Clifford Kamph Memorial Park
Smith River, CA
Clifford Kamph Memorial Park sits two miles south of the Oregon line, a small county park with a campground and a sandy beach below a low bluff. A camp host stays on-site, which gives the place a looked-after feel that some of the more remote pullouts along this stretch of Highway 101 don't have.
A well kept small park with an on-site host, though it's really a campground stop rather than a swimming beach.
How we score beachesThe short stairway down from the bluff is easy to miss from the road, so slow down once you're near the park sign rather than hunting for a formal beach entrance.
Parking is free, right off Highway 101, with room for a handful of cars near the campground.
Stairs and a short bluff top trail lead down to the beach; there's no paved or stroller friendly route.
Dogs are welcome in the park; check posted signage for specific leash rules.
Like the rest of the Del Norte coast, water here stays cold year round and summer mornings usually start under fog. Camping is the draw more than swimming, so plan around tide and weather rather than water temperature.
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