ZMUDOWSKI BEACH STATE PARK

A few diehard nudies hang out in the dunes of the spot once known as Hidden Beach. Be sure to keep your swimsuit on when rangers or clothed beachgoers are in the area. Zmudowski is in the north end of the county, just south of the Pajaro River.

Legal status: State beach property.

How to find it: Follow Struve Road from Highway 1, just north of Moss Landing, to its intersection with Giberson Road. Then take Giberson to its end, at the state beach parking lot. Hike to the north tip of the beach via the dirt access road that starts at the small lot. The beach path runs parallel to the shore, but nude sunbathers usually gather behind the sand dunes.

The beach: No longer "hidden" (see above), the site is now ringed by houses and condos.

The crowd: Mostly a family beach.

Problems: Beware of cops and riptides.

Rating: C.

NORTH MARINA

A little nude beach has been emerging just 300 feet north of Marina State Beach. "People have been going here for two decades," says Tom, of Monterey. Adds veteran user and local business owner Debbie: "It's warm and secluded." The soft, sandy area is located between two large, wind-shielded sand dunes close to the shoreline.

Legal status: Unknown, believed to be private property.

How to find it: From San Jose, take Highway 101 south to Prunedale, then Highway 156 west to join Highway 1 south at Castroville. Approaching Marina, exit at Reservation Road, turning left (east). At the first signal, turn right on Reservation and follow it to the little parking lot at the end. Walk back along Reservation to Dunes Drive and follow Dunes about 300 feet north, passing Marina Dunes Resort and a sand-processing plant, until you see a yellow vehicle gate on the west (ocean) side of Dunes Drive, across from two motels. Limited parking is also available in front of the gate. The gate blocks traffic, not people, from a beach path; follow it up and down five dunes until just before the beach. The nude area is between the last two dunes, just to the right of the trail.

The beach: "It's warm and secluded," says Debbie, a longtime visitor and local business owner. "People have been going here for 25 years."

The crowd: "The beach is never crowded because only residents know about it," says Tom, of Monterey County.

Problems: Unknown legal status, fog, proximity to path, limited street parking. Because of local weather conditions, best use time is June or autumn.

Rating: C

INDIAN HEAD BEACH

Indian Head is still "getting some use from locals," says Harold Short, a naturist activist who's been chairman of Santa Cruz County's North Coast Beaches Advisory Committee for 10 years. "A few walkers and fishermen come by," adds Tiburon lawyer Charles Harris II, who, with Short, has been supporting a project to turn part of the old Ford Ord federal property into a clothing-optional state beach. There have also been scattered visits by naturists groups. But most of the time, one of the area's best sunbathing sites remains little used – and just waiting for sans suiters to sample.

Legal status: Federal property being transferred to the state. A state park, perhaps to be called Fort Ord Dunes State Park or Monterey Bay Sanctuary and Seashore, is in the planning stage.

How to find it: From San Jose, take Highway 101 south to Prunedale, then Highway 156 west to join Highway 1 south at Castroville. Approaching Marina, exit at Reservation Road, turning left (east). At the first signal, turn right on Reservation, then follow it a half mile to Lake Drive. Turn right on Lake. Follow it a half mile until it goes under the freeway.

From Monterey, go north on Highway 1 to Marina. Exit at Del Monte Avenue. Go straight through the first signal, then turn left at the next signal on Palm Avenue. Follow it across the tracks, take the second left onto Lake Drive, and stay on it as it goes under the freeway.

Once under the freeway, park straight ahead on the right side of Lake. Look for the Marina Beach sign. "The obvious path uphill is your route," says Harris. "The climb really is as steep as it looks." Go up and over the sand dune, staying on the trail. At the beach, turn left and walk about a half mile south to the nude area.

The beach: Normally narrow and steep, Indian Head can sometimes be a fairly broad beach, bordered by soft, rolling dunes of sand.

The crowd: Depending on the time of your visit, you may encounter a few other nudists, an entire group of naked people from a club or other group, or none at all.

Problems: Cold, hazardous water, often foggy, some litter, sparse use so it may feel a bit lonely here.

Rating: C.

THE CRATER

Who would ever expect to find a clothing-optional area near a mall? In the Golden State, anything is possible, including a "crater"-like area of sand, surrounded by huge dunes, that's just a block from Seaside's Edgewater Mall. Luckily, the nude sunbathers can't be seen by the shoppers.

Legal status: Unknown, but adjoins or is part of Ford Ord.

