Glass Beach

About Glass Beach

From 1906 the people of Fort Bragg tipped their rubbish over the cliffs here, and decades of Pacific surf ground the bottles down into smooth, frosted pebbles. The state bought the site in 2002 and it is now part of MacKerricher State Park, drawing huge numbers of visitors. Years of collecting have thinned the glass considerably, but colourful pieces still show among the stones, especially when wet at low tide.

Sea glass at Glass Beach

White, green and amber dominate, with rarer red, cobalt, lavender, teal, aqua and seafoam reported. Best viewed at low tide when the wet glass shines; the park says quantities have fallen sharply.

Visiting Glass Beach

Safety

Check the tide times before you go and head out on a falling tide, so you're never cut off. Keep away from the bottom of cliffs, wear sturdy shoes on rocks, and follow the collecting rules above.