Imagine a beach where glistening, colorful gems cover the shoreline, creating a breathtaking display of nature’s beauty and an unforgettable experience. Welcome to Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California – a unique coastal treasure that’s not only visually stunning but also rich in history.
Nestled within Mendocino County along the majestic Pacific Coast Highway, this hidden gem provides visitors with unparalleled access to remarkable sea glass formations, unlike any other place on Earth.
Key Takeaways
- Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California, is a unique coastal treasure that’s not only visually stunning but also rich in history. The beach is covered with thousands of colorful pieces of sea glass remnants from when the coastline was used as a dump site.
- Visitors can expect to witness an awe-inspiring transformation up close at Glass Beach by exploring tide pools and walking along MacKerricher State Park’s shores, where remnants of this unexpected beauty continue being unveiled by Pacific Ocean waves.
- To protect Glass Beach’s unique ecosystem, visitors are strictly prohibited from collecting any sea glass found on-site. Fines can be imposed on those caught removing pieces from the beach, which can go up to $500 per instance.
- Nearby attractions include Pudding Creek Trestle offering breathtaking views of the surrounding area, and Sunset Cove, ideal for experiencing beautiful sunset views over the Pacific Ocean while spotting sea lions playing on nearby beaches.
Table of Contents
The Unique Beauty Of Glass Beach
Glass Beach’s beauty is unique due to the thousands of colorful pieces of sea glass that cover its shore, remnants of a bygone era when the coastline was used as a dump site for everything from cars to appliances.
History Of Glass Beach
The fascinating story behind Glass Beach dates back to the early 20th century when Fort Bragg’s residents began dumping their garbage into a coastline area known as “The Dumps.” Established in 1906, this dumping ground saw everything from household waste to large appliances and even vehicles being discarded straight into the ocean.
As environmental consciousness grew, community members searched for a new location for their dump site.
For nearly two decades after that decision, trash continued to pile up along these beautiful shores. Unbeknownst to many at the time, however, nature had a plan for turning this seemingly careless act of littering into something awe-inspiring: sea glass treasure troves! As time went by and waves crashed against discarded glass bottles – some thrown there purposefully during target practice or as makeshift Molotov cocktails –the jagged shards were smoothed and rounded by erosion processes until only colorful pebbles remained.
As conservation efforts improved around Glass Beach and visitors became more aware of its unique beauty, protective measures were put in place.
How Glass Beach Was Formed
The formation of Glass Beach has a fascinating history that dates back to the early 20th century. Beginning in 1906, Fort Bragg residents and the Union Lumber Company would routinely dump their trash along the coastline at what came to be known as “The Dumps.” This practice continued for decades, with locals even tossing Molotov cocktails into The Dumps in an attempt to decrease the piles of waste.
Over time, nature took its course and transformed The Dumps into what we now know as Glass Beach. Wave action gradually broke down items such as glass bottles and pottery shards, smoothing them out into gleaming sea glass pebbles.
Exploring Glass Beach
Explore the sparkling shores of Glass Beach and discover a unique treasure trove of sea glass, where you can immerse yourself in a one-of-a-kind adventure filled with breathtaking views and natural wonders.
What To Expect When Visiting
As a male traveler navigating the captivating shores of Glass Beach, you’ll quickly discover that this unique destination offers far more than just its eye-catching sea glass.
Each step along the glistening sands will take you on a journey through time – from rich history to present-day preservation efforts.
Visiting Glass Beach is truly an otherworldly experience that piques curiosity at every turn. From uncovering fascinating stories behind each shimmering relic beneath your feet to observing crabs scuttle by or spotting vibrant waves rolling into shore — there’s never a dull moment here! An essential tip for any fellow adventurer would be to wear protective gloves when venturing amidst the jagged shoreline; this will allow you to comfortably sift through endless piles of gleaming treasures while keeping safety in mind.
The Colors Of Sea Glass Found At Glass Beach
One of the unique aspects that draw visitors to Glass Beach is the array of colors found within its sea glass. The glass components come in various hues, including white, brown, green, yellow, dark orange, red and blue.
This rainbow-like mixture creates a visually stunning display on the beach that can be enjoyed by all who visit. Interestingly enough, this has inspired the use of recycled crushed glass cullet as beach aggregate in other states as well.
The Best Time To Visit Glass Beach
I highly recommend visiting Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California, after Labor Day weekend. During the summer months of June, July, and August, it can get quite busy with tourists, so going a couple of hours before or during low tide is best to see as much sea glass as possible.
Morning fog is common during peak season due to coastal fog created by the cold ocean air meeting the warm land. However, this doesn’t take away from the beauty of Glass Beach and its surroundings.
Dogs on leashes are allowed on trails and beaches at Glass Beach but are not recommended for the main beach due to a steep path.
Rules And Regulations At Glass Beach
Visitors should be aware that it is illegal to collect sea glass at Glass Beach, as part of preservation efforts by the California State Water Resources Control Board and California Department of Parks and Recreation.
Preservation Efforts
As a protected area, Glass Beach has been the subject of various preservation efforts. The California Coastal Conservancy and Mendocino Land Trust have played significant roles in preserving this natural wonder as part of MacKerricher State Park.
To protect Glass Beach’s unique ecosystem, visitors are strictly prohibited from collecting any sea glass found on-site. The conservation team encourages tourists to appreciate the glass’s beauty by leaving it on the ground for others to enjoy instead.
Restrictions On Collecting Sea Glass
As much as we all love to collect souvenirs from our travels, it’s important to respect the rules and regulations in place. At Glass Beach, collecting sea glass is strictly prohibited by law.
The beach is protected as part of MacKerricher State Park, and visitors are not allowed to disturb or take anything from the beach, including sea glass, rocks, and shells.
Not only is it illegal to collect sea glass at Glass Beach, but doing so can harm the natural ecosystem and impact the beauty of this unique location.
Nearby Attractions And Activities
Explore the nearby Pudding Creek Trestle, take a stroll along Sunset Cove or Laguna Point, visit the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, hike through Noyo Headlands Park or Russian Gulch State Park, and experience the stunning natural beauty of Van Damme State Park and Redwoods State and National Park.
Pudding Creek Trestle
One of the must-visit attractions near Glass Beach is Pudding Creek Trestle. This historic railroad bridge offers breathtaking views of the surrounding area and is a popular spot for photography and sightseeing.
As a nature enthusiast, I found walking or biking across the trestle to be an excellent way to take in all that this scenic area has to offer.
In addition to its natural beauty, Pudding Creek Trestle is rich in history, making it a great spot for history buffs as well. The trestle was built by the Union Lumber Company back in 1915 and was used primarily to transport lumber from nearby forests.
Nowadays, visitors can explore hiking trails around the trestle while taking in the beautiful scenery that includes sand dunes, sea lions playing on nearby beaches, and stunning cliffs overlooking waves crashing against rocks.
Sunset Cove
Sunset Cove is one of the must-see places near Glass Beach, California. This cove offers breathtaking sunset views over the Pacific Ocean, making it a popular spot for photography enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.
For those looking to explore the outdoors, hiking trails near Sunset Cove offer opportunities for exploration suitable for all skill levels. The wildlife, such as ospreys, elk, and sea birds, that can be seen while hiking make this experience even more memorable.
Located within Noyo Headlands Park, Sunset Cove has picnic areas and a playground for children making it an ideal place to relax with family or friends.
Laguna Point
If you’re looking for some adventure during your trip to Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California, Laguna Point is a must-visit destination. This scenic spot offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and Mendocino Coast that are sure to take your breath away.
The trails around Laguna Point are well-maintained, making it perfect for a leisurely stroll while taking in the natural beauty around you. Keep an eye out for whales, sea lions, and other marine life if you want to witness wildlife up close and personal.
Laguna Point can be combined with other nearby attractions such as Noyo Headlands Park and Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens which offer diverse activities like hiking trails with coastal views and tide-pooling at low tide.
Sunset Cove is another nearby attraction that visitors would love exploring while also admiring the intense colors of the sky reflecting upon sunset over the ocean.
Noyo Headlands Park
Noyo Headlands Park is a must-visit destination for any traveler exploring Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California. Covering 60 acres of coastal bluffs, the park offers breathtaking ocean views and an abundance of outdoor activities for visitors to enjoy.
Whether you want to hike through the park’s trails or have a scenic picnic with your family while birdwatching, Noyo Headlands has something for everyone. The park is also home to a variety of wildlife, including harbor seals, sea lions, and gray whales – perfect for animal lovers! Make sure to stop by the visitor center, where you can learn more about the history and ecology of this beautiful area.
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
Located near Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California, the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens is a must-visit destination for any nature enthusiast. Spanning over 47 acres and overlooking the Pacific Ocean, these gardens offer visitors an opportunity to explore a wide variety of plant life, including rhododendrons, heathers, and conifers.
What’s more? The gardens host several activities like guided tours, birdwatching, and picnicking as well as special events such as holiday lights display and workshops/classes on gardening and plant care.
In addition to exploring the gardens themselves, there are also nearby attractions worth checking out during your visit. Some of these attractions include Pomo Bluffs Park with its scenic coastal views or taking a ride aboard the historic Skunk Train.
Russian Gulch State Park
Russian Gulch State Park is a hidden gem located near Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California. This park offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and horseback riding.
You can visit the 36-foot waterfall or relax at one of the many picnic areas. The beach also offers an exciting adventure with tide pools and stunning ocean views from a 36-foot-high bridge.
It’s a peaceful destination that will allow you to explore the beauty of Glass Beach and the surrounding area while experiencing all that nature has to offer.
Van Damme State Park
Van Damme State Park is a true natural wonder located just a few miles south of Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California. This beautiful park boasts a wide range of outdoor activities that are sure to delight nature enthusiasts everywhere.
One unique feature of Van Damme State Park is its pygmy forest, which showcases miniature versions of trees that have adapted to poor soil conditions and can only be found in this part of California.
Redwoods State And National Park
Redwoods State and National Park is a must-visit destination for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. It’s home to some of the tallest trees in the world, with some reaching over 350 feet tall! You can take a scenic drive through Avenue of the Giants or hike one of the many trails that wind their way through this ancient forest.
The park offers camping opportunities as well as wildlife viewing, and you might even catch sight of some elusive animals like black bears, cougars, and Roosevelt elk.
Where To Stay Near Glass Beach
There are plenty of great accommodation options near Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California.
- Little River Inn: A charming and historic hotel located on the northern California coast with breathtaking views.
- Downtown Fort Bragg: There are plenty of hotels, bed and breakfasts, vacation rentals, motels, and campgrounds to choose from in the downtown area.
- MacKerricher State Park: This park offers hiking trails, camping, and a dog-friendly boardwalk along the rugged coast near Glass Beach.
- Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens: If you’re looking for something more romantic or peaceful retreat-like accommodations near Glass Beach.
- Redwoods State and National Park: If you want to be closer to nature while still being close enough to visit Glass Beach.
- Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO): There are many VRBO places around Glass Beach where you get larger spaces for families even further away from crowds than regular hotels or resorts would usually provide
So if you’re planning a trip to this unique destination on California’s coast – don’t hesitate! Book your stay now at any one of these amazing locations.
Frequently Asked Questions (About Glass Beach at Fort Bragg)
What is the Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California?
Glass Beach is a unique beach that has been transformed into a colorful and stunning vista thanks to years of discarded glass being polished by the waves on its shore. This beach features small pieces of colored glass that create an awe-inspiring display for visitors to enjoy.
Is it safe to visit Glass Beach?
Yes, it is safe to visit Glass Beach as long as you properly follow all posted rules and regulations during your stay there. Visitors should take care not to disturb the fragile ecosystem or leave any waste behind when visiting this beautiful location.
