Posted in Northern California
March 14, 2017
The Most Unusual Beach In Northern California Is Downright Fascinating
Tucked along the Mendocino Coast is a spectacular but unusual sight. Strange geologic spheres that are formed by a rare combination of elements are found here. Bowling Ball Beach, where you will find these curious rocks, is located in the Schooner Gulch State Beach area and will make for a fun day of exploration.
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The so-called bowling balls are actually a geological phenomenon known as "concretion." It occurs when sedimentary rock is formed by a natural process where minerals cause grains of sand or stone to stick together into larger formations.

These boulders are the result of millions of years of concretion and erosion, exposing the hard spheres as the mudstone of the cliffs receded around them.


Recent reports from visitors to the area warn that you should be prepared to walk over rough, rocky surfaces and driftwood to see the beach.




Although it is pretty unusual to see, the same geological phenomenon that created Bowling Ball Beach is what created the extraordinary Moeraki Boulders and Koutu Boulders in New Zealand, the Cannonball River in North Dakota, and a few other formations like these throughout the world.

This area is part of Schooner Gulch State Beach, which was originally an area used for timber milling.


Have you ever been to the Bowling Ball Beach along the Mendocino Coast? For another story about a unique beach here in Northern California, read The One Place In Northern California That Must Be Seen to Be Believed.