Parking at this popular Bay Area playground is near the southern end of the strand, which is owned by the federal government. North of that, the County of Marin owns a stretch of it (technically called Upton’s Beach) where leashed dogs are allowed. Beyond that, to the mouth of Bolinas Lagoon, the beach above the high tide line is owned by the residents of the Seadrift subdivision. Property owners and their guards can’t kick you off the lower part of the beach, you have a constitutional right to access, enshrined in the California constitution.
Upton’s Beach is a popular landing destination for hang gliders taking off from Mount Tamalpais.
Getting there: From Highway 101 in Larkspur, take the Sir Francis Drake Boulevard exit west towards Olema, turn left at Highway 1/Shoreline Highway, turn right at Calle Del Arroyo, and turn left at Walla Vista. There is no parking on Walla Vista. You must park on Calle Del Arroyo (before the Seadrift gate) to access Upton’s Beach, or walk from Stinson Beach.
