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- Red sand photography (Day) — The sand here really is reddish, not just “golden with a filter.” Low-angle light in the morning brings out streaks of iron-stained layers in the cliffs; composition options are endless — close-ups of rust-colored grains, wide shots with the cliffs and Pacific, or portraits with an outrageously photogenic backdrop. Bring a polarizer and a sense of patience.
- Sunset over the red cliffs (Day → Night) — The sun hits the iron-rich sand and cliffs in a way that makes the whole bay glow. It’s a slow, theatrical kind of color change; stay a bit after the sun dips and the hues deepen into burgundy and purple. (Personal favorite — perfect place to sit, sip something warm, and watch the colors do the work.)
- Shoreline wildlife watching (Day) — You won’t need a boat to
- Red sand photography (Day) — The sand here really is reddish, not just “golden with a filter.” Low-angle light in the morning brings out streaks of iron-stained layers in the cliffs; composition options are endless — close-ups of rust-colored grains, wide shots with the cliffs and Pacific, or portraits with an outrageously photogenic backdrop. Bring a polarizer and a sense of patience.
- Sunset over the red cliffs (Day → Night) — The sun hits the iron-rich sand and cliffs in a way that makes the whole bay glow. It’s a slow, theatrical kind of color change; stay a bit after the sun dips and the hues deepen into burgundy and purple. (Personal favorite — perfect place to sit, sip something warm, and watch the colors do the work.)
- Shoreline wildlife watching (Day) — You won’t need a boat to see seabirds plastered on the rocks and, often, sea lions hauling out on nearby stacks. The red cliff backdrop makes even common species look cinematic — bring binoculars and keep your distance to avoid stressing the animals.
- Rock-scrambling and tide-pool exploring (Low tide, Day) — The cliffs and boulder fields here have been sculpted into interesting nooks and mini-caves; at low tide you can pick through tide pools and find crabs, limpets, and weird little micro-ecosystems framed by red rock. Watch the tide and wear good shoes — those rocks are sharp and slippery.
- Geology walk & night stargazing (Day for the walk; Night for the stars) — During the day, it’s a compact textbook of sedimentary layers and erosion patterns (great if you like geology or just curious about why the sand is red). After dark, light pollution is low enough for surprisingly vivid stars — the cliffs silhouette nicely against the Milky Way on a clear night. Bring a headlamp with red mode so you don’t wreck the view.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.