How to find it: Take Highway 1 to Seaside (south of Marina and just north of Monterey). Then follow the California Street exit. Park in the mall across the street from the beach. Landmarks include Fremont Boulevard, which dead-ends across from the Crater, and a gas station, which is in front of the Crater. You can't see the Crater from the ocean side of Highway 1, so walk up to what appears to be a giant sand dune, and you'll come to it on the other side.

The beach: It's a huge craterlike depression in the sand, backed by walls of sand that are several stories tall and very wide. The area is surrounded by five miles of dunes.

The crowd: Skinny-dippers who sunbathe at the Crater prefer weekdays. Usage is highest in early and late summer and fall. Both suited and nude visitors use the dunes, which remain uncrowded.

Problems: Mall across the street is sending more clothed users into area, unknown legal status, some broken glass on dune closest to Fremont.

Rating: C.

PEBBLE BEACH

A nude beach that's next to a world famous golf course? Just below Pebble Beach's internationally known greens is a small cove that's used by a few nude-beachers. Although the little strip of sand is not on golf-course property, it's a short distance from a public attraction, Carmel Beach City Park. "It's remote, out of the way, and people can't see you from Carmel Beach," says Fred, of Pacific Grove, who, like most of the other visitors, found it by walking along the shore one day.

Legal status: Believed to be Monterey County land.

How to find it: From downtown Carmel, take Ocean Avenue west. Turn right a block or two before it ends (use any side street) and find parking where you can. Walk west onto the sand of Carmel Beach City Park. At the water, turn right and go north 150 feet until you see the end of a fence. Walk north another 300 feet until you come to what looks like the end of the beach. Walk over the water-smoothed rocks or take the little, well-worn path up and over the edge of the hill next to the rocks. In high tide, the trail is the only way to the cove. Don't stray from the path at the edge of the cliff or you may wind up on golf course land.

The beach: A 150-foot-long, 40-foot-wide cove.

The crowd: "Two people were there the first time I went," says Fred. "I've never seen more than a few people using it."

Problems: Fog, cold water, must climb over rocks, unknown legal status.

Rating: C.

THE BUCKET

Old-fashioned swimming holes still exist in Marin, Mendocino, and Humboldt counties. They also dot little-known locales in marvelous Monterey County, including this decades-old skinny-dipping spot. Only a few naturists still use Carmel Valley's trio of cool pools, including the Bucket, which is off Carmel Valley Road. It was once surrounded by trees and plants that kept it hidden from view, but a flood washed most of them away, which scared away most of the sans suit swimmers. Suited bathers and sunbathers take over the hole on weekends and sometimes on weekdays too.

Legal status: Believed to be private property.

How to find it: From Highway 1, go east on Carmel Valley Road (G-16) for about 13 miles until Camp Stephanie Road. Just after the Camp Stephanie Road sign on the right, look for a place to park. For the next 50 feet, you can park on either side of G-16 (if you're next to a vineyard, you're in the right place), but if you go father than that, turn around. Walk east on G-16 a quarter mile until you arrive at a hairpin turn at a white bridge or, if they haven't rebuilt it, the stumps of a bridge. Stay on G-16. About 100 feet ahead on the right is an iron gate with a Stone Pine sign. Just before it, check for a hole in the fence and a path. Take the trail down the hill. It's steep, so keep your hands free. Follow the path through a 50-foot-long field to a fork in the trail, then take the right branch some 20 feet to the creek. Cross it, pick up the path (fainter but still going in the same direction) on the other side, and a few minutes later you'll be at the beach.

The beach: It's a small, sandy creek bank that was once surrounded by trees and other greenery.

The crowd: Several dozen visitors once used the Bucket on hot days, but visitation has fallen to a trickle.

Problems: Past storm damage, visibility from the road, parking easy to miss if you drive too far on G-16, finding trail on beach side of creek may be difficult.

Rating: C.

ELSEWHERE NEAR THE BUCKET

Two other swimming holes can be found just upstream from the Bucket: Bucket Bend and Rope Swing. Bucket Bend, the most private and deepest of these pools, is a small, sandy beach some 50 feet from the Bucket. The Rope Swing (named after a rope swing that no longer exists) is a large, shallow, clothing-optional swim spot.

Legal status: Same as for the Bucket.

How to find it: For Bucket Bend, go to the Bucket (see above) and look for a second fork in the trail. Turn right. You'll know you're headed the right way if the path leads you upstream and around a sharp bend to a little, sandy beach. To reach Rope Swing, go to the Bucket, but at the first fork in the path, instead of going right, turn left. That will take you to the Rope Swing area.