Can I collect glass from Glass Beach?
Collection of glass at Glass Beach is prohibited under law so it’s important for visitors not to remove any items from their spot at the beach – these unique colors and textures are part of what makes this destination so special!
What should I bring with me when visiting Glass Beach?
It’s recommended that you come prepared with proper footwear (as the area can be rocky) & sunscreen since temperatures can get high in this region! Additionally – consider bringing snacks or drinks if planning on spending extended time here enjoying one-of-a-kind views offered by Mother Nature herself!
Conclusion
In conclusion, Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California, is a unique and breathtaking destination to visit. Its history of trash dumping turned into an astonishing sea glass wonderland has made it one of the most popular attractions on the Mendocino Coast.
However, with the preservation efforts in place and collecting restrictions enforced by State Park Rangers, visitors are encouraged to enjoy the beauty without disturbing its fragile ecosystem.
The nearby attractions offer a variety of activities for everyone, from hiking trails to whale watching, which makes it an ideal destination for male travelers looking for adventure and exploration.
I love the bright colours here – makes visiting seem very inviting.
I’ve been there, and NEVER saw this much glass. a pebble here and there, and thats all.
That’s what we’ve been hearing, yeah. That the landscape of the beach has changed quite a bit over the years.
Then you weren’t in the right spot because ive been there and nothing but millions of pieces of glass. Good luck next time
I was there in January of 2011. When you get to the initial sight it is fairly picked over, with a lot of garbage strewn about. You need to veer to the left, hop some rocks and you will find the most amazing beach, and it’s surprisingly large an isolated. I have posted pictures on Google Earth if you are truly interested in finding the correct location. Good luck!
What Christopher said. But shhhh, don’t tell!
First of all I live here I’ve been to glass beach ever since I can remember even taking school field trips there and I haven’t seen this much glass there since I was 10 that was 6 years ago now there’s almost no glass so if yu see some kids with longboards yelling at you for picking up the glass and putting it in a bag it’s me and my friends please don’t keep the glass we get violent after we’ve told you once and we see you do it again but it’s a great place I love to hang there with my friends visit it when you have time and bring glass bottles 🙂
LOL you went to the wrong place . . its awesome and the glass “pebbles” are everywhere and it is deep. We dug down more than a foot and a half . . nothing but glass.
mother nature made something beautiful out of something ugly
It’s not all that beautiful to me. Just a bunch of trash.
It’s not all that beautiful to me. Just a bunch of trash.
It’s a beautiful garbage dump then perhaps? At least the glass chunks aren’t sharp.
Its sea glass. The sea rounds the edges after years of being submerged.
I believe the constant waves and the action of being tumbled against other objects (glass) polishes the edges off.
When were you there? We were just there last week (and also 5 years ago). You have to search really hard to find any trash. Last time we found a spark plug. This time we found 3 pieces of metal under 3 inches, one piece of rubber about 2 inches, and a heavy pointed object about 6 inches long that may have been a piece of a staircase balluster. And that was after 8 hours of beach combing. It’s amazing how the whole thing has been cleaned up. On the down side, people have taken most of the glass, so it won’t be long before they have to change the name. There is talk of a “re-seeding” program, but that will take decades to get off the ground.
reseeding… there is something wrong with throwing more glass into the ocean so that more people can look at a colorful glass beach, simply as a result of other people taking the glass from the beach. (We are such a silly, On-Demand society these days).
i don’t see what is wrong with letting this one pass. it was a disgusting thing transformed into a moderate amount of beauty, if you saw it you saw it, game over.. right?
🙂 nice man….if u saw it u saw it, if u dint…u dint…simple 🙂
What exactly does “dint” mean? I see it online quite often. Is it a lazy version of “didn’t?” Because if that’s the case, come on. It’s just one extra letter that makes you seem significantly more intelligent. Use it, please.
That said, I agree with you. If you’ve seen the glass beach, congratulations. If you didn’t, that doesn’t mean we need to make another one.
Ciao. I do’t speak…don’t speak English. Because the letter a donkey eat so quick and I don’t see. And glass in the beach? Bad idea. Au revoir.
OKAY I have to ask – what is wrong with putting glass into the ocean so that it can be recycled by nature into sand? Before you answer, do you know where glass comes from?
Ok, we know where glass comes from. But, the fact of the matter is it wasn’t only glass that was dumped onto that stretch of land, there was metal, rubber, garbage, you name it. Now, saying we did that again, I don’t think we’d have the same outcome and people may get hurt if we do this again, because people will still go there to see the “glass beach” but be disappointed when its filled with garbage again.
It was there once, by accident. Lets not try and recreate something that should have never happened.
We need to let the ocean ecosystem in that area regenerate into what it is naturally supposed to be. I don’t understand how throwing huge amounts of sharp shards of glass into the ocean seems like a good idea to you, even if it did turn into something kind of cool the first time.
😉
That’s like asking: what is wrong with boiling an egg and giving it back to a chicken… It simply is not the same thing. Even that aside: it would take a great amount of time for the shards to become as small as sand again.
Most American style glass comes from China.
Okay.
You ask what is wrong with people putting glass into the ocean?!? People swim and surf in that area. Have you ever seen the damage a broken bottle can do if stepped on bare footed?
Glass is made from sand, it’s just putting it back where it came from in the first place. Might as well throw your old bottles there and keep the dream alive.
Silica (the chemical compound SiO2) is a common fundamental constituent of glass. In nature, vitrification of quartz occurs when lightning strikes sand, forming hollow, branching rootlike structures called fulgurite so essentially glass has no effect on the ocean. The glass would just get broken back down to a sand form again.
Beauty can be found in landfills even…..there is beauty to a clearly juxtaposed image such as a beach made of glass bottles, or a reef made of tires…..its sad, but thats not about aesthetics, context, or intent. It is what makes it something people need to see, and gives it a sense of power and beauty.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!! I suppose that you think that the fog rolling off a lazy river on a cool morning is just smog??? Or that the first smile from a newborn baby is just gas? Try looking at the world thru rose colored glasses for a change! You might just see something amazing for once!!!
kim, your the problem in this country. I could sculpt my waste into a dove and have it fly away would that be beautiful to you? Lets make more glass beaches eh? why not nature wont care right.
Kim I totally agree with you and think that you see things in the right way. When people bad mouth positivity, it is through fear. I think it would be a great way to recycle glass in moderation, it is made from sand isn’t it?
Glass IS sand in solid form. It is just being recycled and it does look pretty. 🙂
Amen to that, sister! If anything, it could serve as a lesson to natural beauty and how wantonly disposing of things that won’t break down (plastic, needles, etc) just ruins nature even more.
…. SAND is sand in solid form. What state do you think that sand is in that it would need to be further solidified to become a solid?? Goodness, people, come on…
to me its beautiful simple aesthetically, but within, its is much more beautiful that a former dump could transform itself into such beauty
Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
This does look entirely cool. For a dump and all…
Until the day we invent something to take us back in time so we can beat the “we just didn’t know better” out of our ancestors, I think that this is an interesting and attractive result, all considered.
There’s also the point that some day in the future, these large pieces will be worn down to fine sand, just like every other rock or silicate on the beach.
Nature is like the honey badger. Nature don’t give a shit.
nature don’t care nature don’t give a shit
You’re my new favorite reader.
correction: honey badgers do give a shit. however, they don’t give a fuck
and are quite nastyass. EW WHAT ARE YOU DOING HONEYBADGER?!
Ancestors didnt know r u kidding me back in the day there was no glass to throw away u refilled ur milk bottles beer bottles and soda there were no PLASTIC everything the waste is now it wasn’t then youneed to read a little deeper there were no boxed and packaged food no fast food cups bags and wrappers no cigarette butts …no not ancestors its called technology. And the need for convenience it is the last 20 to 30the years even appliances. Are through away now…no u can thank the here the now when’s the last 20 time u asked for paper instead of plastic or bought allumin. Cans instead of plastic or glass repaired an electronic instead of throwing it away :):) just saying and I’m. 42 by the way
Unless of course, the glass broke…. which is why we have a place that looks like Glass Beach …… the history’s already been explained, but 1 more time: in 1906 the California earthquake destroyed much of the downtown area of Fort Bragg, CA. A quick way to get rid of the trash? The mill owners opened a section of road, their special dumping grounds called ‘The Dumps’ and allowed the city to haul away the debris from the earthquake and dump it over the sides of the cliffs. The city had found a new place for townsfolk to dump all their trash…. and so, The Dumps were born out of necessity rather than ignorance.
It was ignorance of the tides and what garbage and pollutants would do to the environment, that kept the three locations going. The 1906 dump closed in 1943. The middle section of beach was then opened to dumping. That lasted all of six years before it was closed in 1949. The northernmost site, now owned by state parks (as of approx. 2002), was opened then and finally closed in 1967 when the water board discovered what it was doing to the ground water…. so there you have it….and now we have three beaches, collectively called Glass Beach…. the city is working a plan now to create a Coastal Trail. They are saying when that opens that they will begin discouraging people from taking the glass… but that’s another can of worms….
And apparently our ancestors didn’t use punctuation, either…
This is historical imperialism at its finest. Ignorant ancestors. Heh. You’re providing plenty of material for your future analogue to make similar comments.
There is also a glass beach in Hawaii on the island of Kauai, some dispute about who made it .kev.
Volcanos made the glass beaches. when the lava melts the sand, it turns to glass. Glass is a totally natural substance. It is simply melted sand. It is not littering. it will turn back into sand. Sheesh. It isn’tplastic
There’s not much there now
It is nice to see that something so thoughtless and horrible, ie littering, has been turned into something so pretty and unique!
Wow, this looks like a really amazing place! And who knows what happened to all the chemicals and toxins dumped in with all the glass, but at least Mother Earth can tumble these shards back into sand and show that sometimes beauty truly can come from misfortune.
The released toxins from worn glass is disturbing. Reassurance comes from knowing that sand is a key ingredient to glass production – the sea is recycling itself. Thankfully. Plastic is frightful. Found this through stumbleupon
Of what toxins from worn glass are you referring?
Perhaps the author should have actually visited the glass beach before writing about it. You don’t need shoes.
Hey Randy- I actually point out I haven’t been there, but mentioning shoes is more my personal humour and a touch of skepticism at wanting to step around in what is essentially ankle deep glass. I’m not pointing out that shoes are required in any way.
However, Fort Bragg’s website does mention that you should consider keeping them on as there are the few occasional pieces of rusty metal scraps (like old spark plugs and that sort of thing) laying around that may have been missed or have washed up since the cleanup.
Personally, Randy, and I’ve lived in Ft Bragg for 26 years, I don’t like going without shoes on Glass Beach…. there ARE sharp shards of glass in places, not to mention rusty sharp pieces of metal sticking up out of the glass in places…. no thanks….. shoes in my opinion, are a MUST on this beach…
I suppose I have mixed feelings on this one. I too, like you can not understand people who litter. I just put it down to damn right laziness..and this.. well I agree it is an incredible sight and thankfully a very rare one at that. We are slowly becoming ever so slightly more willing to try and protect our planet, but still have an extremely long way to go. If the adding of more glass to this site has stopped and the damage to wildlife is zero then I don’t suppose there is a harm in promoting it as a site to see, and maybe some money could be made from it to be used in some way to help stop people from littering.
I think it’s an excellent example of how God can take uneven our most thoughtless and stupid mistakes; and with a little time…transform it into something beautiful.
God did this? Its funny how when it was a waste dump it was man made, then when it turned good it was gods intervention. Im sure “god” has better things to do.
