Sonoma County Regional Parks manages 6 public access trails in The Sea Ranch, a private community south of Gualala. These trails start at Highway 1 parking areas and cross bluff-top meadows and forests to reach rugged coastline. Cliffside staircases lead down to secluded beaches with sandy coves, tide pools, and rock formations. Leashed dogs are welcome on all 6 trails, which makes this stretch of Sonoma Coast accessible for you and your dog without needing to belong to the private community.

The trails offer way more than just hiking. Depending on which one you choose, you can pursue diving, fishing, boating, and wildlife viewing alongside your usual dog walk. The variety means you can pick based on what appeals to you that day and how much energy you have.

Bluff Top Trail is the longest option at 3 miles one way, running along the headlands from Walk On Beach to Gualala Point Regional Park. If you want something shorter, Stengel Beach Trail is just .12 miles one way with a wooden staircase at the end—and it has the largest parking area with room for about a dozen cars, which is helpful on weekends. Shell Beach Trail (.65 miles one way) crosses through pines and meadow to a wide sandy beach where you can spot sea rocks and tide pools. Walk On Beach passes through a beautiful Monterey cypress grove before hitting a quarter-mile beach. Pebble Beach Trail (.27 miles one way) weaves through similar terrain to a sandy cove, while Black Point Trail takes you across the bluffs to a long, curving beach via a steep staircase.

One important thing: stay on the marked public access trails since everything else within The Sea Ranch is privately owned. The seasonal waterfalls visible from the cliffs at Stengel make it worth timing a visit for winter or early spring if you’re passing through that area.