Four Mile Beach–Three Mile Beach, 8 beaches is an 11.2-mile out-and-back in Wilder Ranch State Park near Gordola, CA. The route passes Fern Grotto Beach, Sand Plant Beach, Fern Grotto Beach and 5 more before reaching Four Mile Beach at the turnaround, 5.6 miles in. It is mostly level, with 108 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 1/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Four Mile Beach–Three Mile Beach, 8 beaches
11.2 mi · ▲ 108 ft · 3 hr 47 min
Elevation 34–84 ft
Out & Back · Wilder Ranch State Park
Trailhead: 36.96100, -122.08706
Weather Aug 3: Fog, high 67°F / low 55° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:15 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 200 ftSharp right, heading E.
- 0.7 miPass Fern Grotto Beach.
- 0.5 miPass Sand Plant Beach.
- 50 ftPass Fern Grotto Beach.
- 50 ftPass Wilder Ranch State Park Beach.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading N.
- 200 ftTurn left onto Old Cove Landing Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miPass Sand Plant Beach.
- 2.3 miPass Strawberry Beach.
- 50 ftPass Wilder Ranch State Park Beach.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.4 miPass Three Mile Beach.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Ohlone Bluff Trail, heading NW.
- 1.1 miReach Four Mile Beach, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 4.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 200 ftSharp right onto Old Cove Landing Trail, heading E.
- 1.2 miSharp left, heading NW.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 450 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.2 mi in (~79 min). Leave by 6:35 PM for the 8:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:50 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Wilder Ranch State Park Beach–Fern Grotto Beach, 4 beaches 3.3 mi · ▲ 26 ft
- Three Mile Beach–Strawberry Beach, 6 beaches 9.3 mi · ▲ 26 ft
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