Last weekend we did a little road trip on California Pacific Coast Highway 1 up north. Our first stop was Bodega Bay, which is known for it’s beautiful views and oyster farms. We didn’t spend a lot of time there but it seemed like a nice fishing destination, and had some nice looking restaurants along the road. There are many beaches in Bodega Bay, so we stopped at one of them right after the town for a little walk and play time for our little one.
So beautiful but dangerous
Our final destination, Fort Bragg is in Mendocino county, about 15 minutes from the city of Mendocino. Fort Bragg itself is registered as a California Historical Landmark due it’s history dating back before the Civil War. Today, it is a popular tourist destination, and offers many interesting things to see and do.
Since we were in Fort Bragg, we really wanted to see it’s famous Glass Beach, which happened to be only 5 minute away from our hotel. So that is where we headed after we woke up the next morning. This unique place was once a garbage dump called “The Dumps”. Mostly glass, but also other waste were thrown down from the cliffs and it ended up in the ocean. In 1967 the area was closed and later cleaned up by many separate efforts. Today, nature has moulded something so beautiful out of human recklessness. Bounding waves and salt water have broken down the colourful glass into pieces, and shaped sea glass out of it. With the sun and the water, they look like little sparkly gems.
There are actually three separate little beaches with sea glass, because the dump was moved from one place to another a few times. After you find a big parking lot on W Elm Street, a paved trail will take you down to the beach area. My recommendation would be to choose the “difficult trail”. The beach itself was bigger, and it had more sea glass than the other side of the beach. The trail was very short and not very difficult at all. The most difficult part was to go down the steps and then jump down to the beach. “The easy trail” takes you to a smaller beach which had less glass. The signs will tell you which trail is which. What we didn’t know, is that there was also one more beach further north on the trail, so we didn’t walk all the way up to that one.
I recommend going to Glass Beach during the low tide, so you will see most of the glass just washed up on the shore. Also, the later you go, the more people have collected the sea glass and the beach doesn’t look quite so magnificent as early in the morning. Collecting sea glass is actually illegal but we saw many people doing that. Sea glass is slowly diminishing, and some people think it should not be protected since it is actually trash. What do you think?
These sea glass beaches are extremely rare. There are only 2 other glass beaches that are known in the US. One is in Benicia, California and one in Kauai, Hawaii. It is called Hanapepe. We wanted to visit the Benicia glass beach since it is very close to us, but we found that it was difficult find information on it’s actual location, and many people said that there is very little glass left. Maybe someday we will find it and I can compare the two.
These pics are gorgeous! I’ve never seen a beach like this before– bucket list updated! My aunt used to live in Kauai– I should ask her about this.
It was on my bucket list for a long time too, I’m glad I finally got to see it. I have been told that the glass beach at Kauai is also beautiful.
Looks really cool! I love the picture of just the seaglass! Reminds me of a default Apple background!
Ha ha, I’m not sure if I remember that background, but I’m glad you like it. 🙂
I love the photos – it looks like a beautiful place. Hard to believe that something so stunning was caused by our rubbish! I’d love to visit a glass beach myself. It must be so strange to walk on. The colours are just beautiful. I can understand why people want to take the glass with them. I guess it’s a memento, the same as collecting shells. I’m not sure whether it’s right or wrong to take the glass though.
Thank you! I was very beautiful, and I hope you get to visit it someday.
Goes to prove, that when man disappears nature will take it all back and make it beautiful once more,
I hope so.
These are some pretty cool photos. The sea glass looks incredibly fascinating. I am just looking forward to getting to a beach soon haha.
Thank you. It was very fascinating to see.
Nature really has its own way of turning something destructive, into something so beautiful. I could just imagine how beautiful it will be, when the sunlight make those sea glass glisten. I would love to experience that. Capture it on my camera. And I think, they should stop taking some of it with them. Its like taking a part of history with you when you take those sea glass. I don’t intend to offend anyone, but it’s just my views. I’m a big fan of Leave no trace principle.