Diane, it’s not god btw. It’s nature. Thanks.
Can’t we all just believe our own beliefs and not constantly rag on or correct another?
Jaimie, your comment is the best I have read here yet. Live and let live people, quit trying to nitpick everyone else beliefs. Have some respect for one another.
Josh, God created nature!
That’s right, misti, God did that not long after nature created her.
tehee 🙂
misti and jaimie stfu. ppl should be ragged on it challenges their beliefs. I find more people trying to shove god in others faces more then anything else.
Actually, I find that people who don’t believe in God shove it in others’ faces much more than the other way around. Diane made a statement about a God that she personally believes in – notice that she isn’t trying to convince others of her beliefs or ‘rag’ on athiests. More often than not, I find that my athiest friends point fingers about ‘preaching’ and then preach to me about what they think. Just let things be, it’s the Internet.
If you put any opinion( religious or not) in a public forum you are giving people the chance to challenge or agree with your opinion..
if you don’t like that then… Don’t post anything.
Human development is fueled in huge part by the
QUESTIONING OF PREVIOUSLY HELD BELIEFS
Not challenging opinions (of any form) is tantamount to accepting them, and if we all did that then…
We would be living on a Flat world in the Centre of the Universe
and that would be such a waste of the
A) True Beauty of Creation and the Universe
or
B) True Beauty of Gods Creation and the Universe
I think you’re all nuts, it wasn’t God or nature that did this, it was magic glass fairies that are sent here from Fairyland to protect the little, they spend night and day polishing every little piece of glass so as no child or adult gets cut or scraped.
You need to stop with these mythical creations you come with like God and nature and trying to think that this stuff magically happens with a snap of the finger. If you only knew the fairy hours put into each piece of glass you would truly appreciate the true beauty of each piece.
Saying something like “God did this” or Mother nature did this” please, it’s not that simple. Trust me, just ask the next glass fairy you see. I’m sure every one of these little amazing creatures could tell you a story….
You should all be ashamed.
Excellent article! I live in California and I’ve never heard about this place. I found your blog on stumbleupon. We write a travel blog at letsjetset.com and I’m definitely going to put this place on our to do list! Thank you!
cool. can i take some of the glass home with me?
No. The glass is a part of the beach. It’s protected. If you take it with you, then others will too, and eventually there will be nothing left of the beautiful beach that was there. Take pictures instead please.
It’s actually “frowned” upon and discouraged. But I have researched it and can not find anywhere where State law prohibits removal of trash from the beach, yes it is man made trash, even though it’s beautiful. If it’s gone someday the beach will still be be there, and it will still be beautiful the way it was before it was a dump.
I’ve been there a few times. It’s such a cool place. My uncle always said the blue bits of glass were the most rare and challenged my cousins and I to find as many as we could.
I have collected seaglass in a bunch of provinces and states and I find red is the most scarce. I have mostly Green,White(clear), Blue & Brown. I have found some Orange, Yellow and Purple but only one Red piece. I spoke with a man at a craft fair in CT & he said Black was very rare!! I find alot of joy along the ocean beaches and sea glass is all part of it!
Great, really wanna visit this place.
Thanks Gina, for sharing it.
I visited MacKerricher last year, and I am sad to report that there is virtually no glass on glass beach. Also, there is a significant amount of fresh, sharp glass. It looked like people had been breaking bottles on the beach in an attempt to restore the glass taken by hundreds of tourists and opportunists.
Not really. I grew up in Fort Bragg/Mendocino and only recently graduated high school and moved away. While any of the cool or special glass is pretty much gone, there is still lots and lots of green and clear glass and none of it is sharp. I was just there a few months ago, in fact.
I’ve been there and it is a beautiful example of the ability of humans to not think far enough into the future. it is sad in as many ways as it is beautiful. We’ve found very interesting objects, a piece from a brown Clorox bottle, with just the Clorox logo left and my mom’s personal favorite, a tiny arm from a porcelain doll. I’d like to know when these pictures were taken because when I was there in the mid-90’s, the beach was pretty well picked over. But perhaps the trash of yesteryear continues to come ashore…
Sometimes things take care of themselves. This is a great example how a negative is turned to a positive.
I was born and raised in Fort Bragg, and I miss it terribly. Glass Beach is a beautiful place, very unique and a place people should really consider visiting.
Josh, God and Nature are one and the same.
err no.
Nature is proven to exist, god is not,
they could be one and the same but we do not know this
It amazes me that there are so many environmentalists now that can bash what was done “back in the day.” Where were they then? We didn’t know about ecology and the harm doing that could cause. We just wanted to get rid of our garbage. Better there then on the roadside somewhere in the woods like what’s being done now. I know this for a fact because I see it almost once a month on my drive into town. Now there’s the people who need the reprimend in this modern day. However I applaud the environmentalist’s effort to clean things up.
how beautiful… from something bad, something good. see how jah fixes our crap!
Great post! I lived up in the Seattle area for years, and finding pretty glass is as fun as searching for agates and seashells. 🙂 ~Tui p.s. Found you from Stumble Upon.
Can’t believe all this plastic hasn’t creped up on shore!
Try visiting Hawaii (the big island) the southernmost point of the United States. The entire shoreline is plastic. Washed in from everywhere. English, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese writing on the piles of fisherman’s floats, water bottles and all things imaginable that are made of plastic. You drive way out of the way attempting to see “The Green Sand Beach” and this is what you stumble upon along the way. It’s disgusting, you don’t even see the sand for the trash.
Was at Green Sand Beach a few years back and the amount of ocean trash was unbelievable. Truly a human tragedy at its worst.Hard to find any green sand through all the crap washing ashore. Some kind of trash nexus of the sea.
ever since Nat’l.Geo put a peice on these old dump sites people from all over have come and picked and dug and polluted paths and beaches.It is picked pretty clean these days and some vendors set up tables and sell peices of glass and various other trinkets.makinking it commerical has taken the old hidden joy out of it.
That sucks, I wonder how much glass is left?
I was just at this beach 2 weeks ago and there was still plenty of glass, the paths were clean and well maintained and there was not a single person selling trinkets or setting up vendor tables.
In fact, the beautiful walking paths and trails were lined with rambling wild blackberry bushes and fat and happy squirrels.
I’ve been to glass beach. I didn’t really care for the old glass, but I loved the scenic views and had so much fun taking pictures around glass beach. it’s very beautiful and it is worth going to.
I went there with my parents in 2007! My mom makes jewelry out of sea glass/ shells so she made us go there. It was so worth it though!! And you really can go barefoot!
Apparently there are a couple of beaches; the main one MacKerricher touts as a tourist hotspot seems to be the one people are saying is picked over. From what I’ve been reading in park guides and what not, there are two other beaches that are harder to get to that have been left much more undisturbed. But that might be because one is only accessible by Sea Kayak. What an awesome adventure!
Everything else aside, how did the wildlife/ocean life handle all the years of abuse from humans? Ft. Bragg native(s): are there normally sea lions or seals in the area? If yes, how were they affected by all the toxins and glass bits before the glass was tumbled smooth? How about sea creatures? Do Ft. Bragg natives eat the fish, shell fish from the area? Does kelp grow normally? Star fish?
This is part of our problem: we only think of how humans are affected, not the rest of the eco-system which we are dependent upon.
I am a “Ft. Bragg native”. To answer some of your questions…
“how did the wildlife/ocean life handle all the years of abuse from humans?”– I’m not old enough to remember the times when this area was actully used as a dump, so I don’t know how the wildlife suffered “way back when”. Our little community was quite the thriving fishing port for many many years. The decline in the industry has more to do with government regulations becuase of overfishing than the environmental hazards caused by the dumping that occured at Glass Beach.
“are there normally sea lions or seals in the area? If yes, how were they affected by all the toxins and glass bits before the glass was tumbled smooth?” Yes- we have sea lions and seals. I’m not sure how the sea lions and seals were effected, though they seem to be doing well (just ask any fisherman who has experienced a sea lion snagging a salmon from their line).
“Do Ft. Bragg natives eat the fish, shell fish from the area?” Yes, we do. And some of you might even eat them, too. As I said, we are a fishing community. Many of the fish and shell fish taken off our coast are shipped out of the area. Native are quite happy to eat fresh, locally caught snapper, salmon, abalone, mussles, halibut, dungeness crab, etc.
“Does kelp grow normally?” Yes- it feeds the abalone and sea urchins (urchin roe is shipped to Japan) “Star fish?” Yep- even in tide pools at Glass Beach!
This reminds me of how amazing it was to see then walk on a pure black sand beach on the Big Island of Ha’waii….
This internet always comes up with cool sites to visit. I love it! (This site) and the images. I always loved colored glass, it warms the soul.
great..want to visit this place for sure
It is really wonderful and I wish to visit this beach.
Tariq
I guess it just goes to show how arrogant humans are thinking they can ‘destroy’ nature. Just like the spill in the gulf, nature shows us once again she can take care of herself.
I visited here when I was growing up and every time it was a treat. It’s so much fun to run around seeing all the beautiful rocks that you can collect and all the beautiful colors of the rocks. I wish I could be there now. Such an amazing site to see.
While I hate litterers, I think glass on the beach is kind of funny, because it’s like “back to whence we came”. I wouldn’t mind visiting here. I agree with you, though. I’ll keep my shoes on; cutting your foot is never fun.
Love this place. I would have totally missed last year on my road trip if a local hadn’t told me to stop. Ft Bragg is a cool little town, worth stopping at.
The weirdest thing just happened… I am reading this article about glass beach and Fort Brag and watching 60 minutes,and in a completely unrelated story about Japan and the tsunami, they keep mentioning Fort Brag. 10-2-11 at 7:10 P.M. Serendipity strikes again.
I was watching the same show but caught it right at the end of the tsunami part, I missed the Fort Brag. Speaking of 60 minutes, that guy that climbed all those mountains without any ropes was pretty crazy and cool.
This is a brilliant story. I had no idea this existed.
Fort Bragg is the California town that has a Japanese sister city just profiled on ABC News. — Now that we’re so much smarter than that long ago trash dumping — and we’ve done away with our glass, we only have plastic bottles! Scary…
one state’s trash, the rest of the world’s treasure
Love the photos! Seems like a beach I might be wary of scooping up a handful of “sand” though. But definitely would love to check it out! Those colours are wild!
Luckily nature helped out with this mistake. Now if she will do something about the oil spills!
I llike these stone…
Cool. Have just been reading another article on collecting wave washed antique glass and those collectors probably need to know about this beach.
Nice post! I wanted to share it via Twitter with over 60.000 followers, but I can’t find a tweet button. 🙁
You could always just post the link!! Do it! This post deserves to be seen by everybody! Places like this are rare. Mother Nature fixing the problems we created!
OMG, I was in Ft. Bragg last January and didn’t know about this place. Too bad. Looks cool
Wow. Absolutely gorgeous. How interesting, too. Thanks for sharing. I used, many years ago, to be able to collect bits of polished glass like that on Shell Beach in La Jolla, California, to decorate my little terrariums. But since laws are now in place and enforced outlawing glass bottles on the beaches, the polished glass bits are no more. I love how nature is designed to impact dangerous things and make them beautiful sometimes.
Glass beach looks nothing like this anymore. The locals go down early in the morning and collect whatever small amounts of glass still wash up. Ft. Bragg is still a beautiful place to visit, though!
Thank you for pointing this out.
Ft. Bragg is 6 hours drive south of me, so I don’t get to go down there often. Last year I went down and there wasn’t one piece of glass to be seen. It isn’t just picked over now, its gone.
It also irritates me that a travel blog was written by someone who’s never been there. Just wow!