The beach: Bucket Bend is a small, sandy beach and swimming hole about 50 feet from the Bucket. Rope Swing is a large, shallow, clothing-optional area.

The crowd: You'll likely have these spots all to yourself.

Problems: Visibility from road, poison oak on trail, finding trail on beach side of creek may be difficult, rockier than the Bucket, water at Rope Swing too shallow for swimming.

Rating: C.

LOS PADRES RESERVOIR

Going naked isn't permitted at Los Padres Reservoir, near Carmel, but it hasn't stopped some skinny-dippers from jumping in the water on summer days when it's in the 90s or 100s. Rather than risk citations, others prefer to sunbathe without suits in lakeside areas away from easy view. The swim spots are about 20 miles east of Carmel and roughly 5 miles east of Carmel Village, off Carmel Valley Road (G-16).

Legal status: Unknown. The reservoir is next to but not in Los Padres National Forest, but the paths appear to be maintained by the U.S. Forest Service. Rangers are rarely present. Even though the reservoir has a long history of secret nude use, skinny-dippers may be cited.

How to find it: From Highway 1 in Carmel, follow Carmel Valley Road (G-16) about 20 miles east, passing Carmel Village, to Cachagua Road. Turn right on Cachagua, then right on Nason Road. Take Nason to the dirt parking lot at the end. From the lot, follow the path until it forks. Then follow signs to the dam, rather than the campground. Skinny-dippers usually pick spots between a half mile and a mile up the trail.

The beach: Land next to a reservoir.

The crowd: On the warmest days, you may encounter naturists and/or suited swimmers. Otherwise, it may be just you.

Problems: Swimming not permitted, better directions needed, legal status unknown.

Rating: C.

CARMEL MEADOWS

Want to pretend you're in a movie? Carmel Meadows, which gets a trickle of nude sunbathers, is just a half mile away from a famous Monterey cypress tree featured in the Clint Eastwood cult classic, "Play Misty For Me." The site is near a public beach at Carmel River State Park and usually only gets five or six nude sunbathers a day.

Legal status: Part of Carmel River State Park.

How to find it: Head south on Highway 1. After Monterey and most of Carmel, look for the junction of Rio Road and Highway 1 (the Crossroads Shopping Center and the Barnyard are at the intersection). Stay on Highway 1. About one mile south of Rio, turn right on Ribera Road and go about a half mile, watching for a round turnout on the right. Park in front of the gate. Follow the trail to the beach, then go left 150 feet until you see a row of homes. Parking is limited on Ribera. For easier parking, from the stoplight at Rio, drive two miles south until you see the first beach next to the road. Park in the lot there, walk to the ocean, and go north. One of the first things you'll pass is the tree from "Misty." A half mile later, you'll come to a row of houses without any cliffs. Keep walking north until you see the next set of homes atop some bluffs.

The beach: A narrow, 30-40-foot-wide strip of sand under some bluffs, but people in homes on the hill can't see the beach.

The crowd: "Few people know about it," a regular visitor says. "One fall, we counted at least a half-dozen nude sunbathers. The year before there were that many, too."

Problems: Parking may be tight or far away. Some houses face the beach, but the cliffs, which are 15 feet high, shield sunbathers from view.

Rating: C.

SOBERNALES CREEK

Most drivers and bicyclists don't even know a skinny-dipping hole exists between Point Lobos and its playful sea otters, just four miles to the north of the swim area, and sprawling, less private Garrapata Beach. Those in search of a little solitude sometimes walk to the end of an easy trail, near the inland side of Highway 1, as it approaches Garrapata.

Legal status: Part of Garrapata State Park.

How to find it: Take Highway 1 south. Just before the big Garrapata State Park sign, across from cars parked on the west side of the highway, look for a small pullout or vehicles pulled over on the east (inland) side of the road. "Two trails begin there," says a senior citizen who's been swimming in the hole nude with his wife since they were youths. "Instead of taking the Rocky Ridge Trail to the left, follow the Sobernales Canyon Trail to the right." Stay on the path around 1.5 miles until it ends. Then look for a path that leads off to the side, down to the creek.

The beach: "It's a little nude swimming hole in the creek," says a reader.

The crowd: Probably just you or a few local residents.

Problems: Pull-off and trailhead area easy to miss, nudity discouraged in the state park.

