This secluded, hard-to-find North Coast beach has a huge fan base. Day trippers, nude sunbathers, party kids, even rock climbers hold it in the highest esteem, which makes it all the more astounding that on any given day, you can have a big piece of the place to yourself. (Thank the scramble down to the beach for that. And consider footwear other than flip-flops for the job; although the 5-minute route down is more manageable than it looks from the top, a couple of tricky spots lie in wait.)
Panther Beach’s main claim to fame is a picturesque sea arch leading to a much longer section of beach to the south. Sometimes called Hole in The Wall Beach, this gorgeous stretch of sand has a few coves that draw nudie sunbathers like kitties to catnip. If you go to that section of the beach, pay attention to the tide. You’ll get soaked and possibly banged up trying to get back through the arch during a rowdy high tide. Read more.
PEOPLE COME HERE FOR THE sunbathing, rock climbing, tidepooling and clothing-optional thing.
YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO camp, rock climb, take all your clothes off, hold a full-moon rave, build a fire, drink alcohol, drag a couch down or run your dog here. People do all those things anyway. And a lot of them don’t clean up after themselves afterward, which is unspeakably lame.
TAKE IT FROM US AND pay attention to the tide in the arch, swim with caution, watch for glass on the trail and don’t leave valuables in your car.
THE BATHROOM AND DRINKING FOUNTAIN SITUATION is nonexistent.
Directions
From Santa Cruz: Follow Hwy 1 north out of town. About 8 miles from town, look for a long dirt parking area on the left with telephone poles running down the center. If you get to Fambrini’s produce stand, you’ve gone too far. The trailhead is at the north end of the lot, next to a yellow Coast Dairies state parks sign.
From Davenport:
Continue on Hwy 1 south of town. About 2 miles south of Davenport, just after Fambrini’s produce stand, look for a long dirt parking area on the right with telephone poles running down the center. The trailhead is at the north end of the lot, next to a yellow Coast Dairies state parks sign.
8 miles north of Santa Cruz on Hwy 1 N
NEARBY
Bonny Doon Beach
Greyhound Rock
Wilder Ranch State Park
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