We’ve been having a pretty great back and forth conversation in the comments here about parts of the beach still having glass. Many people say the main beach has no glass, some have gone to different parts and found glass. Either way, people are talking about their experiences and their enjoyment of the area, and are interested in the positive results of just another mistake in our history as humans.
Taking some of your own language, it irritates me that you make a snippy comment when you clearly came to a men’s blog, not a travel blog. I’ve never been to the beach, but rather repeatedly mention it’s something I’d like to see. It’s an interesting and wonderful story about somewhere near to you that deserves to be shared. Just wow!
Oh my God. Incredible. I can’t imagine or I never imagined that debris and rubble can turn into a beauty, something like this in Fort Bragg California. This beach is really worth a visit. I wish I can get to this place one of these days.
It’s nice something terrible could be turned into something so interesting
It amazes me that there are so many environmentalists now that can bash what was done
Wow, it is absolutely beautiful. It is so important to visit places like these at some point in your life. It’s definitely on the bucket list. I love traveling to places all over the world and finding great deals to get there!
Very beautiful! That is a great opening picture as well. I’ve never heard of this place before reading this article, but now I really want to to go.
sooo if nature can just do that…with a bunch of trash does it matter if we litter??
I actually just visited glass beach in July, my sister got married in Mendocino! It was awesome! Although I must say it is sad to see people come and collect bags and bags of glass to make crafts and jewelry out of. I think it is okay to take a few pieces but try to leave it there for people to explore for years to come! And you don’t have to keep your shoes on! 🙂
I find it rather shocking how ignorant the authorities were to use this place as a wast dump. I always thought folk from CA were smart, but they have just proved me wrong.
i love this. brilliant reminder that nature will always prevail. as much destruction as we may do to the world, it will always last long after the human race is gone
I judge people who don’t recycle too. 🙂 My friends totally nerded out here and collected as much glass as they could while I took photos.
Glass beach is/ was amazing. We used to go there very very often as children last time I was there was probably about 7 years ago. I have heard from some that there is no glass left and others that it’s still great. I haven’t been back in a very long time though! Most of the people who have said there is nothing left, are people who are not local and probably don’t know where glass beach is. It’s in a strange spot so it can be difficult to find. Although it was created out of idiocy, it’s seriously beautiful,
There is a similar beach near Port Townsend, Washington. It is known by locals as Glass Beach. It too, was previously used as the town dump for many years. There is not nearly the amounts of sea glass shown as in Fort Bragg, California but still attracts those looking for sea glass in the Pacific Northwest.
don’t worry, your hate is unnoticed and will not change a thing.
Amazing,This is a brilliant.I want to visit this place for sure…
Loved it when we visited it although we didn’t see as much glass as this, maybe in the wrong spot. Sad it was a result of so many people dumping trash though!
So weird!!!! I was on Stumble Upon this morning and came across your post. I live in Colorado but my husband is on a motorcycle trip in California right now. I had no idea where he was because I hadn’t talked to him since yesterday morning but texted him he should check out this place. He just happened to be getting breakfast in Fort Bragg!!! So he went and checked it out after, said it was awesome. Thanks Gina!
There is a glass beach in St. Lucia as well. Locals can take you there, but its near the old french capital of Soufriere. If you ever wanted to go out there you could stay at Pelican House, and our local guide can take you.
I used to collect coloured stones from a beach in Sidmouth, England but there I had to search for them. Beautiful pictures.
Oh , I will be there , its heaven for me .
Love from the Netherlands ?Rini?
The photographs used in the post are absolutely beautiful.
Uh, I had no idea this existed! Great that they managed to make up for bad decisions of the past and turned it into something beautiful!
This place is beautiful with or without the glass (trash). It is actually on my life list to go back there: https://www.kellytirman.com/life-list/
Last time I didn’t take any pictures and I didn’t collect any glass.
Although I’ve never been there, I think it’s amazing how Mother Nature tries to correct our mistakes. A friend of mine saw this post & left a very appropriate comment….”A beautiful place to collect a mermaids’ tears”
I live right by there. Though i’ve only been there once, it was beautiful.
Very interesting. I had never heard of this place before.
Amazing find…I live in Northern California but have never heard of this place before. It will definitely be a stop on my next road trip to the border. The lesson here may be “don’t mess with Mother Nature”….she will turn junk into jewels! Thanks for the interesting article. Great job.
Gosh this place is pretty and unique. I’m going to check with my CA friends and see if anyone’s ever been there before.
this place is so lovely, wish i can visit it as well
When I moved to California 10 years ago, this is one of the first places I ever visited! So unique and the glass is so smooth!
Hey… I grew up here. Just down the coast in Mendocino. Fort Bragg is 10 miles north. Glass Beach is beautiful for sure.
This is amazing! I had no idea anything like this existed. Just just landed in the top 3 for spots I MUST visit in the next 2 years. Everytime I visit the Caribbean, I love collecting some of the smoothed glass from the beaches. I have a big glass jar full of various colors, shapes, and sizes. There’s just something beautiful about the glass and the uniqueness of each piece and the way the sun hits the jar and illuminates. I’ve gotta see this beach! Thanks for sharing!
This is truly a beautiful thing.
A great story – amazing what we do to the environment. The photos are also excellent
This is terrible and needs to be cleaned……….
It has been cleaned and its constantly combed over by people who walk the beach, so it really isn’t that “terrible”. w
I can understand the metal debris being a problem but aside from that. People have to be pretty ridiculous to argue with the fact of it actually being trash. Glass is made of sand and it isn’t at all pollution to form it. It’s actually a pretty clean process. It just takes heat to melt and not that much and we aren’t talking about Diamonds. That all being said, I simply think of the fact that nature always finds a way and what was once part of the environment is simply being recycled.
Its wonderful thanks for sharing such nice article
What a wonderful story!
Seriously!! I would wait ha hundred more years before visiting. Surely there are three-headed monster crabs lurking in the “sand” down there. And I’m one hundred percent sure I’m not gonna eat them.
Reminds me of when I was a kid summering in Canada on Lake Erie
I went here when I was 10; it is really gorgeous, but while I was in the water a wave took me tumbling back to shore, and a shard of not-so-smooth glass cut my head. I still have a scar there, and my hair is considerably thinner there in comparison to the rest of my really-thickly-haired head.
Holy hell. Either people didn’t listen to momma when she said “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” or they weren’t taught it.
So narcissistic of the writer. If you beive in the techtonic plate theory, any all all garbage will be destroyed and purified by the core of the earth. What self centered little shits think it’s all about their shirt life span. The Planet as they like to call it lives in geological time and has to no deference to man or any other creatures. It wasn’t garbage that made dinosaurs extict If you really believed in Darwin then you would already know that and stop with the petty lecturing of others.
There is actually a similar phenomenon on a much smaller scale in my hometown of pepperell, MA. the Jeff Smith trail runs through the woods in a location that used to be a bottling area, being located on a natural spring. Whenever the bottling co. left, they flushed all their glass bottles down the creek that the spring fed. Now decades later the whole riverbed is lined with different colors of old glass, worn down enough to walk through. All sorts of different size and color bottle pieces are still there, sometimes ill manage to fish out whole unbroken bottles, can be pretty neat.
I am a student in Soil Sciences and Watershed Management at Humboldt State University who has visited Glass Beach many times and has volunteered with the sea glass replenishment project. Replenishing with glass and pottery actually enhances the marine environment. Glass is made from sand and is colored with minerals. As the glass dissolves in the water, it releases the silica from the sand and the minerals used to color it. The same is true of Terra Cotta shards from pottery to fine china. These minerals form the basis of the food chain so each piece of glass or pottery is literally a mineral supplement that forms the very basis of the food chain. Marine biologists now study the marine environment in Fort Bragg because it is healthier than the surrounding area. Fort Bragg has 48 varieties of the Chiton snail, for instance, which is more than anywhere else in California. The glass also acts as a benign way to actually stabilize beaches. In an era of poor coastal planning and development and increased erosion rates, replenishing this glass beach can be a benefit ecologically, economically, and literally, physically.
Agree with your disclaimer, but yea this place looks amazing. I so want to visit. If only mother nature could pretty up the super funds in NJ like this! Great post.
Nature is hardly ‘fragile’. Nature is probably the most powerful force man knows. Don’t underestimate it. Second of all, after reading the first paragraph of this, I became uninterested, thanks to your horrible attitude. This beach is proof that no matter what man does, nature can take our mistakes and turn them into something beautiful. Man itself cannot stop nature.
An interesting take on what I wrote, I’d say. If I could understand what my “horrible attitude” was, I would better be able to address your claims. Were you to read further, you would realize that I say exactly what you’re telling me I didn’t; my post is about how fantastic it is that with time, the planet has reclaimed this beach and nullified our harmful insensitivity. Nature is both fragile and strong- we’re extremely capable of completely destroying parts of nature, and nature is even more capable of completely destroying us.
Wow. Just, wow. It’s incredible how resilient nature is… this is now on my bucket list! Thanks for sharing.
What a great blog post! Awesome images, and nice writing too. I’ll have to get my family up there sometime to see Glass Beach for ourselves. It’d be nice to drive all the way up from our home in San Diego, taking the 101 just North of LA.
I want to go home and then go up to Fort Bragg and just up to the Red-Woods. Thank You for the beautiful pictures!!!
Great pictures, very cool place!
Stumbled across this…would love to see it one day…
Way cool but I’d be afraid to walk on it. Coincidentally, I think I saw a similar article on TravelExplosion.com before.
Beautiful pictures and a beautiful beach. The colors are spectacular.
I just love those glass colours. As a jeweller who works with recycled glass and metals I can appreciate the hardwork of nature creating beauty out of the “glass junk”.
Sorry state of affairs that we have become such terrible polluters, but I have to say – the photos of the junkyard glass are incredible! To think how mother nature can take away all the sharp edges and make something so pretty – glad she is more clever than us!!! Very cool beach to visit. I saw something similar in Antigua – thankfully, the beach there was not due to human pollution, but rather a natural phenomenon – a shell beach.
This beach no longer looks much like this. Strangely enough, so many people have been taking the glass for so many years that there are virtually no large pieces left and Glass Beach is now part of a conservation area in order that the remaining glass will be “protected”.
I don’t know if it’s true, but I’ve heard rumours from people in the area that the main, easily accessible beach is fairly picked over. However, there are apparently one or two that are mostly accessible with a bit of a hike, or by kayak/canoe, that have been left fairly unmolested. Do you live around there, or did you just visit recently? I’d be curious to find out.
Two things:
There is SO much glass. It has moved South, with the current.
There was a LOT of glass at the original cove, but not only did it move, there was a toxic waste clean up several years ago and there were huge loaders digging up the ocean floor and beach, loading up trucks, and taking the glass, cars, metal, etc. to the landfill.
My website has the directions for where to find the sea glass. And, yes, you can take a little home!
Karen,
The northernmost site was not the original cove; the southernmost site was… and the glass, as you know, is still there (yeah, this is Feather *smile*)
The northernmost site was cleaned up after a storm revealed an entire car, as well as a lot of pollutants, leaking it onto the shore and into the surrounding ground water. State parks was about to take over from the city, but asked the city to clean it up before they would do that, and SOOOOO, most of that glass was hauled away. However, glass keeps popping up on the northernmost site and whenever the sands and sea weed aren’t covering it all up, it’s still quite lovely to look at, especially at low tide.
