A pair of coastal lagoons connected by a narrow channel, separated from the Pacific by a thin strip of sand dunes. The 3.2-mile round-trip trail crosses open grasslands before reaching the lagoons and continuing to the beach. The lagoons support large populations of shorebirds, waterfowl, and raptors throughout the year.
Photography Guide
Best Time
golden hour
Crowds
Quiet
Shot Types
widelandscapereflection
Best Seasons
winterspringfall
Practical Tips
The trailhead is on Pierce Point Road. The first lagoon is an easy 1-mile walk; the beach requires continuing another 0.6 miles through soft sand. Winter storms can close the lagoon mouth, raising water levels.
Is it a good day to go?
7-day outlook
Mild, dry days with light winds are the most comfortable for a visit.
Forecast by Open-Meteo. Verdicts weigh the forecast against the conditions that suit this spot.
Gallery
A calm blue lagoon fills the center of the frame, bordered by sandy dunes and tufted coastal grasses, with a lone heron standing near the left bank. Green hills and a few small buildings stretch across the horizon under clear golden-hour light. Photo: Rhododendrites / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0A great blue heron stands in dense green marsh vegetation beside the calm brown water of Abbotts Lagoon, its gray-blue plumage catching the warm light. The bird is shown in profile against the reflective lagoon edge, with a quiet, natural wetland feel. Photo: NPS Photo / Wikimedia Commons / Public domainSeveral Caspian terns and a gull stand along a narrow muddy edge of the lagoon, their reflections mirrored in the still water. The blue surface fills the background, with bright sun glints and a strip of wet sand in the foreground. Photo: NPS Photo / Wikimedia Commons / Public domainCommon mergansers cluster along the sandy edge of a calm lagoon, some resting and others stretching their wings beside a curved shoreline of wet sand. Sparse dune grass and small yellow wildflowers dot the foreground under soft golden light. Photo: NPS Photo / Wikimedia Commons / Public domainA great blue heron stands at the grassy edge of a calm blue lagoon, its pale gray body and yellow bill contrasting with the rippled water. Dry dune grasses and a sandy bank frame the left side, giving the scene a quiet, coastal feel. Photo: Rhododendrites / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0Soft golden sand dunes fill the frame in layered ridges, with scattered tufts of dune grass catching the light under a clear blue sky. The wide composition emphasizes the smooth, wind-shaped curves and sparse coastal vegetation. Photo: Rhododendrites / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0A calm blue lagoon curves through the foreground beside a bright green strip of marsh, with pale sand dunes and low coastal grasslands rising beyond it. Clear sunlight and a cloudless sky give the scene a serene, open feel. Photo: Frank Schulenburg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0A river otter breaks the surface of dark lagoon water, facing the camera with whiskers splayed and ripples spreading in tight circles around its head. The low golden light catches a warm patch on its fur, while the rest of the frame stays deep blue and still. Photo: Rhododendrites / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0A juvenile night heron stands on a sandy lagoon edge, its brown-and-white speckled plumage and bright yellow eye sharply in focus against a soft, pale background. The shallow depth of field and muted golden light give the scene a calm, quiet feel. Photo: Frank Schulenburg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0Curving along a pale sand dune, the calm lagoon fills most of the frame with green-blue water and a few reeds poking through near the shore. Low coastal hills and scrub rise in the distance under a clear, soft blue sky. Photo: Wingchi Poon / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
