deemed that the designation DEATH ROCK actually attracted the foolish. Last time I was there a fence had been erected to keep the brave away.

The femme fatale of California beaches.
According to the State Parks website, Duncan’s Landing is «the most dangerous point along the Sonoma Coast due to large and unpredictable surf.» Rather than finding out for ourselves, we took the State’s assessment at face value and did not venture into the water.
Danger aside, there’s no question that Duncan’s Landing is an irresistibly attractive beach. If you’re driving along the coast, it is definitely worth spending an hour or so to take in its sheer splendor.
Just admire from a distance.

This is a really good place to go if you like meeting Park Rangers. I grew up in Sonoma County, and have visited this beach & surrounding coastal areas countless times. I can’t remember seeing a single park ranger outside of their car in any other area. On the official Sonoma Coast State Beaches, I have been approached by Park Rangers and:
— been approached on the beach when it is dark (portugese beach AND schoolhouse beach)
— been given a $ 254 ticket for being present at a bonfire my friends made after someone they knew died… we extinguished the bonfire after they said it was too large to extinguish… of course we still got fined (slightly north of duncan’s landing)
— had my person & car searched for drugs and weapons after my friend left his medical mj pipe out (i was completely sober, tyvm) (this was at duncan’s landing)
whenever I am on the beach I always pick up litter. I try not to disrupt the wildlife and I don’t start fires… but through the magic of society, I am treated like a criminal. If you are old enough to look like somebody’s parent, and you just want to sit or walk around without congregating in any sort of group, then you probably won’t notice any uniformed paramilitary types harassing you. If you’re a heatscorer, OR the idea of somebody with a gun watching you, sneaking up on you, and forcing you to talk to them & possibly agree to give them money or imprison yourself freaks you out, I’d either go north past Jenner or south to Pt. Reyes.

Wow! I really don’t have enough good things to say about this little piece of real estate. If you look on the map, the first thought you’re likely to have is, «What in the hell is this guy thinking giving this little rinky dink spot five stars?» And you’re going to keep on thinking that until you actually get here and see the view for yourself.
There’s only room for a handful of cars, but if you’re very lucky then you’ll get the place for yourself. I recommend that before you come here, consult a tide chart and find out when the tide is coming in — if you come here when the tide is going out, you’re not going to see how spectacular everything is with the water smashing up against the rocks putting on an amazing show of the Pacific Ocean’s power, nor will you see the unbelievable swells that rush up on to the beaches nearby.
Duncan’s Landing has just two little picnic tables overlooking the ocean, just feet away from the cliffside. But boy, oh, boy, is it one spectacular picnic! Behind you is a beautiful field of wildlife, in front of you is gorgeous scenery, and hopefully besides you is someone you can enjoy it with. We were here for a good hour going photo happy, snacking away at our light picnic, and generally having probably the best time of the day.
This is not a destination in itself, it’s just a waypoint to somewhere else. But if you’re here on a sunny day and the waves are putting on a show, be sure to give this place a shot — you’ll walk away with a nice memory and hopefully some great snapshots to boot.
Oh, and even on a foggy day it’s still pretty amazing. Check it out!

The turnout comes quick — so get prepared for it soon after you leave Bodega Bay moving northward on Highway 1. It would be a gosh-​darn shame to miss it since the coastline is spectacular at the end of the point with jagged rocks and crashing waves just crying out for a rapturously romantic scene from a David Lean epic like «Ryan’s Daughter».
But don’t get caught up too much in the breathtaking scenery as the point is known for its dangerous surf. And apparently people have been swept to their sea-​swallowing deaths when they stood too close to the cliff’s edge as the tidal waves got higher. Sounds like an old wives’ tale but t’is sadly true. Luckily, we were there on a sunny day when the Pacific was behaving herself. It’s really a quick stop but a most worthwhile one.