Walk-Up6/10
Sinkyone Streamside Camp permit
Hike-in environmental camp on the Lost Coast Trail. Pay on site, no reservations...
Walk-UpOvernightModerate Demand
Jones Beach Camp Permit
Sinkyone Wilderness State Park
Hike-in environmental camp on the Lost Coast Trail. Pay on site, no reservations.
“A beach the park says is not accessible by road, on a coastline where that is the whole point.”
How to get Jones Beach
Jones Beach is issued by the agency rather than through a booking calendar. Their page has the current process and any dates.
Official permit pagePlanning another trip? See the permits we watch.
How to get Jones Beach
Jones Beach is issued by the agency rather than through a booking calendar. Their page has the current process and any dates.
Official permit pagePlanning another trip? See the permits we watch.
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Jones Beach Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodWalk-Up
Demand LevelModerate6/10
Cost$5 per person per night (pay at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock)
This permit is not bookable online
You get this permit in person at the trailhead or ranger station, or by phone. There is no online reservation to race for, so availability alerts do not apply. We still track key dates and season info for your trip.
Official permit page →Key Information
Permit Details
TypeOvernight
Booking MethodWalk-Up
Demand Level6/10
LocationLost Coast, CA
What to Expect
Route Details
Route Type
Out & Back
Difficulty
ModerateHighlights
- •An environmental camp with no drive-in access
- •$5 per person per night, paid on site or by mail
- •A beach the park describes as not accessible by road
- •No potable water anywhere in the park
- •Vault toilets in developed use areas
- •Briceland Road closed in winter
Best Time to Visit
Summer and early autumn, when Briceland Road is open and dry. The road is closed in winter and the rainy season makes it impassable for passenger cars.
Hazards & Considerations
- !Sinkyone Wilderness SP is one of the most remote parks in California. In an emergency situation, help may not arrive for hours.
- !Hiking on the shoreline can be dangerous, and cellphone connectivity is limited.
- !The cold waters off the rugged North Coast are unpredictable and can be deadly, not only for beginners but even for experts.
- !There is no potable water in the park.
- !When wet, the park's twisting dirt roads are impassable for passenger cars.
- !Briceland Thorn Road is closed in winter.
- !Black bears — a bear canister or locked car is required for food and scented items.
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
Today
☁️
67°
57°
Sun
☀️
67°
55°
Mon
☀️
76°
56°
Tue
🌫️
71°
55°
Wed
🌫️
70°
58°
Thu
🌫️
70°
60°
Fri
🌫️
70°
56°
View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.
How to Get This Permit
1
Check the agency page for the process
This permit is not sold online. Confirm where and when it is issued — and any fee — at California State Parks before your trip.
2
Arrive early
Walk-up permits are issued first-come, first-served, and quotas can fill early on weekends and holidays.
3
Have backup plans
Popular trailheads may be full. Know alternative routes or dates in case your first choice is unavailable.
Learn More
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand3/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill2/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Exposure Risk4/5
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Navigation3/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment4/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Campers who want a roadless beach and are willing to drive 36 miles of increasingly rough road and then walk to reach it.
Recommended Experience
Full self-sufficiency. Carry all water, use a bear canister, and accept that help may be hours away.
Not Recommended For
Beginner backpackers, anyone in a low-clearance vehicle in wet weather, and anyone who needs drinking water or a trash service on site.
About This Permit
Jones Beach Camp is an environmental camp near the northern end of Sinkyone Wilderness State Park. The park offers eight environmental camps, two horse camps, and two primitive camps; primitive camps offer drive-in access, while environmental camps do not.
Jones Beach itself is roadless. The park's 2006 general plan records that Jones Beach and the beach at Jackass Creek are not accessible by road, so they experience less use compared to Usal or Bear Harbor. The same document — the only agency source that publishes per-camp counts — lists four sites at Jones Beach.
Environmental camps cost $5 per person per night, payable at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock, or by mail via check to the California Department of Parks and Recreation. There is no ReserveCalifornia booking; the park's reservation field reads that there are no upcoming camping or lodging reservations at this time.
The park's conditions govern everything: there is no potable water, you have to haul out your own trash, and when wet the twisting dirt roads are impassable for passenger cars.
The Experience
Why It Matters
Jones Beach is one of the two places in Sinkyone the park singles out as roadless — and it says so in the context of use levels: Jones Beach and the beach at Jackass Creek are not accessible by road, so they experience less use compared to Usal or Bear Harbor.
The Route
Jones Beach Camp is one of Sinkyone's eight environmental camps. Environmental camps do not offer drive-in access; you walk in. It sits near the northern end of the park, and the 2006 Preliminary General Plan groups it with the camps easily accessible from the parking area at Needle Rock House, alongside Streamside and Needle Rock.
That same 2006 document is the only agency source that publishes per-camp site counts, and it records four sites at Jones Beach. No current visitor publication breaks the park's inventory out by camp.