I am too, leave no trace is a very good policy. What makes this question more complicated is that this was actually trash. But if we want this beach to last, people should not collect it.
We went to Fort Bragg when we road tripped from Seattle to Pittsburgh but I had no idea these glass beaches existed! I hate that humans just throw trash into our oceans, but I do love sea glass. I have to admit that I collect bits and pieces whenever I see it on beaches. Did you take any of the glass home with you?
I think collecting sea glass is perfectly fine usually, or am I wrong? It is just this particular beach that it is illegal.
I have had a drive up to Glass Beach on my wish list forever. Looks so beautiful!
Kari
http://sweetteasweetie.com/cheesy-stuffed-shells/
Yes, you should visit someday. It is amazing!
An ultimate example of how nature keeps loving us human even when we are un-fare to it almost all the time. This place is indeed beautiful. Wish to visit here someday.
Very well said!
This is awesome! I didn’t know this was a place. Pretty sad though that people used to just toss their trash there. So weird though that you can’t take it with you? They want to protect it? I don’t get that. That sounds like they are promoting people who throw their trash in the ocean because EVENTUALLY it will draw people there. Ehhh, that’s weird. Pretty though!
Yes, that is a complicated question because protecting trash sounds a little odd. However, it is now a very unique place, and very beautiful. I’m glad they cleaned up the place from the Dump and other trash.
I heard about this beach some weeks back and I badly want to go there! We will be doing a little roadtrip from L.A. to San Francisco in some weeks but as we are only having 6 days, we won’t have time, it´s a bit too far north. It´s really a pity!
I think it´s generally problematic to collect things on beaches, even stones and sand; it´s naturally protecting the shore and even though it´s always just a little bit that probably won’t do harm, in the bigger picture it´s more tons and tons of sand and stones that gets moved away. In combination with the huge amounts of sands that are taking already for the building industry.. it´s becoming fatal. I saw a documentary the other day about people how basically lost their houses to the floods.. houses that were rather far away from the shore when bought.
still.. i am collecting stones and shells as well… ^^
I hope you get to visit glass beach someday. Reason why I asked what people think about it, is because this was originally trash. So it is not natural like sand or shells. Even though today it is very much part of the beautiful nature.
I love sea glass! But it’s sad how they are made. These same broken glass cause so much damage to the eco system and wildlife. But I love collecting them. Why is it illegal? It’s not natural and it should be actually taken away since it could damage the area more…no?
The sea glass on the beach is diminishing so they wanted to protect it. I am not sure why that it. They either just think it pretty and unique, or think that it would hurt the tourism if the sea glass was gone.
Glass beach.. This is the first time a heard a term like this.. And it as fascinating to read its history as it is beautiful.. I wonder if there is a glass beach around where i live.. Should visit it..
Where do you live at? Even though it is beautiful, I hope there isn’t very many beaches like this since it is trash after all.
Wow, I loved your line about how out of human reckless came something beautiful. I collected tons of sea glass in Barbados so I would love to visit and experience these 3 beaches for myself.
Oh, thank you 🙂 There so much sea glass on this beach, it is quite amazing!
I’ve been wanting to visit this beach for a few years now, ever since I first saw pictures of it. It’s sad that trash is what caused it, but really cool that nature has made the best of it.
If you have an opportunity to visit, I highly recommend. It is very unique experience, and there is so much to do and see in this area.
I have never heard of this California glass beach at all! What an awesome beach and concept. It is beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing.
My pleasure. It truly was an interesting experience.
Glass Beach looks totally cool. It’s definitely a case of one person’s trash being another person’s treasure.
Yes, that is a good way to describe it.
I cycled along that coastline some years ago now, but never had the chance to visit Glass Beach. Such a shame, as it does look very unique!
Next time you should stop for a visit. Someday, it will all be gone…