Salinas River State Beach (Sandholdt Road)
About
Salinas River State Beach (Sandholdt Road) is a public ocean beach on the California coast, about half a mile from Moss Landing, within the San Benito-Monterey Unit. Swimming is not allowed here, and neither are dogs. There is no fee to visit. Late summer and early fall are the most settled times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Watsonville show September and October highs around 74°F, with rain on only one to three days a month. Several short trails sit a little over 3 miles away, including the South Marsh Loop Trail and Five Fingers Loop Trail. The Salinas NWR Trail is about 4.4 miles off, and paddlers can reach the Pajaro River at roughly 6.8 miles.
Beach Details
Swimming
Not allowed
Dogs
Not allowed
Parking
Available
Fee
Free
As published by the managing agency. Lifeguards, fees and dog rules are often seasonal, so check posted signs before you swim.
Location
Salinas River State Beach (Sandholdt Road)
California
Data: California Coastal Commission, YourCoast public access data. Source metadata
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Year-round. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 62–74°F and lows of 39–55°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Watsonville Wtr Wks, CA weather station, 9.2 mi away. High / low in °F, and days with snow.
- Jan62° high40° low
- Feb63° high42° low
- Mar65° high43° low
- Apr68° high45° low
- May69° high49° low
- Jun71° high52° low
- Jul71° high54° low
- Aug72° high55° low
- Sep74° high53° low
- Oct74° high49° low
- Nov68° high43° low
- Dec62° high39° low
Where it is
- San Benito-Monterey Unit · Public land
- Nearest town
- Moss Landing, California · 0.5 mi
Source: NIFC Jurisdictional Units; USGS GNIS populated places
Nearby
- South Marsh Loop TrailHiking3.3 mi
- Five Fingers Loop TrailHiking3.3 mi
Murphy TrailHikingPhoto: vonguard, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)3.3 mi
Long Valley Loop TrailHikingPhoto: vonguard, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)3.4 mi
Salinas NWR TrailHikingPhoto: donjd2, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)4.4 mi- South CampCamping6.2 mi
- Pajaro RiverCanoeing6.8 mi
- Wetland Connector TrailHiking7.2 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Best time to visit Salinas River State Beach (Sandholdt Road)
Best months: Year-round. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
62° / 40°
11 wet
Feb
63° / 42°
11 wet
Mar
65° / 43°
10 wet
Apr
68° / 45°
6 wet
May
69° / 49°
3 wet
Jun
71° / 52°
1 wet
Jul
71° / 54°
1 wet
Aug
72° / 55°
1 wet
Sep
74° / 53°
1 wet
Oct
74° / 49°
3 wet
Nov
68° / 43°
7 wet
Dec
62° / 39°
10 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Watsonville Wtr Wks, CA, 9.2 mi away at 95 ft. We don't have this place's elevation, so higher spots nearby can run cooler. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
