Greenwood State Beach is the official name of "Elk Beach". This is a very nice sandy beach with beautiful views of offshore rocks. Picnic tables and fire pits are provided, but there is no overnight camping at this beach. The parking lot is located at approximately the Mendocino 34.00 mile marker, and it has a well maintained pit toilet. This site is easy to spot and it is directly across Highway 1 from the Elk Store. Most of the diving off of this beach is free diving for abalone, but I have seen divers launch boats and kayaks here to explore to the North and South of the beach.

There is no fee for day use at this beach. If you have patience and good water skills, this is one of the "secret" spots to get the very big abalone. The visibility is usually murky at best, but there are days when the visibility soars to a whopping 10 feet.

The closest camping accommodations are either at the Navarro Beach campground (only 10 sites), or at the Albion Flats campground. It is only a 15 or 20 minute drive to these sights.

The decision to dive (or not) is your responsibility. Keep diving activities within your training and comfort level. If you feel more training or experience is needed before attempting a dive, don't dive. Know personal limits, skill levels, and abilities of yourself and your dive buddy. Dive Safely and Dive Often!

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, contact me