That said, the state parks is citing archaeological and historical interest, as reasons for not taking the glass….. (hehehe, funny, right?)….totally negating, in their officious way, the fact that there are CA Coastal Codes that in essence, allow beach combing above the mean high tide mark…. (whichever is the middle between high and low; one can usually see it by comparing the lines of natural debris along the shore when it hasn’t been disturbed)….so if you must collect on the northernmost site, stay between the mean high tide and high tide marks 🙂
Karen I ve been their to these beach s sevr: times yrs ago an also dived off them what great things there where to see under water ,(if you do be dam careful) was a sight to be hold . this was back in 70 s an 80s an early 90s.
I’ve been dying to visit there as well! so cool! 🙂
Thanks for sharing this with the world. I grew up in Fort Bragg where this beach is located. It use to be one of my favorite place. Beautiful glass everywhere.
amazing but sad at the same time
Love to be in that beach someday… The colors are so inviting…
Wow so beautiful Glass beach, so beautiful colors. I like very much these pictures. Thanks. Great work
These pics are ANCIENT! Glass beach hasn’t looked like that in AGES. The glass like you see in the pictures has been gone for decades. You will be SO sad and disappointing if you take your family there. Much better beaches in the area! Just drive south about 10 miles to the little town of Mendicino! You will be glad you did.
Steve: the beach has three sites. Yes, the northernmost site hasn’t looked like this for at least ten years… but the middle and southernmost sites are still covered in glass. The shot that is identified as being by Lisa D Walker is mine, and yes, I took that shot in 2009. If you haven’t yet, please feel free to visit my website link under the shot and e mail me.
I’ve written a book about the history of the beach. I still collect glass on the middle and southernmost sites. Yes, there is still A LOT of glass there. You just have to know when to go: low tide is best…. I find too that hunting sea glass is also better in winter and spring…. summer is fine, but the beach is too crowded for me…. 🙂
Glass is made from sand. It’s totally inert and harmless once smooth and in small chunks. Instead of wasting landfill space or wasting energy recycling it, we should dump it in the ocean.
And it gets even prettier when there’s an oil spill and the water gets an iridescent sheen of rainbow colours on it! 😉
On our Greek island of Paros there are several beaches on which one can comb for sea glass. Plus there are many sea glass hobbyists from around the world. So I am putting together a sea glass workshop to bring them together.
Cheers
My wife always looks for coloured glass on beaches -she absolutely loves them – imagine her face when I showed her this article! Thanks very, very interesting. However we certainly shouldn’t dump anything in the sea!
Fort Bragg is not in California; it’s in North Carolina and it’s well inland.
I’m sure there is a Fort Bragg in NC but this ain’t the one…
oh, hahaha, the same General Braxton Bragg who lent his name to the Fort Bragg in North Carolina, is the one who lent his name to this coastal gem on the northern California coast, in Mendocino county…. so yes, Fort Bragg is in both locations… 😉
This is refreshingly well written.
Gold star!
Ha, I grew up here. It doesn’t look anything like a dump anymore. I love that place!
Wow, this looks great, would love to visit this place
That is awesome! I am going to need to work on planning a trip there. Nature really is amazing in its resiliency.
Just came across this on StumbleUpon. Pretty amazing!
I love seaglass. Wished I lived closer to California so that my son and I could go see Glass Beach.
Love this post. I live here in Fort Bragg and I’m a sea glass addict. I have to laugh at a current shitty committee that is trying hard to keep people from collecting the trash. It is trash, bottom line. Seeding? No, don’t ever throw anything in the ocean, you are littering. Lesson learned. Now, go get the trash-turned-treasure because it’s pure joy to collect. It is legal to collect on the part of Glass Beach that is LOADED with sea glass on the City’s side of the beach. You will get some dirty looks if you bring a shovel and a bucket, but you wouldn’t do that. Especially because the good glass is on the top!
It’ll just turn to sand, so if you really want to preserve it, take it home!
Also, I don’t think we are going to someday stop our kids’ kids from picking up all our plastic to put in their art projects. Or…?
If you are one those that “seeds” the glass, you should be arrested for littering. It’s disgusting to throw anything into the ocean.
Thanks for giving us some closure! Everyone’s been freaking out claiming that there’s nothing left because we’re all HORRIBLE MONSTERS. I was certain there were large parts of the beach that still held some glass and could remind us that sometimes our mistakes can mean very little in the face of mother nature’s heavy handed nurturing.
Will love to visit the Glass Beach….the natures way of recycling and converting waste in to tiny marvels ……
Wooooowwww!!! This is amazing!! Thanks for sharing!
I grew up in Fort Bragg. True, it was the town dump for many years. True, people did bad things in the past as they still do now. What is in the past is past us.
The irony of glass beach in Fort Bragg is simple. Humans made the wase problem there. Then humans saw that there was a novelty to going to glass beach and collecting glass and the odd bit of rusted whatever and in turn, made crafts with them. Now it is frowned upon to pick glass there. The biggest complaint in FB about Glass beach, it is running out of glass. OH MY GOD! You mean the earth has made man clean itself and now it is a bad thing? That is the irony there in FB. The enviros want the environment clean, but are now complaining that this once blight is getting too clean.
I have spent much time there in the “heyday” of glass picking and the best treasure that I have found there was a 1918 standing liberty silver half dollar that still has the rusty sand deposits on it that I chipped from a piece of bluff with my pocket knife. That was in the late 80’s.
Nice informative article. I really like the photo at the top Gina!
Weather it is pleasing to your eye is not significant. We have learned that it is our responsibility to impact nature as little as possible. Now, that we are aware, it would be an even bigger sin to do it again.
With that said, I would like to visit while it is still there. The colorful pictures are pleasing to my eyes.
Nice post! and beautiful picture as well. I
Amazing site! Wish someday I could pay a visit… thanks for sharing the beautiful experience. 🙂
It`s a nature piece of art , I hope one day I have the opportunity to visit it. thank`s for the sharing this experience .
Very nice photos, even the source means something else. The nature seems to be more intelligent than humans are. I can invite you in Romania, where the nature is still wild. Not for many years, unfortunately…
Nature truly has her ways to inspire us. I hope that someday, I would get to visit this place.
I love this-we had the same situation in a lake in upstate NY, except the beach glass isn’t as concentrated in one place-you can find it nearly the entire shore of the south end of the lake
I believe I visited glass beach and there was hardly any glass left because it was picked up bye tourist. It was pretty sad but perhaps I was just not in a very lush section of glass beach in fortbragg.
My mother love glassbeach, I will send her your url. Thanks for this post.
I just visited Glass Beach last month but not at Fort Bragg. There is one in Kauai and the story is similar. It was a dump before it was a beautiful beach.
Wow, what an amazing place! Your photos are gorgeous–thanks for sharing about this place!
She didn’t take these shots. I took the one at the bottom. The rest are by people who contributed to Trip Advisor….. the author should have gotten permission prior to using them…. and Trip Advisor shouldn’t allow people to just take the photos like that…. am considering removing mine from their site as it’s sad how many bloggers have just used the shots without identifying the photographers. Photography represents work for me….. it’s hard to pay the bills when I am not being paid for my work… 🙂 However, I did give the author of this blog permission to use my shot as long as she gave me credit… I just wish we could find the other photographers so they would have credit too 🙂
A nice post. Like everything, given time nature will reclaim its own.
I like it, seems very natural to me.
Haha! Love it!! If nature can turn toxic waste into this thing of beauty (to me, anyway!!) it just shows us how impermanent our tracks on the earth will be. And that’s worth a look!!
Wow! Sustainability is such an important issue for man… yet the Earth adapts quicker than we do to recycle our waste… lessons for us all!
Ooo! I’d like to go there! When I was a girl I looked for glasses like these on the beach and collected them. Thanks, it’s very interesting!
too bad that isn’t working on plastic. Beautiful job.
I love the beautiful colors of the glass on the beach. Interesting article and great pictures.
Couldn’t agree with you more, hate people littering, so ignorant!! Colours are beautiful in pics!!
I love that people have finally found this treasure! I grew up going to glass beach every year as a kid and it was wonderful. These days there is very little blue glass to be found, but the beauty is everlasting.
I am abit confuse, it this a nature glass beach or men-made?
It’s from people.
I have seen something like this before in Israel. After independence day the beaches are scattered with broken beer bottles and a few weeks later when you go to the beach the waters have cleaned off the sharp edges. Even though it is trash and its a terrible thing, there is still some beauty to it. Very interesting article.
A cool way how nature is recycling junk. Just Awesome!
That’s definitely a unique beach in the world, but still I prefer looking to a beach and see a sandy natural color instead of this crazy recycling show.
The glass looks a lot like pretty rocks….I’m lost.
Now even more reason to visit California, number 1 on our bucket list for the USA, this is definitely a must visit!
Mother Nature is astonishing. I love the texture and the beauty of sea glass. Thank you for sharing.
That beach looked like the photo in the 60’s when I was a child. I still have glass from back then. Now it looks nothing like that. And yes there are a few hidden places that have a few bigger pieces but the years those too have disappeared. That picture certainly was not in recent years. I would be willing to bet new comers will be greatly disappointed.
Cindy: all the shots are within the last few years…. I took that bottom one in 2009. You just haven’t been to the right section of beach 🙂 (There are three sites)
Great article Gina!
I still enjoy visiting Fort Bragg but it certainly has been picked over. But of course, on any given day you can still find some wonderful gems.
I do wish I knew the place when it was still “undiscovered.” I’ve been told about being able to leave there with a bucket full of rare, colorful sea glass.
Fortunately, there are still “glass beaches” out there to be discovered.
I never leave home without a plastic baggy…
🙂
I love these glasses..
I own the Sea Glass Museum in Fort Bragg. I haven’t read all the comments and posts, but I would like to note that the marine environment in Fort Bragg is now much healthier than the surrounding areas because of the glass and pottery shards. This is because each color comes from a different mineral (even clear glass is clarified with minerals) and as the glass and pottery dissolves it releases those minerals and that is the basis of the food chain.
The glass pebbles also create air pockets that provide habitat for shrimps, worms, isopods, insects and micro flora and micro fauna that also reinforce the food chain here. Fort Bragg has 48 variety of chiton snails, more than anywhere else in California and the other species are more plentiful and healthy as well.
If the glass level here is not maintained, there will be a big die back in the marine environment that will affect all species, including the sea bird rookery and the harbor seal population.
As collecting can not be banned or stopped, due to Art. 10 of the state constitution, replenishment of the glass is the only alternative. This is the ultimate in recycling and is cheaper and much more environmentally friendly than putting it in a landfill. Glass is made from sand that came from beaches and is no more than large pieces of mineral enriched sand.
Please visit the Sea Glass Museum for more information.
Thanks for stopping by Cass, that was very informative. I hadn’t even considered that the minerals from the glass would be useful to the sea life.
Thanks, Chad. We are trying hard to educate people on this issue. I would like to add that Gina’s photos are recent and that although the park area is largely depleted, it is only the third of 3 town dump sites and we have the highest concentration of sea glass in the world. Site #2 is fairly easily accessible by foot and Fort Bragg is the Mecca for sea glass artists and enthusiasts. Site #1, or “Treasure Cove” is still only accessible by water. Collecting is perfectly legal at Sites #1 & 2, but we ask people to be selective in what they take.
In 2008 marine biologists dove the sea caves behind the old Georgia Pacific mill site and were amazed at the striking array of life here. Their comments and photos can be found at https://www.fortbraggmillsite.com/fortbraggmillsite/index2.cfm?module=scientistsnotebook.
Whether you are a diver/snorkeler or sea glass enthusiast, Fort Bragg is a great place to visit.
Cass
I’ve heard about this beach several times. Next time i’m in Cali i’ll have to visit. I’m sure at sunrise there would be awesome photo opportunities. Thanks for sharing.