Jones Beach is also a fee collection point: environmental camps and horse camps cost $5 per person per night and are payable at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock, or by mail. Day-use parking is $8 per vehicle per day for Needle Rock and Jones Beach.
The Feeling
Black sand and driftwood with nobody on it. Roosevelt elk work the coastal prairies above, and the fog decides how much of the day you get.
Trailhead Information
Needle Rock Visitor Center (Briceland Road)
The northern access, registration and fee point. Jones Beach and Streamside are the camps easily accessible from the parking area here.
Restrooms
No water
Parking
Day-use parking $8 per vehicle per day for Needle Rock and Jones Beach. Camping fees $5 per person per night, payable at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock, or by mail. Several parking places are available at the Needle Rock Visitor Center.
Getting There
36 miles southwest of Garberville or Redway on Briceland Road, which becomes Mendocino County Road 435. The last 3.5 miles are unpaved, steep and narrow. Briceland Thorn Road is closed in winter and roads may be impassable in wet weather.
Nearest Services
Garberville or Redway, 36 miles away.
Rules & Regulations
- •Environmental camps and horse camps cost $5 per person per night, payable at Jones Beach gate or Needle Rock, or by mail.
- •Except for service animals, dogs are not allowed on trails.
- •Store food and any scented items in a bear canister when camping; items may also be stored in a locked car.
- •Haul out your own trash — there is no trash service in the park.
- •Due to rough driving conditions, large trailers and RVs are not recommended.
- •Day use areas open sunrise to sunset; day-use parking is $8 per vehicle per day.
- •No trails in this park are Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible.
Gear Checklist
Required
- All your drinking water — there is no potable water in the park
- A bear canister for food and scented items
- Full trash carry-out capacity
- Warm, waterproof layers for persistent coastal fog
- Extra food and supplies in case you are stranded
Recommended
- Cash or a check for the per-person fee
- A paper map and an itinerary left at home
- A tide table before walking any beach section
- High-clearance vehicle for the last 3.5 miles
- A satellite messenger, since cellphone connectivity is limited
Plan Your Trip
🎒
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Jones Beach
🚐
Shuttle Services
Trailhead transportation options
Browse all shuttles🧭
Guide Services
Experienced wilderness guides
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Key Landmarks
Needle Rock Visitor Center
The 1920s settlement house that serves as the park visitor center, with year-round camp hosts and interpretive materials.
Jones Beach
Not accessible by road, which is why it experiences less use compared to Usal or Bear Harbor.
Needle Rock
A prominent sea stack that serves as a landmark with an ocean-carved arch visible from great distances.
Lost Coast Trail
22 miles within Sinkyone, resuming as a hiking trail north of Needle Rock.
Safety & Planning
🚨
Emergency Info
Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for Jones Beach.
🐻
Food Storage
Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.
Jones Beach FAQ
How do I get a Jones Beach permit?
Jones Beach is not sold online. It is issued in person or by phone, so there is no reservation to book and no cancellation to catch. PermitSnag does not send alerts for it — check the official permit page for the current process.
When is the best time to visit Jones Beach?
Check with the managing agency for current season dates. Weekdays generally have better availability than weekends.
How competitive is the Jones Beach permit?
This permit has a demand score of 6/10, making it moderately competitive.
What if I can't get a Jones Beach permit?
On this permit there is no cancellation queue and no alert to set, because nothing is re-released onto a calendar we could watch. Bring backup dates, and check the official permit page for the current process and any closures.
👥Community
Trail Conditions
No active conditions reported
Sign in to report trail conditions.
Questions
No questions yet
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Trip Reports
Write ReportPhotography Guide
Golden Hour
Sunset from the bluff above the beach, with Needle Rock's arch silhouetted to the north.
Best Light
Late summer and early autumn.
Beat the Crowds
The park says it directly — no road access means less use here than at Usal or Bear Harbor.
Classic Shots
- 📍Needle Rock's ocean-carved arch
- 📍Black sand and driftwood with no footprints
- 📍Roosevelt elk on the coastal prairie
- 📍Fog banked against the Douglas fir slopes
- 📍The Needle Rock Visitor Center in its coastal setting
Can't Get a Jones Beach Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Streamside Camp
Same AreaThe other environmental camp easily accessible from the Needle Rock House parking area.
No permit needed
Tradeoffs
The nearest alternative on the same access.
Bear Harbor Camp
Same AreaAn environmental camp on the largest and most protected cove in the park, further south on Briceland Road.
No permit needed
Tradeoffs
A sheltered cove and the hinge of the Lost Coast Trail, but further down a road that closes in the rainy season.
Usal Beach Camp
Easier AlternativeThirty drive-in campsites on a black sand beach at the park's southern end, currently free.
No permit needed
Tradeoffs
Drive-in and free, but it sees the most use in the park and is reached by a different road entirely — an hour north of Fort Bragg rather than 36 miles from Garberville.
🏕️
Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your Jones Beach trip
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