Vicinity Features
The Russian River, with its mouth at the north end of Goat Rock Beach, is Sonoma County's largest watercourse both in flow rate and lineal extent. Immediately beyond the Russian River discharge to the Pacific Ocean is the coastal town of Jenner. North of the mouth of the Russian River is Jenner Beach. Goat Rock protrudes into the Pacific at the south end of Goat Rock Beach. Visitors can access the base of Goat Rock via a low lying isthmus of land which has been appropriated by the State as a parking area. The almost sheer cliffs of Goat Rock are virtually impossible to scale or to circumnavigate; in fact, signage is posted prohibiting either activity. There is considerable sloughing of broken rock from these vertical surfaces of Goat Rock. Blind Beach is situated immediately south of Goat Rock Beach, the two beaches being separated by Goat Rock itself.
Along Goat Rock Beach and the adjoining beaches, massive rock outcroppings are found both on the shore and protruding from the Pacific Ocean as small skerries. Among these rugged structures are natural arches formed by powerful wave action selectively eroding weaker strata of the rock formations. Approximately seventeen miles to the south is another major geological feature of the Northern California coast known as Bodega Head. Goat Beach lies below and slightly west of State Route 1.
During the summer months a sandbar is built up along the beach and separates the Russian river from the Pacific Ocean. This sandbar is breached whenever the water levels reach heights between 4.5 and 7 feet at the Jenner visitor center. Breaching of the sandbar during late fall / early winter splits the beach in two sections. The northern section is protected by the Russian river flowing into the ocean and creates an ideal location for harbor seal pupping.
The Russian River State Marine Reserve and Russian River State Marine Conservation Area protect the Russian River Estuary. Like underwater parks, these marine protected areas help conserve ocean and freshwater wildlife and marine ecosystems.
Read more about this topic: Goat Rock Beach
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