Love the blog, kind regards, Si
At least it
wow….very nice article.
“Ohh, I hate littering, but look at the beauty it created!” I hate self-righteous, self-indulgent people who don’t want their cake but will eat it anyway.
nice its very well…
I grew up an hour outside of Fort Bragg. My father would take me to this beach every other weekend as a child. While I really appreciate the beautiful photo’s you took here, I don’t appreciate the apparent negativeness throughout this article. It just hit close to home.
Beautiful indeed. However, I agree with keeping the shoes on, after all, the colored pebbles are still made of glass.
I had never heard of this beach. Thanks for drawing people’s attention to it. It certainly is an unusual beach!
wow the beads are beautiful. I guess it’s not a bad “dump” then. Would love to visit there. Thanks for sharing!!!
Elsa
Waow! it is the perfect beach for me. So many nice colors. Love it. Thanks
sure makes the beach more interesting and colorful, recycle from bottles and glass…
Will definitely make a trip to see Glass Beach, it’s amazing to see the changes that can be made with some colorful glass.
Jesse,
If you come here, make sure you find the right spot! Seems like everyone is heading toward the old cove, where there isn’t any glass.
Check out my website for directions! Enjoy!
http://www.glassbeach.co
Karen
Karen… again, the site where there is almost no glass left is actually the YOUNGEST of the dump sites…. it closed in 1967 and was cleaned up in 2002…..
amazing thanks for sharing
Amazing work of the Troll Nature.. :)) and nice work photographer ;]
Beautiful.Thank you!
glass beach is a thing of the past you will likely find nothing but its fun to look anyway .if your really into beach glass I think you can make you own just Google it . its done in a rock polisher. have fun and carry on.
If you think that, you’re missing out. Perhaps you haven’t visited ALL of the three beaches that are collectively known as Glass Beach? There is still a lot of glass left on the southernmost and middle sites 🙂
Nice beach with the marbles rocks! Like it! I give you 5 points!!
The quote, “I’ll judge you if I think you are too lazy to recycle”. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha HA Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha…… Self-righteous would be the term for one who makes such a statement. I really don’t think you have the right, knowledge, or position to judge anybody but yourself. At the time that the trash was dumped there, it was considered OK by then social norms. You probably would have done the same in the same time and place. BTW Father Nature did not have any tricks up his sleeve, he doesn’t have any tricks. He just does what Father Nature does, and that is according to the universal laws of physics. So get off yer little high horse missy..
Hey Wayne! Welcome to the Internet; I think you’re really going to like it here, once you get the hang of it. See, the thing is: as humans, we really do have the right to judge… in fact, our entire lives are comprised of judgement! Every social interaction of every second of every day is based around a never ending series of decisions about what you like, dislike, respect, despise, or identify with. The most wonderful thing about this phenomenon is your post- you judged me on a single sentence, and became so incensed, you wrote an entire paragraph that largely hinges on some completely irrelevant terminology that you don’t like. Where our rights truly stop is at being judge and jury.
As for the only valid point in your post, if you bothered to read anything else I’ve said, you would be happy to note I completely agree and have blatantly stated that there was simply no way to know or to care at the time. As a connection to this day and age, knowing what we do about our world and recycling, I do believe and judge that careless pollution is completely ridiculous and avoidable. In any case, your pointed use of Father Earth (Mother Earth is simply a well documented, centuries old, socially accepted and culturally relevant moniker), argument about “tricks up the sleeve” (a recognizable and understandable turn of phrase that conveys wonder and appreciation of an event), and your condescending use of Missy and perception of my high horse all make you sound… well, amazingly judgemental. We’re all a little more alike than you would care to believe.
Thats so pretty! I wish I could visit it, but I’ve never been to California and I probably won’t for quite a while in my life, but oh well! At least there’s pictures!
I can’t help but wonder at those who are so critical of cultures of the past. Most of us do as others around us do. When a better idea comes along, we usually eventually embrace that idea, then look back and say, Why didn’t we always do as we do now. We are so superior to everyone else, aren’t we? In the fifties, there were no garbage collections where I grew up. You did what you could with your trash. We burned what we could in barrels using screens to keep sparks from flying, and some of us had “hollers” in which to put the unburnables. We told ourselves we were helping to stop erosion and felt good about it. Today, as we walk around sporting our water bottles and filling the land fills with plastic, we refer those who in the past either had no alternative or simply didn’t know better, as cretins. We are so superior, aren’t we?
I have never seen such a beautiful beach with rocks. I am sandy beach lover, but I would want to visit this one.
I’ve been here! It is absolutely amazing.
amazing pictures full of colors
looks like pirate treasure i like the ruby colors
the rest of the world
Colorful sadness
FYI to the writer: you don’t get tetanus from rust on metal. The bacteria Clostridium tetani that lives in soil/dirt gets into the body through an opening in the skin, typically caused when we step on something sharp.
Another name for beach glass is Mermaid’s Tears.. but I bet the mermaids would be laughing if they read some of these posts…. Good grief people, lighten up!
Wow, that’s really incredible. I would love to go there 🙂
I would love a machine of my own and make my own sea glass then take from where it is developing its habitat for other creatures to grow. I use to sit at this rocky beach in M’head MA just to find pottery and blue sea glass and saved them in a jar. But to create my own with all the bottles i have put away would be amazing and put in my own garden.
I think a rock tumbler could do what you’re looking for.
and that would be called faux sea glass. Real sea glass is, however, turned by the ocean and is distinctive in patterns on the glass, shapes, and overall appearance. Rock-tumbler glass is by far smoother overall and is not then considered sea glass…. sea glass has history. Rock-tumbled glass does not. 🙂
Oh wow!!!!!!!!!!it’s spectacular……
Wow, stunning photos. Thanks for sharing!
It must be Beautiful when the sun shines on them
all the pretty colors will reflect
“For 18 years, people drove out to the scenic expanse of ocean cliffs, marveled at the beauty of the natural world and the majesty of the depths, and then threw all their shit in.”
Thanks that was my favorite sentence.
Except that the beaches were dumps from 1906-1943, 1943-1949 and 1949-1967. Where 18 years came from is anyone’s guess…. LOL
Gina,
Overall this is a great article but I have to agree with Kevin in the comment above… “and then threw all their s**t in”. I wasn’t expecting that and it’s why I couldn’t help but keep reading as you gave me an unexpected smile so early in your piece. Thank you for the article and adding a smile to my day. Martin from Marvelled.
Thanks for taking the time to say so, guys. I have a fairly flippant and lighthearted sense of humour, and sometimes it gets misconstrued as bitchiness- or in the case of this article, gets me called out for condescending mockery. But the real truth is, if we can’t get a smile out of the mistakes we’re destined to make as a species on a daily basis, we’re gonna spend the rest of our lives crying into our vegan no fat all organic fair trade coffee, wondering why no one laughs any more.
Earth to Earth. All what that was thrown away is slowly being returned to its natural state. Our (human) life on earth is but a fleeting moment in the expanse of time/universe. Get used to this idea and appreciate the wonders you see in the brief moment you share whilst passing through. You are experiencing in fast-motion a “return to nature” that sometimes takes millions of years. e.g. Dinosaur bones to rock. You are seeing trash to sand. Steel to Fe XXX. Rubber to XYZ? Appreciate this as you will see only 80 or so years in a universe of about 13,5 billion years. Appreciate what you see and pass on a good experience to those who may wiish to enjoy their 80 or so years. Observe and good luck with your alloted life years. Don’t leave lbehind you trash that others will not wish to see. They may not have as many years.
Yes, I also heard about this place.. Would like to visit once in my life..
I love this post, but the advertising included on the page is a bit crass and makes me not want to share or officially like the page. You should make a new site that doesn’t include advertising or monitor what kind of ads go up on your site. Unless you like having an ad with an almost naked woman and suggestive headline.
We’ll get right on that 😉
Although it looks nice, there’s something very wrong about California opting to turn a waste dump into a national park instead of cleaning up that part of the planet the state government permitted to be polluted. Only in America!
Oh, but they DID clean up the northernmost site; in fact, before the state park took that particular site on, they INSISTED that the city do the clean up after a harsh winter storm revealed an entire car and leached toxins into the soil and surrounding ground water. So, they cleaned it up alright, and took EVERYTHING they could, away (including most of the sea glass in that location)… so all the glass, trash, toxins, etc., were cleaned up and the northernmost site which is the youngest of the dump sites anyway, was claimed by state parks. Interesting is that now they are citing archaeological interest as a reason to not collect the glass there….. which, as I’ve said in previous posts today, negates the CA Coastal Code which makes it legal to beach comb above the mean high tide mark 🙂
Lies and slander kids. I was up in Fort Bragg last summer, most of the glass is gone. They have beach security to make sure you aren’t taking glass off too. Too many people thought it would be neat to take home a bag of glass. Well, several thousand later and now it’s tiny bits or rounded white and green glass bits but mostly rocky sand.
Anastasia, sorry dear, you were on the wrong side. 🙂 There are three coves collectively known as Glass Beach and you were on the northernmost site. Next time you are here, take the left fork and head south … you won’t be disappointed 🙂 In fact, all the shots you see in this article, are from the middle site. 🙂
This is beautiful, maybe i will visit one day. Theres not a beach like that around me, would live to see it while the sun sets.
Incredible, I would have never imagine that nature could turn dump into what some humans call art!
It’s June 2012, can we take glass from the beach???? that is the only reason I’m going there is to look at and take glass.
Hello everyone!
Just curious if anyone knows the specifics about tourism and such to this beautiful place. I’ve taken a liking to the idea of having my wedding in this spot, though I cannot currently find any information to accept or decline my idea.
If anyone has a website or any further information that would help answer my question, please take the time! Thank you!
If you don’t mind a climb and other witnesses to your special day, then by all means, have your wedding here… make sure you do it at low tide, however, so as to accommodate your wedding party 🙂
It is quite amazing what nature can do!! It is a shame that that we do not learn quicker, Though!!
am astounded at finding this webpage . . . i was at this place in 1971, a friend took me there . . . was kind of a hippie-hangout back then . . . has long faded into my memory . . . wow . . . was beautiful then, i do remember the dazzling combination of wet glass and bright sun . . . fantastic!
I live near a beach and collect this stuff. but there is not near the glass at our beaches as this. this is amazing to see. i would be in hog heaven seeing this in person. hope to go there one day.
Thanks for sharing, never knew this existed!
nice post!
Thanks for sharing…keep the good works going…
I went there last week.I was expecting to see big pieces of glass,maybe even embedded into rock.small pieces of glass were on the sand.you think theyre small rocks,when you take a closer look you notice it’s glass.youll find them around closer to the shore …….it’s not all over the beach.sorry it was a dump before.
hi… you were just on the wrong beach is all…. come on back and stay to the left instead of turning right… 🙂 You will be very pleasantly surprised 🙂
Awesome post, thanks for sharing! If I ever make it out to California…and if this still exists as a glass beach – instead of just a normal beach – I’ll make sure to check it out.
Amazing place! Would love to visit it, that is, if it still exists!
Amazing!
very nice !!!
It’s so Amazing Place…. 🙂 🙂
What fantastic colours. But I think you’re right to keep the shoes on – walking on all the broken glass is probably not the most sensible thing!
Agreed, that probably wouldn’t be the best move. I walked down a river in Belize barefoot once, and after an hour of walking, my feet were destroyed. I imagine this would be so, so much worse.
Humans have a very strong tendancy to make ourselves out to be more important/powerful than we really are. We know the Earth is billions of years old and we’ve probably only been around for a few hundred thousand years. Yet we think that what we’re doing is going to make a huge impact on nature.