Rating: C.

GARRAPATA BEACH

Recommended!

Ranging from lagoons to caves, gorgeous Garrapata Beach is laden with enough attractions that should make it a tog-doffer's delight. Instead, anti-nudity signs and occasional visits by rangers who say they're acting on complaints have swept the nudist enclave of mostly gay males to the northern tip of the shore. The area, which is 15 minutes south of Carmel, also sports a creek, coves, and hills that are covered with flowers in the spring.

Legal status: Garrapata is no longer patrolled specifically for nudity, but rangers act on complaints, don't tolerate sex acts, and depending on the ranger, will sometimes warn or cite nudies. "We require that you be clothed," says supervising ranger Glenn McGowan flatly. But state ranger Chuck Bancroft tells a different story: "If there are some people at the north end of the beach, we're not looking except if there's a real problem, such as aggressive (sexual) approaching or if there's aggressive behavior toward people who don't follow the same belief or lifestyle."

How to find it: The beach is near milepost 63.1 on Highway 1. From the corner of Rio Road and Highway 1 in Carmel, take Highway 1 south exactly nine miles. Park on either side of the road. That will put you next to a hard-of-find access trail, which takes you onto the north end of the beach. Alternately, after some open hills and a stone house with tall windows on a plateau, look for a large parking area on Highway 1 about 9.6 miles south of the Rio light. After parking, come down the trail with a guardrail, which will take you to the middle of the beach, and walk north. If you drive all the way to Garrapata Creek Bridge, you've gone too far.

The beach: Naturists traditionally gather on the far north end of the shore. "Once in a while someone (nude) will wander onto the south part," state ranger John McGee says. The central part of the beach is so windswept that temperatures there can be 20 degrees cooler than those at either end.

The crowd: In the past, nudists, nonnudists, singles, families, locals, tourists, gays, and straights all mingled at Garrapata. Today, some nudists remain on the north end of the beach.

Problems: Unpredictable law enforcement, increased use by suited sunbathers and strollers who wander into the "nude area," fog, wind, cold water, hazardous swimming conditions (one person drowned in 1998), visitors trying to make their own trails on the slopes between the highway and the beach (one death in 1989), and periodic reports of sexual activity.

Rating: A.

COYOTE FLAT

The town of Big Sur's main skinny-dipping hole is a great place to cool off on hot summer days. Located on the Big Sur River, the little pool known as Coyote Flat is within Andrew Molera State Beach, but seldom visited by rangers. "A lot of people go there, and they do sometimes go naked," says an area resident. The hole can be reached via a path that starts across from the state beach's main parking lot.

Legal status: Part of Andrew Molera State Beach, where rangers have been discouraging clothing-optional sunbathing. However, nobody in recent memory has been cited here.

How to find it: From the state beach parking lot (see above), cross the river to its west side and look for River Trail. Follow River Trail until it ends at Big Sur River. The hole is at the end of the path. For more information, see "Hiking The Big Sur Country: The Ventana Wilderness," by Jeffrey Schaffer (Wilderness Press, 1988).

The beach: The refreshing, six-foot-deep river pool with a little beach is in a shady spot, so the best time to visit is usually midday.

The crowd: "Even though it's popular, at any given time you won't see more than a few people there," says a visitor.

Problems: Threat of law enforcement, too cool for much use in spring or fall, hole visible to occasional (but rare) visits by horseback riders on River Trail.

Rating: C.

BIG SUR RIVER

Old timers and newcomers alike love a small riverbank beach at the Big Sur River that reigns as the Central Coast's oldest clothing-optional site. It's behind the Big Sur River Inn, off Highway 1 at Pheneger Creek. You don't have to be naked to visit it, and both local residents and travelers show up.

Legal status: Unknown.

How to find it: From the last stoplight in Carmel, drive south about 23 miles (approximately 40 minutes) to Andrew Molera State Beach. Go south on Highway 1 two more miles until you see Big Sur River Inn on your right. The beach is on Big Sur River, not far from the inn.

The beach: Expect a mix of sand and rocks along a riverbank.

The crowd: Suited and nude visitors come here.

Problems: Unknown legal status, needs better directions.

Rating: C.

FERNWOOD

There's no shortage of reminders of the 1960s in the Big Sur area, including a skinny-dipping hole that, says Fred, of Pacific Grove, seems like "a flashback" to the era. Next to a creek near the Fernwood Bar and Grill, visitors will find a nude beach that seems straight out of the hippie period. "Look for old couches on the riverbank, naked people, and a river," says Fred. Or you may be the only one there. "The good news is that nobody bothers you there," adds Fred.

