Wildcat Beach

• Walk about one mile south from Wildcat Campground toward Alamere Falls, the reason most people come.
• Walk about two miles north toward a boulder-strewn stretch below Miller Point.
• Tidepools may appear at both ends of the beach at lower water.
• Fishing is permitted. Photography is rewarding along the bluffs, and the west-facing shore favors late-day light.

Wildcat Beach itself has no facilities. The vault toilet and potable-water faucet are at Wildcat Campground, not at the shoreline. Food services are not available at or beyond the trailheads on these routes, so carry everything you need.

Keep the three places straight: Wildcat Beach is the shoreline, Wildcat Campground is the designated camp above it, and Alamere Falls is the waterfall at the beach's southern end.

• High tides frequently cover much of the beach, which can cut off walking in either direction. Time the walk south for lower water and watch the tide turn behind you.
• Sneaker waves and rip currents are real hazards on this exposed coast.
• Ocean temperatures can be around 50 degrees F (10 degrees C), and hypothermia is a genuine risk. Swimming and wading are not recommended.

Water and a way to refill at the campground faucet, food for the whole outing, wind and rain layers, sturdy footwear for rough, pebbly sand, a tide table, and a map. There is no parking or food service to rely on at the beach.

• Beach camping is prohibited. Camping is allowed only at designated Wildcat Campground sites.
• Leave shells, rocks, fossils, flowers, and artifacts where you find them.
• Do not chase or feed birds, and keep your distance from seals and sea lions.
• Drones, metal detectors, and glass containers are prohibited. Wood fires require a permit.

It is a long hike from every trailhead, with no shortcut. High tides and rough surf can limit beach walking, sometimes shortening the walk to the falls, and the coarse pebbly sand makes for slower going than a smooth beach.