It’s true that we may impact it enough to one day cause our own extinction. But as for nature and the Earth? It will be fine. It will recover. It can deal with glass. It can deal with plastic. It can deal with hazardous gases. We might not be able to, but the Earth can.
We throw glass in the ocean, it makes glass rocks. Doesn’t care at all what the material is. It’ll wear it down until it becomes sand again. No big deal to the Earth. Not even a blip on the radar.
We’re putting toxic gas in the air? Earth doesn’t care. It’s the same to the Earth as any other gas. If it kills us off, nature will just allow a new species to evolve that’s fit for living in this new atmosphere… Hell, it may even just be us that adapts to it.
In other words: Nature cannot be ruined or destroyed. We are a part of nature. Anything we do is a part of nature. People like to make divides between us and nature, between technology and nature… It’s all nature. Just because our ideas about nature are always represented by trees, plants, other animals, etc… it doesn’t mean that’s all nature is. Nature is everything. And it will survive no matter what we little humans do.
So when we talk about our effect on the environment… It’s not about concern for the Earth. It’s about concern for US! We’re worried about what can affect our health. Maybe some people are worried about the other animals, because we don’t like seeing species go extinct… But by and large, environmental concerns are about worries that we’ll end up killing ourselves. The rest of it’s just superficial concerns about the environment looking pretty, because trees are prettier than skyscrapers. But here’s proof that human-affected environments can end up looking pretty too.
Well said Andrew! So true.
Oh I love beach glass. I use to spend hours looking for it when I was on North Haven Island in Maine and still have a few pieces stashed away in my keepsake box. This beach is beyond cool looking. I will have to put it on my to do list.
Reading all these comments is very interesting. I am glad we as humans have very different opinions. I just look at the beach and say that is cool. I make jewelry and would love to have a few pieces. Just enjoy the story and the pictures and visit the beach. There are many beaches all over the world with sea glass. I just might put this on my bucket list. 🙂
WOW,
are you sure those aren’t from some holywood film?
OMG, i didn’t know mother earth had such beautiful beaches,
is the beach long??
and do people do surfing there?
WOW,
you really had my eye opened
We are selfish to the level of total destruction.We do not care who gets harmed by our waste.We dump our toxic waste anywhere,without thinking about the consequences of it.We organize earth summit but we never move a small finger to protect our earth from environmental harm.Whom should we blame?The respective national governments,or the politicians.If we are truthful to ourselves we will know that we are to blame individually and jointly.Next time when I make waste Let me think about this picture and be more careful to dispose it.
The colors are amazing on this beach, can’t wait to see this.
Gummy bears! Nom! this is inspiring, and beautiful.
nice photo and place.. definately want to visit
the glass remind me of jelly beans or mik&ike. mmm yummy
This is absolutely beautiful and is now on my bucket list.
I still enjoy visiting Fort Bragg but it certainly has been picked over. But of course, on any given day you can still find some wonderful gems.
I do wish I knew the place when it was still
*sigh* Deep, heavy *sigh*. Gorgeous!
One mans junk is anothers treasure
so gorgeous…..
especially the tiny rocks 🙂
so colorful, but the beach view is amazing too
This really is amazing. I think it looks beautiful, despite its trashy origins. And it is a sign of hope that even our most careless acts can be put right in some way.
Perfect.
Oh, I wish my grandpa could have seen this. He would love to see nature at it’s best like this. But seriously, we need to stop wasting and disposing.
Very well written, great pictures and good rounding out of multiple views. I really enjoyed this article.
Wow how amazing!!! Great pictures & article 🙂 I had never heard of this before the things ya learn on the internet hey 😀
I am from Fort Bragg I lived there till I was 30yrs old and spent almost eveyday down there when I was 12-13 yrs old skipping school and messing around. Its changed alot since then. There used to be big cement walls at the end of the cliffs where they used to back up and dump the garbage trucks. It might not of been a very enviromental thing to do but years later it is very beautiful. most of the rocks that are exposed on a low tide are big chunks of rusted metal objects the serve as homes to the sea creatures and it is like art sculptures. There are beaches all around the world just like this. I think reintroducing glass is a good idea and am shocked because I have been thinking that for some time and had no idea others were thinking it too. Fort Bragg survives from the turists that frequent there and anything to keep them coming back or recomending it to other travelers is a good thing.
Totally blown away! I’ve been collecting sea glass for years, and this is just spectacular! My favorite place is about 2 hours from where I live, but I don’t tell people about it, so that it won’t be completely depleted. Best kept secrets and all… 😉 Really appreciated the comments by Cass, fascinating information. Nice post Gena; thanks for sharing this.
If someone paid for my ticket and the shipping container back to Canada… as well as logging… I would be there in a heartbeat and clean it all away!!! I LOVE beach glass and am an avid collector! I agree, its sad when people do this sort of thing and most of the stuff I see on the beaches in Canada Ontario is from long gone days… some is 100 years or more old. 🙂
Very interesting, I would love to visit this place.
This is a beautiful example of some people’s trash being other people’s treasure! I’ve been to California many times and have added this to my list for the next time around!
What a natural beauty!
That’s pretty badass. It’s amazing that idiocy can eventually produce such beauty.
Wow, this is stunning. I am so sad I didn’t know this was here when I was driving on the West Coast. Oh, well, looks like I’ll have to make another trip to Cali.
Unfortunately, Gina has tasted the Kool-aid of the environmentalist rage. Glass beach is primarily glass from an old glass factory that no longer exist and not from people dumping their garbage over the cliff. We do need to be morally and ethically aware of our natural resources but let’s not misrepresent the facts to rally around the bully pulpit, Holier than Thou. The real polution is over population.
i like it
30 years ago I used to pick up little glass triangles and hearts off the beach in Victoria BC and make necklaces out of them and sell them for five bucks. There used to be a dump just outside in the ocean, many years ago. I thought at that time that I could earn a living anywhere in the world as I traveled with my secret craft. The last time I was in Fort Bragg, I was returning to Canada after my honeymoon in Mexico and while parked on the beach there, I observed a nuclear war about 10 to 15 miles out. So I knocked on the camper nest to me’s door, saying; Did you see that? He said; they’re training, it’s top secret. That was pretty scary. I wish God would make that go away. he-he.
Wow, that’s beautiful. I’ll definitely need to swing by when im in cali next!
I just stumbled on to this and what an interesting find it has been! I have never heard of this beach before, but now I am totally enthralled and want to go see it myself! We never fully appreciate nature for the beauty it adds to our daily lives. It’s unfortunate that the site had been made a dump and that it took so long for us to start to clean up our own mess only after nature had done her part. But being the amazing force that it is, it seems to have made lemonade from lemons by giving us something new, exciting, and interesting to go see. While this is an interesting back story to this rainbow colored beach, I hope this story gets out there more, not so much to attract visitors, but rather to encourage people to appreciate nature for what it is and to respect it. Thanks for sharing this bit of knowledge with the world 🙂
Gorgeous…that is super cool.
Really interesting post and amazing photos – you hooked me with ” I
Great post. Such an interesting place and it begs the question if this is a good thing or a bad thing. It certainly shows our planet’s ability to mend and heal.
Omg i want those rocks for my aquarium 😀
Love it! Can’t imagine plastic bottles creating the same effect . . .
At lest glass degrades, in this case back to sand, eventually.
The colors and the shapes are impressive! Thanks for sharing this!
Although it started for all the wrong reasons – nature appears to be having the last laugh!! Amazing. I would love to visit!
There is a beautiful glass beach on Kauai that we visited earlier this year. The glass is not as large as pictured here but still very unique and beautiful. George
Thanks for the heads up. Could you tell us a bit more about the beach?
Oh wow, I’m going to have to add this place to my bucket list!
When I was little I used to search the beaches for these small pieces of rounded glass. Their soft texture and colors amazed me and I always brought a bunch of them back home. If I would have found this beach years ago, I don’t think my parents could have managed to get me out for a while!
Um… I’ve never seen anything like this before. What an awesome place! I wonder if there are any sharp shards of glass remaining? Either way it’s definitely a must see place now.
Thanks for this.
Why shouldn’t they remake it? We throw billions of tonnes of rubbish into holes in the ground to fester under the ground every year. What’s the difference in throwing some glass into the ocean to make a beautiful little beach for people to enjoy, visit for a few hours and see something they’ve never experienced before? Especially if it’s protected so that it’s safely done. They will obviously not through rubbish into the sea again now! After all, there’s far more sea than land on our planet and there’s no humans living under the sea like there are people in shanty towns living on rubbish dumps of pure filth.
People need to chill out and enjoy the beauty in small things man made or natural. Most beaches in the world have some rubbish and debry on them, that’s life and that’s the way some people treat the world today, with disregard for hyginene and others pleasure. It’s a short life we get to live on this planet and I think it’s sad that there are so many unhappy people who choose to hate on others research, hard work and opinions. Be respectful to each other and you will lead an easier happier life. I think the beach looks awesome. If they’re running out of glass maybe they can remake it to preserve the original beauty of how nature works. Sounds like a great school trip to me if you live that way!
idk if this is a good or bad thing ?? but it looks so pretty !! must go 🙂 i hope nothing sharp there so i can visit xD
It’s lovely! I wish i could go there 🙁
Oh My Good Lord. This is amazing! What a nature’s wonder that makes bad things into good things. Such a very beautiful sight of these rubbles turned into colorful stones.
put broken glass with some coarse sand and water into a cement mixer and it won’t take long to get all the polished glass you want.
Despite the terrible way this glass pebble beach came about, you have to admit – it does look really pretty.
Hi, Gina. Beautiful post. I love how you personalized it so that we know you visited and used the ecological angle. I’ve also blogged about this spot both on my blog and for World Travel List. I added a video to my post that explains how the minerals in the glass feed the ecosystem as the waves wear them down. Now that the garbage is gone, the glass is actually GOOD for the environment! Win, win for everyone, as long as people take only photos and leave only footprints. Happy Sails from Gold Boat Journeys: Live. Write. Travel. Explore
Well, I live about three blocks from this particular site, and, yes, it once was the city dump, and the glass remaining is fantastic to behold; however, there is less than there used to be. If you know where to go, in certain coves along the coastline, there are places where much glass can still be seen and enjoyed. Do keep your shoes on because among the glass, which has been tumbled in the surf, there are also pieces of wire and small rusty things that are more likely to hurt you than the glass. The glass is prominent, and IS actually good for the environment (as stated in the previous post). Locals are attempting to find a way to replenish the older trash-glass with newer pre-tumbled trash-glass, so that the supply is not ever completely depleted by visitors who cannot resist taking some home with them. It is best to take only photographs and leave only footprints, but people, being what they are. So come and visit to see for yourself. It is not a beach full of trash, as some have stated, and if they did not see very much glass, then they did not look in the right places. Perhaps they can only focus on sour grapes…
Yeah, that is amazing beach, but i guess i saw such one in europe, on the black see shore. But this pictures are just amazing, like clear swarowski crystals.))
Very cool share and grt article, thanks and please visit us too. We can become friends in blogs)
It’s good to see something good came out from littering. But still, littering is bad.
It really awesome. I have saw this first time. Thanks to stumble upon. I wish to visit here once before I die.
But the first question stroked in my mind when I saw this
Are these glasses natural or man made?
Wow…this is just mind blowing. Beautiful, disturbing, but beautiful.
omg this is horrible, yes it’s appealing to the eye but realistically this shows how polluted that part of the world is. We are living in a horribly polluted world and I believe it will get worse. This is just one of the signs that mother nature is fighting against “dirty” humans and she is losing the war 🙁
We are destroying earth and this is proof.. truly horrible pictures and extremely sad that my children will have to live in suck a polluted planet 🙁
My whole family live in Ft. Bragg , unforuately Glass Beach is almost gone , It was guite something 20 yrs, ago.