Legal status: Unknown.

How to find it: The beach is around a quarter mile north of Fernwood Bar and Grill and three quarters of a mile north of Pfeiffer Beach (see next entry), so if you pass either, turn around. Just south of the Big Sur River Inn (see previous entry) on Highway 1, look for St. Francis Church and an old sign on the ocean side of the road directing visitors to the bar and grill. Follow the path that starts at the sign; it will take you down to a streamside swimming hole used by local skinny-dippers.

The beach: A streamside swimming hole.

The crowd: "There's usually nobody there," adds Fred.

Problems: Unknown legal status, needs better directions.

Rating: C.

PFEIFFER BEACH

Recommended!

Naked sunset watching is a popular activity on the north end of Pfeiffer Beach, in the Big Sur area. Often confused with a nearby state beach with a similar name, Pfeiffer is a federal property whose rangers usually ignore nudists unless someone complains.

Legal status: Part of the Los Padres National Forest, whose rangers generally ignore nudists unless someone complains.

How to find it: Pfeiffer Beach is around 30 miles south of Monterey and 3 miles west of Highway 1. Coming from the south on Highway 1, start counting the mileage from the Esalen Institute; the beach is about 12 miles north. From the north, turn right (toward the sea) onto poorly marked Sycamore Canyon Road, about a half mile south of the main entrance to Big Sur State Park and 0.6 miles south of Big Sur Station, just past the Pfeiffer Canyon highway bridge. Follow tree-lined Sycamore to the beach parking lot; it's a one-lane road for 2.5 miles. After paying a $5 day use entrance fee and parking, walk north along the sand a quarter mile. A rocky outcropping divides the public and nude beaches. Walk around the bend, and you're there.

The beach: There are two beaches. The one for clothed users is just north of Pfeiffer Creek, near the parking lot. The clothing-optional area is past the rocky promontory mentioned above.

The crowd: Usually fewer than 50 people.

Problems: Fee, fog, wind, cold water, riptides, in some years may be littered with driftwood.

Rating: A.

FULLERS BEACH

Fullers isn't well known, but its regular visitors – mostly surfers and nude sunbathers – seem to love the little, out of the way spot that requires a moderately long walk down a tough, often-poison-oak-strewn trail. George, a state parks aide at nearby Molera, carries his surfboard up and down the steep, 20 minute path. "It's kind of a secret beach, even to people here in Big Sur," he says. "Just remember to take a shower with liquid soap when you get home, and you shouldn't have a problem from the plants."

Legal status: Unknown, but not believed to be state property.

How to find it: Finding Fullers is a little tricky. Along Highway 1, south of Big Sur and Pfeiffer Beach, look for the Nepenthe Restaurant, 29 miles south of Carmel, 2 miles south of Pfeiffer Beach and 63 miles north of San Simeon. A few miles south of the restaurant, before Highway 1 curves to the east (Grimes Canyon), check for cars pulled over on the west (ocean) side of the highway in a little pullout next to a telephone pole. A larger pullout used mostly by Caltrans workers is on the east side of the road. Follow the very steep path from the west pullout to the beach. "It's very steep," says George. "When you go to the beach, you will be going straight down. Coming back, the path goes straight up."

The beach: Windswept and ruggedly isolated, Fullers is a haven for the few local surfers who known about it. You're more likely to find boards than sunbathers on the beach.

The crowd: On good wave-riding days, most of the crowd will be in the water. Occasionally, though, a few nude sunbathers show up on the sand.

Problems: Not too sandy, poison oak on trail, unknown legal status, pullout hard to find, steep path.

Rating: C.

ARROYO SECO

Arroyo Seco means "dry canyon" in Spanish, but there's nothing dry about the hike that some naturists undertake to a series of nude beach swimming holes between Soledad and Greenfield. Don't even think about making the same trek unless you're in great physical condition. Nudists who venture forth here walk, wade, and swim to get from one end of a dozen swimming holes to the other and past several waterfalls (including one that naturist groups climb down, according to Pete Antoniak). The water is up to 40 feet deep, and the canyon walls soar to 100 feet. Being nude is "the recommended attire, as any clothes you choose to wear will be soaked," Rob van Glabbeek says. "I hiked and swam for two hours," reports reader Franz Gall, of Munich. "It's a beautiful place." But don't visit during or just after the end of the rainy season or you may find the whole area under water, says a reader who discovered the hard way that timing counts. Speaking of timing, to avoid complaints in this part of the Ventana Wilderness, don't go unclad on weekends.

