Shell Beach
Inverness, CA
Shell Beach is a quieter unit of Tomales Bay State Park, reached by its own trail rather than sharing an entrance with Heart's Desire or Pebble Beach. The calm bay water here is the same draw as the park's other beaches, just with fewer people to share it with.
The calm bay water and quieter trail make it a genuinely good alternative to the park's busier beaches, though it lacks the facilities of the main developed areas.
How we score beachesCome here over the park's more central beaches if a quiet, calm swim is the goal, this trail sees noticeably less traffic.
Free parking is available at the trailhead.
Stairs, a path, and blufftop trails lead down to the beach.
Dogs are not allowed on Shell Beach or its trails; Tomales Bay State Park restricts pets to the Vista Point picnic area.
Tomales Bay's water runs noticeably warmer than the open ocean nearby, making this one of the more swimmable beaches on this stretch of coast most of the year.
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