It is really beautiful! I couldn’t think of a better outcome from people being lazy, slobby bastards who just turf their rubbish where they stand.
SOMEONE HELP ME FIND MY GLASS EYE
Really this awesome, I
Glass pebbles look really awesome 😀 precious beach
This is a must visit
hurts your bare feet to walk on a lot of pebbles.. I wonder how it feels walking on a bunch of glass pebbles
looks pretty cool to bad I don’t live in cal.
I took my mom there a few years ago for Mother’s Day – She had a blast digging around for her favorite colors! We have a lot of sea glass to be found where I’m from, too: Orcas Island, WA. We enjoy making jewelry out of it because it’s so dang pretty!
how exquisitely utterly amazingly beautiful. Glass is made from sand. It’s true… from earth we come and to earth we go. Sea glass is very valuable as people buy the jewllery from it. In Hawaii there is a green peridot beach!!!!
The red sea glass is the most coveted, I’ve read. That the sea can polish broken glass amazes.
I LOVE THE PICTURES OF THE BEACH,THE THING I LOVE TO DO MOST WHEN VISITING A BEACH IS COLLECT ANY SMOOTH GLASS,ITS AMAZING HOW MANY COLOURS YOU CAN FIND, BLUE IS ALWAYS A GREAT FIND.
I WOULD LOVE TO ONE DAY GO TO THAT BEACH IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL.
“For 18 years, people drove out to the scenic expanse of ocean cliffs, marveled at the beauty of the natural world and the majesty of the depths, and then threw all their shit in.”
I lol’d at that. Thanks for the article…never heard of this place. It’s gorgeous.
It looks very attractive and pretty, and if the glass pieces have been polished by nature, it seems a good beach to walk around.
Amazing nature, never imaging that such paradise exist on the earth.
This looks pretty cool actually. I live in California so I’m gonna look up where it is. I wonder if there are any good waves for surfing there?
This looks awesome..but it’s still not nice to dump things on the beach. Just saying.
Now, wait! Are you trying to say the Earth’s fragile ecosystems might somehow, someway have regenerative powers? That would mean the narcissists of the world can’t truly, permanent screw things up? That the Earth could miraculously recover? Quick! Somebody call Al-Jazeera Gore!
for me this is brilliant. i never been there but from the pictures looks awesome. love to visit someday ….
Wow! The colors here are incredible. That just went on my bucket list. Fantastic pictures. They really capture it. And I love the title! haha.
i only hope the glass beach be my own.
It’s amazing!!! As you know, there is terrible fog in Beijing these days. We can’t breathe.T.T
Great photography!! I’m going to keep this location on my list when I head out to California this year.
I’m there! Great article, I like the brief history of how the beach came to be. I frequently travel into California to go to the beach, but sometimes I get tired of the same sand. I will have to make a special trip to see this one.
LOL, I agree it’s the first dump beach I want to see, also the first glass beech. Didn’t know the were glass beachs, when I’m next in Cali I’m there.
To bad a bunch of people came in and stole all the glass or something.
Its not there anymore 🙁
Now its just a regular beach and if your lucky you might find one piece of old glass.
Saw it when i was a kid tho, literally mind-blowing, one of the coolest things I ever will see.
I was just here on 3/26/13 and although the beach didn’t look like some of the pictures that pop up on google, there was tons of glass all over the beach. Mostly clear, green, and brown, but it was amazing how much glass there actually was. This was the first time I saw glass beach and I wasn’t disappointed. I didn’t really notice trash either, but I did see lots of metal pieces and spark plugs stuck into the bigger rocks down by the water. I would definitely recommend visiting glass beach just to see it for yourself, but I wouldn’t expect it to look just like the pictures on google 🙂
Awesome, thanks for the update. 🙂
last pictures is perfect 🙂
I’ve never find something beautiful like this…congrats for this truly beautiful pic
This is beautiful, I stumbled here and this is one of the last places my best friend was before she passed away in an accident. I’m glad I can see it here until the day I actually get to go here,
This looks very cool! The bright colors are beautiful. Doesn’t look like ‘trash’ at all! 🙂
Although this is trash – it does make some sense; glass is made of silica which is nothing but sand, as in beach sand!
This is beautiful Place. It is absolutely amazing.
I always look for sea glass on the North Fork of Long Island, but have only found one or two pieces. I’d love to visit a beach that has an abundance so I could gather it and make jewelry. If I’m ever in the area, I’ll make it a point to stop by. Thanks for the article.
For a minute i think it was a like real stone. Never saw this before. This beautifull pleace
Ohhhh i have seen this before, i really would love to get there! i know it littering and that is not a good thing but look at how the sea has turned a bad thing into something so stunning!
Wow, I havent seen even in the pictures a beach like this before … looks so nice 🙂
amizing whear this beach in what country I wuled like to visit thank U gina
Read the article and all will be revealed….
I would still be wary of walking on that beach barefoot! I am sure it is impossible to clean up everything and all it would take is one piece of rusted metal.
absolutly magnificient!
Just stumbled upon your site, and added Glass Beach to my list of things to do while back in the States. I can’t believe I lived in Cali for three years and never even knew this existed!
this is actually pretty kickass, im a sucker for sea glass
I’d have my wedding there so when I’m overheard saying SHOW ME THAT FINE ASS OF YOURS I can recant and claim i said SHINE LIKE THE FINE GLASS ON SHORE!
Excellent idea 😀
Well that looks amazing! How have I never heard of this? This is going straight on my travel to-do list and will make sure that I write about after.
Matt
This beach really is a good example of how resilient nature could be. However, we should not always bank on nature’s resiliency.
Agreed. I think nature is starting to get a little pissed off with us…
Very colorful indeed, but a shame where the color came from!
Wow, its very beautiful there. The glass is awesome… I like the colorful glass rock also…
This is so beautiful, I love the poetic “justice” of it 😉 Mother Nature turning our crap into something beautiful…
Such an amazing beach. Would love to visit here sometime. The power of nature is truly wonderful.
Anyone live near here? My boy loves to collect rocks and would love to have some rocks from this beach??? He’s 7 and he’s been asking me to take him there since he was 4 lol please let me know. My email is lanez_2001@yahoo.com thank you 🙂
so i guess its o. k. to throw trash in the ocean because one day our trash will be a national park?
Except now all the visitors have taken away all the glass so it’s not nearly this cool looking.
Amazing! Such places must be protected because people seldom care about nature treasures.
I was there. In pictures is more beatuful than in reality
I just spent a week at Fort Bragg. Better than usual weather made the day at Glass Beach a treasure in itself. Even though it does not look exactly like the photo taken in 2009, it is still beautiful five years later in 2014.
There are actually three beaches with the surf-smoothed gems. How amazing that a force of nature turns this man-made garbage into treasures! Most of the pieces I found this trip are different shades of green, brown, and clear, but I got some interesting pottery remnants, too. I say “got” because I brought some home with me. I’m not one of those people who carries buckets or bags out. I only take what I will use or share. Besides, there seems to be no shortage of glass. In fact, I found bigger and better pieces this time than I did back in 1998.
The beach in the middle has a lot of glass embedded in this really hard, almost concrete-like sediment. Most of it still has very sharp edges, so be careful. There were also a lot of objects for metal collectors here.
When I wasn’t treasure hunting, there were all those tide pools to explore. The entire place is a geological wonder in addition to being a really cool place to “shop” for sea glass.
Thank you mother nature for creating such a beautiful site. It’s amazing what some people’s careless and wastefulness can do. This is a once in a lifetime occurrence. Littering is still awful for our environment and it should not be encouraged in any way at all!
I used to collect those little pieces of glass when I was little. Sweet memories.
It truly is a magical 🙂 Thank you for your post and photos!
yep, this is on my list for next trip in Cali!!!
I got some interesting pottery remnants, too. I say got because I brought some home with me. I’m not one of those people who carries buckets or bags out.
It’s ironic that visitors are now taking this rubbish back home with them after it’s been beautified by nature.
I was looking for some awesome travel spots across the web and I found your post. Place looks amazing! I wish one day to visit California.
I only recently heard about this beach, and I’ve been wanting to see it in person. I actually didn’t understand until reading this, what the origins of it were. Still, it’s pretty. As a kid, I collected rocks and shells from any beach my parents brought me to. My dad and I would sit by a rocky area and polish our findings manually, sometimes even filing them into odd shapes. I later had a rock tumbling kit. Loved it. I’d get a kick out of Glass Beach, but first! That Tetanus shot I’ve been putting off for 3 years lol.
It is beautiful, different colors of stone makes it heaven
nature is itself beautiful and it will remains the same if humans don’t ruin it.
I like those multicolor.Thanks for sharing.
GLASS BEACH i love it. All images are so pretty no words to explain hoe stunning it looks. Thanks dear for sharing
By chance, I came across another nice blog on Fort Bragg Glass Beach today, and once again it repeats the unsubstantiated statement that you are not allowed to take glass from Glass Beach. Here is the nice article: Sea Glass Fort Bragg on WebEcoist.My only problem with the article is that it doesn’t state where they found that “not allowed” clause. The site that is sourced is a site on Fort Bragg, and that semi official site says NOTHING about no collecting sea glass.
So the “rumor” persists…
Mother nature made some beautiful out of something ugly. When I get a chance I would like to visit.
Looks amazing!
Wow this beach looks stunning! I want to visit 🙂
Glass rocks are awesome. I used to collect them, thought they were rare and now I see this beach ha, they are still nice and look great
I would love to make some jewelry from glass from this beach.
NEVER saw this much glass Thank You.
Gina, very beautiful photos. Thank you!
Never seen anything like that! Awesome photos 🙂
to me its beautiful simple aesthetically, but within, its is much more beautiful that a former dump could transform itself into such beauty
Glass Beach today, and once again it repeats the unsubstantiated statement that you are not allowed to take glass from Glass Beach. Here is the nice article: Sea Glass Fort Bragg on WebEcoist.My only problem with the article is that it doesn’t state where they found that “not allowed” clause. The site that is sourced is a site on Fort Bragg, and that semi official site says NOTHING about no collecting sea glass.
The blog post is really amazing the glass beach dump yes i want to visit that place.
Pretty amazing, eh?
This is amazing place. I love it.
Beautiful place for summer
Such a nice post with amazing pictures. Thanks for the sharing:)
I was there. In pictures is more beautiful than in reality, 🙂 it is Realy more beautiful that a former dump could transform itself into such beauty.
I got some interesting pottery remnants, too. I say got because I brought some home with me. I’m not one of those people who carries buckets or bags out.
These pictures are AMAZING. And now I’m dying for some Beach Delight. Great post! Can’t wait to go to Glass Beach!
wow that’s cool, i had never heard about this GLASS BEACH before, after which this i can’t control myself to go there. I am very thankful to sharing this beautiful place with us
I really liked reading your post! Very high quality content and useful information. With such a valuable blog I believe you deserve to be ranking even higher in the search engines.
Glad you’re enjoying the site, Maria!
Your posts are extremely cool. I am glad to be here. I enjoyed reading your articles and I would like to bookmark your posts.
Thanks John!
Man, people really shouldn’t be throwing their plastic in the water when they go to the beach.
This is Nature and we should accept it! GOD does better for us every time.
It would be pretty cool to look at the beach with a thermal imaging camera. Bet it would look super weird!
Hmm! the glass beaches’ pics were attractive. It seems that they are attracting me towards themselves. I Loved it!