Legal status: Part of Los Padres National Forest.

How to find it: From Salinas, take Highway 101 south past Soledad to Arroyo Seco Road. Follow Arroyo Seco west to the U.S. Forest Service campground in Arroyo Seco Canyon. The entrance fee is $5 a car. "A lot of picnic people are at the entrance of the canyon," says Gall. "But you won't see them after 10 minutes of walking. Go through the picnic area right along the river. There aren't any signs or maps. You can walk for about an hour until you come to a point where you have to start swimming every 10 minutes. The water's crystal clear. The stones aren't covered with anything slippery, so it's a really easy hike. But you should use sneakers."

The beach: Arroyo Seco Canyon has 100-foot cliffs and water as deep as 40 feet. Along the lower stretches, you'll have your pick of countless pools.

The crowd: What crowd? Arroyo Seco's lower (best) four miles of pools cater to only a few visitors during the week. On weekends, clothed users take over.

Problems: Users must swim and hike, mornings often cool, lack of precise directions, no easy way out in emergency, entrance fee, after heavy rains the river covers access.

Rating: B.

SYKES HOT SPRING

The worst thing about Sykes Hot Spring is the wait you may have to put up with to use the site. The best thing about it is how good you'll feel enjoying the soothing waters after the 10-mile long hike that's required to reach the six soaking pools that are together known as Sykes. Situated high in the hills above the Big Sur River area, Sykes gets more visitors in spring than any other season. Other than the length and steepness of the trail, which is sun-baked and fairly treeless for the first few miles, and complaints about garbage, the main gripe heard at Sykes involves overcrowding. Sykes is a victim of its own success: once in the pools, visitors like to linger, which tends to upset the other hikers who arrive after them. The bottom line is that there's often a wait of an hour or two to climb into the two best springs.

Legal status: Part of the Ventana Wilderness area of the Los Padres National Forest.

How to find it: From Monterey, go south on Highway 1. Park at the Big Sur Ranger Station off Highway 1. Get a hiking permit and a map, then follow Pine Ridge Trail for about 10 miles as it winds along and roughly parallels the Big Sur River. After some switchbacks, the trail levels and goes downhill. It leads to the pools. Two campgrounds, Sykes and Pine Ridge, are in the area.

The beach: The path will take you to various pools, including one that holds five people next to a fallen tree and large boulder and another on a riverbank.

The crowd: It may be just you in summer, fall, or winter. In spring, expect plenty of visitors, all of them most likely naked.

Problems: Wait often required to use springs, increased litter, varying water temperature, steep and dry trail, fire damage in area.

Rating: A.

SAND DOLLAR BEACH

New listing!

Rocky and with a rather straight beach, with a slightly curving shoreline on the south end, Sand Dollar is mostly a family site that draws a few nude sunbathers when the wind is down. One redeeming quality: it's less windy than nearby Pfeiffer. The beach is on Highway 1, so a stop here, perhaps to use one of the eight picnic tables or five barbecues, can provide a nice break if you're on the road. The site is just west of Fort Hunter Liggett.

Legal status: Sand Dollar Picnic Area And Beach is part of Los Padres National Forest, under the jurisdiction of Los Padres' Monterey Ranger District.

How to find it: Go south on Highway 1 about 6 to 10 miles past the town of Lucia. Sand Dollar is between Pacific Valley and Gorda. Coming from the north, the beach is past Limekiln Beach, Redwoods Campground, Kirk Creek Campground, and the Pacific Valley Ranger Station (in that order) and just north of Plaskett Creek Campground. If you pass Plaskett, turn around and try again. Kirk Creek Campground is a good turnaround point for those coming from the south. Park in the Sand Dollar State Picnic Area and Beach lot, then stroll north along the main beach until, if they happen to be present, you see a few nude sunbathers.

The beach: Though it's a little warmer than Pfeiffer, the beach is only partially sheltered from the wind by the bluffs above the sand. As for the sand, there isn't much of it, and the ground is rocky.

The crowd: A few naturists still return to Sand Dollar each year, but use was more popular in the 70s and 80s. Depending on when you visit, you may encounter clothed families.

Problems: Rocks, some wind (bring windbreaks), $5 day use fee, influx of clothed families, better directions needed

Rating: C.

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