Goat Rock Beach facts for kids
Goat Rock Beach is a beautiful beach located in Sonoma County, California, United States. It's part of the larger Sonoma Coast State Beach, which is owned by the State of California. The mouth of the Russian River is at the northern end of this beach. Goat Rock itself is a large rock formation at the southern end. The beach got its name from this rock. People think that in the early 1900s, goat herders used the flat, grassy top of Goat Rock for their goats because not many other animals could live there.
Goat Rock Beach is a very popular place for visitors, especially in the middle of summer. Many people come here for swimming and surfing. The beach is also home to many animals. You can often see seagulls, harbor seals, and sea lions, along with other creatures from the Pacific Ocean.
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History of Goat Rock Beach
The oldest natural history of this area involves marks found on rocks about a third of a mile south of Goat Rock Beach. These marks are rubbing marks, about two to four meters above the ground. They are too high for modern animals to make. Scientists believe these marks were made by Mammoths! Mammoths might have traveled here as recently as 40,000 years ago. Mammoth fossils have also been found nearby at Bodega Head.
The first known humans to live at Goat Rock Beach were the Native American Coast Miwok and Pomo tribes. Later, in the mid-1800s, Mexican ranchers lived in California. Goat Rock Beach was part of a Mexican land grant called the "Bodega Rancho." It is also thought that Russians started cutting down forests just north of the beach in the early 1800s.
Exploring the Geography of Goat Rock Beach
The Russian River flows into the ocean at the north end of Goat Rock Beach. This river is the biggest watercourse in Sonoma County. Just north of the Russian River's mouth is the small town of Jenner and Jenner Beach.
Goat Rock is located at the south end of Goat Rock Beach. Visitors can walk onto Goat Rock using a small isthmus, which is like a natural land bridge. Blind Beach is just south of Goat Rock Beach, with only Goat Rock separating the two beaches.
Understanding the Geology of Goat Rock Beach
Goat Rock Beach experiences a lot of marine and wind erosion. Erosion is when water and wind slowly wear away the top layers of rock or mud. This causes about one to three feet of land to be lost each year! During big storms, even more erosion can happen.
The tall rock formations along the coast, called "sea stacks," are made of rocks from the Franciscan Complex. These rocks were formed during powerful earthquakes in California. About 200 million to 30 million years ago, the North American Plate crashed into the Farallon Plate. This collision caused earthquakes and created different types of rocks, including pillow basalt, chert, and sandstone. Goat Rock itself is a flat-topped sea stack made of a rock called greywacke. The rock formations in the area are mostly made of sandstone with layers of quartz.
Goat Rock Beach in Popular Culture
- Goat Rock Beach was voted the second most popular beach in Sonoma County by readers of Metroactive.
- The very last scene of the movie The Goonies was filmed right here at Goat Rock Beach!
Images for kids
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Goat Rock Beach
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Mouth of Salmon Creek, looking south with Bodega Dunes to the South.
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Rock formation on Goat Rock Beach
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The coastal prairie above Goat Rock Beach supports a diversity of upland species.
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Goat Rock, looking south across Goat Rock Beach
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